I do believe I addressed all of your points in the posting… My ‘objection’ (actually more of an observation) is not about anything to do with technology. I’ll grant you the fully automatic systems, I’ll grant you a price point that allows us all to do this, and I’ll even grant you a source of power that makes flying cars feasible.

Although THAT last one would change far more than the potential to make flying cars a reality.

What I won’t so easily grant is that we’d allow a stream of flying cars anywhere near our cities. Even with 9/11 this was always the sticking point – and with 9/11? It’s not going to happen in our lifetimes. If it does? I’ll buy the beer and pretzels.

The common argument given against flying cars consists of the following:

1.) Flying cars would be dangerous. Imagine a drunk driver not just hitting a tree, but a building.

2.) Flying cars would require TREMENDOUS energy, from a source we obviously don’t yet produce.

3.) Flying cars would be very expensive to produce, and the materials would add to this.

4.) Flying cars are but a dream from yesteryear, when they said we would all be driving them by 2000.

The 1st one is one of the best. Why on Earth would you allow someone like a drunken driver to own a car that he could easily turn into a mini 9/11 because he got drunk. See, this is flawed. Because the first logical step is automation of road ways, which many scientists believe will occur by 2030 or later. When you make it so free driving is no longer an option on a massive scale like it is today, you ELIMINATE accidents. That is assuming the automation system has crash detection, which by the way, is already on board some cars that you can buy RIGHT NOW.

The second one is also flawed. This mindset is understandable, because it’s from today’s perspective. Right now, we don’t have the energy necessary or safe enough to power millions of flying cars. Even if we could find a way to use current energy sources, the price would be TREMENDOUS and not worth the effort. But this of course, is from TODAY’S perspective. You have to open your mind to the possibilities of tomorrow. I can imagine someone like you coming to such a conclusion, but you are not the first. They said we wouldn’t have a flying machine in the first place. They said the telephone wasn’t of any use to them. They said the TV was silly. They said many many things. But they were wrong, and I strongly believe, so are you.

The 3rd is one very related to the 2nd, that flying cars would be expensive in two ways, one energy, and the other materials. How do you create a car that can fly without using plane like materials that cost an extreme amount of money. How? Well, again, newer, and lighter materials that cost less are being invented and used everyday. It is not silly to ASSUME that in the near to distant future, materials for a car of such magnitude would be possible and even likely. The first flying cars would be extremely expensive, and be likened to personal jets. Only a few people have the doe to own them. But that is changing, too. I believe it will take time. It may not even be within our lifetimes, but it will happen. Mark my words.

The final argument is understandable. Anyone who lived in the 1950’s or before remember the AMAZING dreams and forecasts for the future. Your food would be prepared in automatic ovens. You would own a personal computing station that regulated calories. You would travel on moving walkways, and you would drive a flying car. You would watch flat panel TV, you would live on other worlds.

While many things predicted then never happened, many have. In fact, I would go so far as to say NOT inventing a flying car would be completely lacking of human spirit and drive. We’ve met much greater challenges. A flying car is not even a speck on our progress. But like everything else, it will take time, the drive, and the knowledge for everyone to understand that flying cars don’t equal drunken drivers in buildings, they don’t equal crashing into each other, they don’t equal being hard to fly, and they don’t equal fantasy.

You say one of the biggest challenges is overcoming what everyone “thinks” about the idea. But aren’t you giving that fire energy by declaring “Flying Cars for us? Not ever”. That mindset is what HINDERS our progress. You may laugh and say “Oh well, it takes more than just saying something to make it so” Well, you are certainly not helping the drive and possibilities by saying “it won’t ever happen”.

It’s likely regardless of the backlash, it will once again prove you and ever other naysayer wrong.

I don’t mean to sound rude, I don’t mean to come off as if I don’t like you, but you need to open your mind to the possibilities. Sometimes even the more fantastic dreams come true. Time will certainly tell.

OTOH, I can think of a good few experiences of the real-world “whammy”.

This basic truth has served me well — especially since I am easily distracted and lose sight of things.

It always brings me back on track, since the right thing to do now is probably not the same as it was an hour ago.

Doing it properly, in turn, means giving it time enough to make a real advancement before giving in to distraction.