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Comment by lockhouse | Hacker News Reader

In many parts of rural America it’s not feasible to buy groceries and other supplies a day at a time. The stores are too far away to drive to that frequently. Plus it would defeat the purpose of a smaller car as more energy would be required overall.

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I think that’s a good point, and one we should acknowledge as we stop designing our cities, roads, and transportation systems to cater only to this small number of rural people.

20% of the US is rural and that number has been increasing the last few years. That's about 70 million people.

That definition of rural where the 20% comes from isn't countryside.

https://www.hrsa.gov/rural-health/about-us/what-is-rural

"Micro area (urban core of 10,000-49,9999 people)"

I apparently live in a rural area, Helena, MT. The state capital by the way.

You can look up if you are the 20% Rural or 80% Urban here: https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health

I say all this because I walk to the grocery store and bike to work. In a rural area no less!

Thanks, and also 70 million is still a much smaller number than 262 million which would be the remaining population (continuing to use broad number as the OP did) and so the point still stands based on that alone.

70 million is enough to turn ANY national election...

70 million - 1; rural people aren't a bloc.

That is just as true for many parts of rural Europe, and yet cars are not American-sized in the European countryside.

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