h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

May I use that exact quote please, Gradient? That would be brilliant. I've never thought of doing something like that. (I suppose the people that actually study quantum mechanics prefer to call themselves quantum physicists).

Post 42 is here too.

Michael Crichton's *Timeline*, which was published as a MS *eBook* (as well as hardcover and paperback) is a good example of someone using a technique that was *leading edge*. Molecular computers, quantum foam tunneling, etc. I think he rushed it to publication within a year of some of the publications of papers he references. Bit of a pot boiler, though.

*an

Sorry.

Some thoughts occur, but they're not very helpful so I'll ignore them and write this instead.

What about the "Hot cakes" drive? After all, if things are selling quickly, they're selling like hot cakes... Might be some mileage there (if you'll pardon the pun)

Same thing with the "hot potato" drive - no one wants it, so it gets passed from pillar to post at unimaginable speeds.

Or maybe the good old fashioned Goon show travelling by musical interlude! "Quick, jump on that piano!"


baaa...

Quantum Theory = String Theory leads to uniform of 'String' Vest. Everywhere, Everywhen, Everywhy.

How about:
You download 'you' onto the internet and you get sent over the internet to another body. Your real body stays in storage. So, there could be developments where you accidentally get sent to the wrong body, or you find out someone has stolen your real body etc etc.

Not related to travel, but there could be a law that clones can be made, but they are immdediately downloaded onto the net and their body destroyed. Thus you would have access to all sorts of interesting people - Mozarts, Einsteins, Hitler etc.

maybe not a method of transport but a frame of mind,

have you ever been at a station when the speaker says "the train now standing at platform .... is the 12:25 to ...." and yet there does not appear to be a train there?
Now if you where to take their word for it, and believing it totally, get on the train and get taken to your destination...
along the lines of the parallel universe theory where you shift into a universe where you're in the place where you want to be.

(ps would recomend against trying the above as although it may work, those left in this universe would probably see your remains getting chewed up by the next train to come past)
CF

"May I use that exact quote please, Gradient?"

Sure. If it looks in danger of being published, lemme know. I'll want to buy a copy!

'Or maybe the good old fashioned Goon show travelling by musical interlude! "Quick, jump on that piano!"'

Or better yet, unleash the Conk of Geldray whilst we nip of for Braaaaaandddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Although that idea, of using narrative devices as legitimate means of transport, that's fun.

What if the characters could divert attention from themselves for the space of a paragraph and have the narrative catch them up when they have reached their destination? So you'd insert a paragraph about an unconnected character or random even while they're travelling...

An Asterisk Drive?

*Our hero Bob turned from his lovely companion to consider the possible consequences of his decision.*

*****************************

*Ten billion kilometers and a short time later, Bob decided on his action as he strode into Delilah's Martini Bar and Grill.*

"What if the characters could divert attention from themselves"

Yeah, that'd be good fun too... almost like what they do in TV shows - the camera starts following a bus one way across a junction, then a car going the other way, then the car turns a corner and the camera stay pointing at something on the pavement... NYPD Blue uses it a lot. Not strictly sci-fi, but clever nonetheless

Although I do like Dirk Gently's Zen Navigation technique - maybe you could use that once you've found a way to travel...


The Daily Llama

Try the pay-cheque method: the total amount is sliced into several dozen completely dissimilar sized pieces, scattered through twice as many bureacracies and always somehow end up in the pocket of a politician or their friend.

Only effective if your travels are intended for the visitation of politicians and/or their friends. (Or is that last an oxymoron?)

Ooh, got another one

Again this might be more navigational than actual travel, but how about if your luggage got to where to was supposed to and you got diverted to Madrid or Cuba or somewhere? Could call it the Random Delivery Drive. I believe certain courier firms vans are already powered by this device.


The Daily Llama

I like the luggage idea. Send all your luggage to travel all over the world (economy class) and then put yourself on the luggage belt. Since you never end up with your luggage you would have to end up off-world.

Great ideas. Thank you. It just goes to show how many different methods of transportation we can come up with when we set our minds to it. And all the ideas that have been mentioned so far are environmentally friendly - except for the Nicotine Drive and the rocket powered 7-mile boots of course.

I think trains are the answer. The principle on which Virgin Trains work is the Richard Branson Drive. As Mr. Branson clearly believes the world revolves around him (when he's not revolving around he world, that is) his trains are designed on the same principle. This is why they do not move.

RF

How about domesticated pterodactyls?

What about the Persuasion Drive? Let's say you are at work, but you want to be at your house. When you turn the Persuasion Drive on, it quickly convinces the Universe that you were supposed to be at your house five minutes ago, according to all the laws of physics, energy, and so on and so forth that we normally observe in everyday life. The Universe (being a perfectionist) will be horrified that it has made a mistake. It will not want everyone to think that it is sleeping on the job, and so it will quickly send you to your destination and bury all evidence of your "travel" so that no one will see its mistake. Of course, this kind of travel is risky, as sooner or later the Universe will wonder, after multiple "mistakes", whether or not it is getting too old for this sort of thing, and it will toy with the idea that it is finally time to hang up the towel and call it quits. The danger is that it will eventually do it. You could put that off for a few billion years, though. Or, if you want an not-so-happy ending to the book, that could be how the Universe ends.

Both these last two beat riding a magic carp, so I'll just hold to my own console.