Lasqueti Island Suggestion

Since the whole island is off the grid, get an electric golf cart(they make some pretty nice/quick ones)or a plug in electric car and power it off solar. The island is only 28.4 sq mi.

Is this a “puzzler” hint? If yes many don’t pay attention to the puzzler but if you would post the background info some contex would be found.

Sorry, it’s in response to show 928, there’s a caller who asks what car to buy to have on a very small island that has no car ferry.

Since there’s no car ferry to get it to the island, it would have to be an amphibious car, like Mr. Bond drove under water, to get to the island.

They did say they would have to barge the car over, I wonder what the wave height limit is for the amphibious car.

I can’t imagine somebody would be very popular bringing the only car (even if an electric golf cart) to the island. I would think folks live there to get away from those kinds of things.

I thought this was an “encore” show.

For the benefit of those who did not listen to the show:

  1. There are cars on the island and there are maintained dirt roads.
  2. There is a mechanic on the island
  3. But there is no car ferry service to the island so getting a car to and from the island is rather costly. Implication: Once a car gets to the island, returning it to the mainland for periodic maintenance is impractical.
  4. The island is not on the British Columbia power grid and there is no local power company. Residents (about 350 of them) must generate their own electricity one way or another or do without.

No one asked, but I would infer that gasoline is probably available on the island.

Here’s a link to the Lasqueti Island home page http://www.lasqueti.ca/island-info

So what’s the question? Rocketman

Question: What kind of car to ship to the island.

Answer: Whatever the other island residents drive and the mechanic is comfortable working on.

Her original question was what car to buy to have on an island the size of Manhattan with a population of 350 people. Tom and Ray suggested going there and seeing what was already there and what the local mechanics were comfortable working on. I think their answer is correct, but would have also suggested the idea of a plug in golf cart or car to power off solar. Solar is already in use on the island.

Oh . . alright . . . so, let’s see . . . needs to get decent mpg 'cause gas is probably at a premium price . . . gotta do the maintenance yourself . . . unpaved roads (no road salt? -GREAT!) . . . no SUVs to worry about smacking into you . . . decent traction on dirt roads . . . “fitting-in” with the lifestyle (take a look at their website) . . . I think I’d get a reconditioned air-cooled VW bug, a set of tools and the “idiot” repair book. Just my two cents. Rocketman

with the proliferation of these newer UTV side by sides; which IMHO would be a little more rugged than a golf cart, gas/diesel powered would make a good choice. Even though the island is off grid, generating electric via solar,wind or hydro can get expensive whereas a couple of 5 gal cans of fuel could last them for awhile. These vehicles can be and are fully enclosed against the elements and any competent mechanic should be able to work on them. Personally, I’m intrigued by this type of lifestyle.