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Lepton · 1:41+ Arse Scratcher

One of the biggest causes of desertification in Mongolia is the lack of a road system. Each vehicle makes its own path, and the resulting soil compactification leads to desertification. Assume a near-infinite supply of cheap labour, a more-nearly-infinite supply of soil that is mostly silicon dioxide (but also a few other compounds, in smaller amounts), a non-infinite supply of water, and a fair bit of animal dung. Can you devise a system of building roads?

MTGAP · Daedalian Member

Before I say anything, I will point out that "near-infinite" is meaningless. How can you have almost infinity? A better phrase would be "practically infinite", meaning that it's not really infinite, but it's so big that it doesn't matter.

Do I need water to feed the labor? If not, no problem. I'd give some dirt to the labor and get it to spread dirt, then stomp on it, then spread more, then stomp on it more... until it made a road.

Probably not exactly what you're looking for, but it works. Razz

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This statement is false.

Chuck · Daedalian Member

With near infinite labor you could have a poor road repaired every day.

The Great Crep'er · 2% Spambot

Or you could just break off pieces of land (I imagine it could be done, I mean, it's dirt) and make waterways to travel by, and travel by sea than by land, like they do in Venice. Extreme Delectation

Zag · Tired of his old title

MTGAP · Daedalian Member

The Ragin' South Asian · Head Poncho

Or just have the labor drive people around, and stick to set paths.

Zag · Tired of his old title

Somehow I get the feeling, MTGAP, that you are not taking this question seriously. Extreme Delectation

Lepton, is it actually easier to drive over virgin land than it is to drive in the tracks that another car has already created? If that's the case, then there is probably no hope.

However, if it is at least as easy to drive in another's tracks, then you could possibly get some benefit from fences. They can't be long enough that they actually force people to go significantly out of their way, or the people will just knock down the fences. So the goal of the fences would be basically to channel people who are basically going the same place to do it on the same non-road.

If each stretch of fence is, say, a kilometer long, then it would be just as easy to drive to the gap than to knock it down. Then natural roads would form between the gaps, so, at least, some of the land would be protected.

Of course, there is a government solution of imposing huge fines for driving off-road, but I doubt you have the political muscle to get that to happen.