Author Topic: A Russians view (Read 1970 times)

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #30 on:** July 23, 2005, 02:51:38 PM »

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Originally posted by jEEZY
Really? In my history book the Constitutional Convention transmitted the Constitution to Congress on September 17, 1787. What are they teaching in civics classes these days?

I beilive the road to the top of Mt. Washington is private. And you still have to pay for the bumpa sitcka to? No?

Whoops! Thanks for catching that lol. I think Simaril and I both locked on to the same wrong date.

1781 is when the Articles of Confederation were signed.

Guess there was still Tequila in my system this morning. I know my head felt like it had SOMETHING in there. Nice catch sir.

J_A_B · « **Reply #31 on:** July 23, 2005, 04:11:08 PM »

"Thats the perfect tax structure as far as I'm concerned. The same should apply to many taxable issues. "

I'd say it depends on the issue. In my opinion, most things involving public property shouldn't use per-use-taxation. This means parks, roads, etc. The entire point of "public" property is that it's available whether you choose to use it or not. I'm against things like gas taxes to finance roads, toll roads, or fees to enter public-owned parks.

Use-fees can work well with things which aren't "really" public in scope....say, overnight lodgings at a national park. Health care is a bit of a grey area...certainly "some" types of health care should remain per-use (cosmetic surgery).

As far as Capitalism is concerned, the US wasn't really a capitalist country until after the Civil War. Soon after, capitalism proved itself to be a rampantly greedy and destructive force when not carefully regulated (re: "robber baron" period of the late 1800's). Likewise, at the time of its creation, this country was a democracy only in the broadest sense of the word (out of 3 branches of government, only 1/2 of ONE branch was directly elected by the populace). Even today we aren't strictly a democracy.

Less government is more....and lassiez-faire capitalism is bad. I hold both statements as fact. Ironically, those statements sort of work against each other, which is why a reasonable balance between the two is necessary.

J_A_B

FiLtH · « **Reply #32 on:** July 23, 2005, 05:42:08 PM »

As far as I know...the Observatory on top of the mountain..which not only acts as a reception area with cafeteria and restrooms, but mainly as a scientific weather study (among other sciences) center, is privately owned, non-profit and relies on donations to survive.

Im not sure how the auto road ties into it..whether the money from the road guests go toward maintaining the observatory or what.

Being an American Im used to paying for things that I want..but dont have. I can understand how someone must feel if they arent from here. It seems you are putting a tax on your eyesight...something everyone "should" be able to see freely. Which you can if you bike or walk up the mountain. It only costs you if you drive up, or are driven up in a coach. Sure they could make it free, if the guys who originally built it said.."Fine we've made enough money to cover what we put into it...lets open it up and see how it goes." In those conditions, the road would deteriorate in little time, causing it to be closed to foot traffic only.

Things cost money. Its got to come from somewhere. The old lady down the block wouldnt want to pay an extra 5 cents a year in maintaining a road she will never use. So its done this way. It seems the most fair way to me.

Heres a shot of the Mt. Washington Hotel, with Mt. Washington in the background. Imagine a road that goes to the top. Quite an undertaking. Also..the hotel you see here is the sight where the economic system we all know today was created by world leaders years ago. Apparantly they all stayed there quite a while creating the system. Early 1900s I believe.

Also heres an addy for the road

http://www.mt-washington.com/autoroad/autorates.html

Zakhal · « **Reply #33 on:** July 24, 2005, 05:12:16 AM »

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Originally posted by Staga
Don't know where you're living in but in here I seldom need winter tires.

Thats all good for you. I live in Jyväskylä and the roads here are very slippery on winter. Notice Im not talking about car roads but the sidewalks.

Last winter I fell with a bike because part of the sidewalk didnt have any sand on it (wind had blown it away). Shattered my wrist and now have a metal plate with seven screws on it. Even then they operated me only because I was young enough. The elder people dont usually get operated even if the wrist is badly broken (thus the wrist will never heal properly). Better to have a proper insurance once you get to that age.

The local hospital here is actually quite busy during the winter months (I spent few days there after the surgery). Plenty of people with broken wrists (or legs) after slipping on the icy road.

Zakhal · « **Reply #34 on:** July 24, 2005, 05:18:53 AM »

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Originally posted by Siaf__csf
The city streets in russia are worse than baghdad after cluster bombing. Pictures won't tell you anything, I suggest you go and visit yourself.

Oh, and don't take your own car if you don't want a broken suspension, exhaust pipe or bent fenders.

Staga here visited Russia som time ago. Atleast in these pictures the city streets dont look so bad (aka atleast the center streets of the city are pretty modern):

http://koti.mbnet.fi/staga/chel/kavelykatu_1.jpg
http://koti.mbnet.fi/staga/chel/kavelykatu_2.jpg
http://koti.mbnet.fi/staga/chel/kavelykatu_3.jpg

MiloMorai · « **Reply #35 on:** July 24, 2005, 05:49:11 AM »

Zakhal,

why were you riding your bike on a sidewalk? As the word says, they are for walking.

A winter bike rider is an accident waiting to happen. You see them here and every time I pass one I hope he does not fall into the path of my vehicle. I try to give them extra room but that is not always possible as it puts me into the oncoming traffic lane.

Monk · « **Reply #36 on:** July 24, 2005, 06:08:03 AM »

I bet she did not have much of problem to pay for a visa to get to the states.

There's the door sweetheart.........cya.

Staga · « **Reply #37 on:** July 24, 2005, 06:14:45 AM »

Zakhal; that was ONLY road (well it was a promenade) in Chelyabinsk which was in top condition.
Most roads were bumpy as hell and they also had nasty holes where part of tarmac had come off and showed previous layer of road under it.
Even taxiways in airfields were similar; planes were veering from left to right when taxing and I could see similar holes in taxiways.

Milo; walkways in Finland are usually for both bicyclers and pedestrians, sometimes with separate lanes and sometimes not.

MiloMorai · « **Reply #38 on:** July 24, 2005, 06:40:26 AM »

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Originally posted by Staga

Milo; walkways in Finland are usually for both bicyclers and pedestrians, sometimes with separate lanes and sometimes not.

We call them pathways if for multi useage(bikes, pedestrians, roller bladers, skate boarders,....). A bike rider can receive a fine if they ride on the sidewalks here, not that any do.

Off now to see if Bernie's Travelling Circus parade in Germany can make it through the first turn without a wreck of some sort or another.

Zakhal · « **Reply #39 on:** July 24, 2005, 06:49:00 AM »

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A winter bike rider is an accident waiting to happen. You see them here and every time I pass one I hope he does not fall into the path of my vehicle. I try to give them extra room but that is not always possible as it puts me into the oncoming traffic lane. [/B]

Its just that I dont have much options where I live. I would take the bus on winter but there is no direct route. Its actually faster to just walk than to take bus. And considering that walking takes 35min (and even then its very slippery to walk..major winds here make the ice so smooth) I always end up taking the bicycle which is only 10min.

I have learned my lesson though. For now I walk in winter. Just have to buy boots with nails on the bottom.

lazs2 · « **Reply #40 on:** July 24, 2005, 09:15:09 AM »

toll roads are fine as are taxes on gasoline but....

not both. I would like to see some sort of enterprise fund set up with fuel taxes or tolls (take your pick) and then accountants manage that money for roads.

Any user fee should go into a seperate account and pay only for use.

lazs

SOB · « **Reply #41 on:** July 24, 2005, 11:22:52 AM »

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Originally posted by Zakhal
Its just that I dont have much options where I live. I would take the bus on winter but there is no direct route. Its actually faster to just walk than to take bus. And considering that walking takes 35min (and even then its very slippery to walk..major winds here make the ice so smooth) I always end up taking the bicycle which is only 10min.

I have learned my lesson though. For now I walk in winter. Just have to buy boots with nails on the bottom.

http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

DREDIOCK · « **Reply #42 on:** July 24, 2005, 11:42:10 AM »

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Originally posted by MiloMorai
Zakhal,

why were you riding your bike on a sidewalk? As the word says, they are for walking.

A winter bike rider is an accident waiting to happen. You see them here and every time I pass one I hope he does not fall into the path of my vehicle. I try to give them extra room but that is not always possible as it puts me into the oncoming traffic lane.

Far as Im concerned they are an accident waiting to happen on the roadways any time of year. I'd much prefer them on sidewalks or in dedicated bicycle lanes and would really like to see them banished outright from the regular roadways.

Cant even begin to tell you how many of these.....people I've only narrowly avoided hitting because they have veered into the center of the lane I was driving on.
They typically have no respect for anyone else on the road cept each other and I often seen their little bicycle gangs hogging entire lanes doing 15-20 MPH on a 45 MPH road and refusing to move over to the side to let the faster traffic through.

They may have a right to use the roadways but that doesnt designate them as a legitimate roving roadblock.

Im astounded not more of them get killed

Zakhal · « **Reply #43 on:** July 24, 2005, 11:55:00 AM »

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Originally posted by SOB
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/studdedtires.asp

Just what I was looking for. a little costly though. My entire bike is cheaper (as new 28" mountain 120€) than those tires 170€.

Zakhal · « **Reply #44 on:** July 24, 2005, 12:03:56 PM »

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Originally posted by DREDIOCK Far as Im concerned they are an accident waiting to happen on the roadways any time of year. I'd much prefer them on sidewalks or in dedicated bicycle lanes and would really like to see them banished outright from the regular roadways.

Theres a lot of bikes here. In this student town (village?) every third person on the street is a student so only few can afford a car. No one drives on the roadways though, except in the small city centre where they are banished from teh small sidewalks (youll get a ticket if you do). Luckily cars are also not allowed to drive very fast on the city center, but still it always gives me the chillies when Im forced to compete for space with them. I always let the car go first if Im crossing the road.

My friend was "almost" crushed by a taxi som time ago. Somwhat worse my other friend was driven over by a woman driver few years back. The kids were yelling on the back and the woman was not looking forward when the pedestrian lights turned green.

By a weird chance of luck my friend got away with minor injuries only. The bike was totally trashed though.