transportation

[texasmom]

Vorticon's thread about the car made me think of Germany. Lived there for 6 or 7 years, and could go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted using entirely public transportation. Was awesome. We lived out in the middle of nowhere & I could still get around.

Our public transportation system here sucks seriously compared to Europe.

[john9001]

Originally posted by texasmom

Our public transportation system here sucks seriously compared to Europe.

ain't dat da trute.

[dogtooth 967]

Oh yeah, way back in the 2/22 weisbaden, 25 years ago. When i wasn't in the feild i could just jump on a train and go anywhere.

 Weisbaden army airfeild, The airforce has it back again today. Google earth all i can see that has changed in 25 years is that all the M6'2s, the109's  ITV and the M901's SP 155 mm Howitzers are all gone, and the fence was removed from where the track park was. The ammo dump got bigger.

[1K3]

Originally posted by texasmom
Vorticon's thread about the car made me think of Germany. Lived there for 6 or 7 years, and could go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted using entirely public transportation. Was awesome. We lived out in the middle of nowhere & I could still get around.

Our public transportation system here sucks seriously compared to Europe.

I'd rank public transportation like this...

1. Japan
2. Continental Europe (as requested)
3. Taiwan / Korea
4. USA
5. China (yes they have MAGLEV lines from Shanghai to Beijing)

[storch]

depends on where you live.  I lived in east boston for a while when I was in my 20's and had absolutely no need for a car.  I could what I needed to do right in my own neighborhood walking.

[Dowding]

British public transport is crap too, so I'd restrict 'Europe' to 'Continental Europe'.

Trains. And to think we invented the bloody things...

I guess it comes down to how much public money the government is willing to put into its transport infrastructure. In Britain's case, that traditionally been sod all.

[Pooh21]

Want to know why? in Hamburg the grocery store was right outside my front door across the street as was a bus stop. The Subway was 1k down the road. A department store and main transport hub was perhaps a 3k walk towards the city.  You can fit a 1/2 Hamburg in the distance between me and the nearest grocery store now. My work is 24 miles from my house and my route is a further 21 miles from the terminal.

The amount of sevices, parks and housing in Hamburg I had in walking distance Bakeries, Pubs, Little shops, Markets, a church, gas statiom. Can fit in the local wally worlds parking lot. If cars were around or the founding fathers knew how America would turn out Driving would also be a Right and not a "privelege"

[lasersailor184]

Originally posted by texasmom
Vorticon's thread about the car made me think of Germany. Lived there for 6 or 7 years, and could go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted using entirely public transportation. Was awesome. We lived out in the middle of nowhere & I could still get around.

Our public transportation system here sucks seriously compared to Europe.

Well, we may have crappy public transportation, but our taxes are about 50% lower.  


Pick one.  Awesome Transportation, or the best tax rates in the world.  You can't have both.

[texasmom]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Well, we may have crappy public transportation, but our taxes are about 50% lower.  
Pick one.  Awesome Transportation, or the best tax rates in the world.  You can't have both.

yeah, that's definitely the truth.

[Torque]

want better public transit... take away all the govt cars and throw them a transit pass instead.

[E25280]

Originally posted by Pooh21
The amount of sevices, parks and housing in Hamburg I had in walking distance Bakeries, Pubs, Little shops, Markets, a church, gas statiom. Can fit in the local wally worlds parking lot. If cars were around or the founding fathers knew how America would turn out Driving would also be a Right and not a "privelege"

Sounds like "inadequate" zoning laws to me.  

[Boroda]

Originally posted by texasmom
Vorticon's thread about the car made me think of Germany. Lived there for 6 or 7 years, and could go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted using entirely public transportation. Was awesome. We lived out in the middle of nowhere & I could still get around.

Our public transportation system here sucks seriously compared to Europe.

I can't imagine living in an environment without public transportation.

I live in a huge megapolis, and I don't drive. No driver's license. I simply don't need it. 25km from home to work every day, 40min in the underground, plus 15-20 minutes walking. And you know, I can drink beer or whatever is sold in half-liter cans while going home every night.

My Mother moved to another house, a year ago I could just walk to a railway station and - voila, in 40min I was at downtown Brisbane... Now she doesn't have a station that near So I'll probably have to get a driver's license before I'll visit her next time...

I hope you understand that our current regime in Russia tries to get rid of public transportation system, as well as of any heritage from "Evil Soviet Regime" (tm), like health-care or education.

[lasersailor184]

Originally posted by Torque
want better public transit... take away all the govt cars and throw them a transit pass instead.

That's actually really clever.

[68Wooley]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
...but our taxes are about 50% lower.  
 

Really?

That's not been my experience. Certainly comparing SoCal with the UK, the difference is minimal:

Direct, income related tax tax: about the same, but includes medical care in the UK.
Sales Tax: 7.5% versus 17.5%
Property Tax: way, way way higher here in SoCal.
Fuel Duty: US wins hands down

I reckon the difference overall is minimal - maybe slightly less in the US, but providing my own health insurance soon cancels out any difference.

[Boroda]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Pick one.  Awesome Transportation, or the best tax rates in the world.  You can't have both.

You can.

But it's incompatible with "capitalism" and "democracy".