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#Post#: 18471--------------------------------------------------
Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage or
show-off?)
By: Truman Overby Date: July 24, 2019, 9:40 am
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[quote author=SuKi link=topic=1180.msg18467#msg18467
date=1563978836]
[quote author=NealC link=topic=1180.msg18463#msg18463
date=1563977961]
Wow. I didn't know they did sarcasm with such a fine edge in
the UK.
I think you are hanging around too many Americans.
:-)
[/quote]
It's true! I did find myself walking along a railway platform
next to William and Kate on my way home from work. No joke.
[/quote]
You sure they weren't street entertainers of the sort that you
see in Times Square in NYC? Were they holding a tin cup that
said "Donations Appreciated"? Or maybe you could have a picture
with them for $20? Just kidding, I believe you. I've seen
footage of the Queen riding the train. That's shocking.
#Post#: 18473--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Nikola Date: July 24, 2019, 9:45 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1180.msg18471#msg18471 date=1563979258]
You sure they weren't street entertainers of the sort that you
see in Times Square in NYC? Were they holding a tin cup that
said "Donations Appreciated"? Or maybe you could have a picture
with them for $20? Just kidding, I believe you. I've seen
footage of the Queen riding the train. That's shocking.
[/quote]
Yeah but for you guys, hearing about anyone using public
transport is shocking.
#Post#: 18475--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: NealC Date: July 24, 2019, 10:04 am
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Well yeah, except for the homeless
#Post#: 18478--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Truman Overby Date: July 24, 2019, 10:17 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Nikola link=topic=1180.msg18473#msg18473
date=1563979555]
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1180.msg18471#msg18471 date=1563979258]
You sure they weren't street entertainers of the sort that you
see in Times Square in NYC? Were they holding a tin cup that
said "Donations Appreciated"? Or maybe you could have a picture
with them for $20? Just kidding, I believe you. I've seen
footage of the Queen riding the train. That's shocking.
[/quote]
Yeah but for you guys, hearing about anyone using public
transport is shocking.
[/quote]
Only in certain areas of the country is it shocking and shameful
to have to use a bus or a train. It's common and normal on the
coasts for even upper-income people to ride the train to work.
This is because of population density. It's unrelated to
socio-economic class.
In my area of the country, mass transit exists only within the
city. The riders are probably 99% from the poor population. The
rest of us in the suburban sprawl drive where we need to go. We
used to have electric trains in my state that ran out to a large
radius that would take you to Indianapolis. Those days ended in
the late 1920s due to the automobile industry. Those would be
handy to have and I'd ride it if they existed today. But they
don't and won't in my lifetime.
Building railways in the US is not as simple to do as it is in a
lot of the rest of the world. The terrain is a major obstacle,
along with the massive red tape that must be dealt with. There's
always a group that wants to save an unknown bug that can only
be seen under a scanning electron microscope or a rare bird that
was last seen in the proposed track route in 1838. So the very
people [ enviromentalists ] who gnash their teeth and cry
inconsolably over the lack of mass transit in the US are the
very people stopping it, in many cases.
We have in the US a taxpayer-funded rail service called Amtrack.
It's existed for decades. It's never once turned a profit. Not
once.
HTML https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/072115/how-amtrak-works-makes-money.asp
"In Amtrak’s 2016 Fiscal Year, the US commuter train company
transported 31.3 million passengers, which averages out to
roughly 85,700 people per day. With more than 300 Amtrak trains
in service, the national rail company travels to more than 500
stations in 46 states. While these numbers sound like the work
of a robust travel company building its customer base, a sad
reality exists for Amtrak. Unfortunately, since its foundation
in 1970, the company has never generated a profit. Government
subsidies to the tune of $46 billion have kept the company
afloat since 1970."
As you can see, demand does not exist for mass transit.
Riding a bus in the US is a risky proposition. You're advised to
sleep with one eye open. A few years ago there was rash of
people getting their throats slit on buses. Low-cost air travel
has put all but the poorest on buses, for the most part. So
Steve wasn't far off with his statement that the homeless ride
the bus.
#Post#: 18479--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Irena Date: July 24, 2019, 10:53 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1180.msg18478#msg18478 date=1563981448]
Riding a bus in the US is a risky proposition. You're advised to
sleep with one eye open. A few years ago there was rash of
people getting their throats slit on buses. Low-cost air travel
has put all but the poorest on buses, for the most part. So
Steve wasn't far off with his statement that the homeless ride
the bus.
[/quote]
That sounds like an exaggeration to me. I took buses many times
in the States (both local and long-distnace). Nothing ever
happened. In a country as big as the United States, of course
you'll always have something bad happening somewhere, pretty
much always. But if I found myself in the States again, I
wouldn't hesitate to ride.
#Post#: 18480--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Truman Overby Date: July 24, 2019, 11:02 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Irena link=topic=1180.msg18479#msg18479
date=1563983615]
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1180.msg18478#msg18478 date=1563981448]
Riding a bus in the US is a risky proposition. You're advised to
sleep with one eye open. A few years ago there was rash of
people getting their throats slit on buses. Low-cost air travel
has put all but the poorest on buses, for the most part. So
Steve wasn't far off with his statement that the homeless ride
the bus.
[/quote]
That sounds like an exaggeration to me. I took buses many times
in the States (both local and long-distnace). Nothing ever
happened. In a country as big as the United States, of course
you'll always have something bad happening somewhere, pretty
much always. But if I found myself in the States again, I
wouldn't hesitate to ride.
[/quote]
Luckily you got lucky. It's also safer in the daytime.
#Post#: 18481--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Irena Date: July 24, 2019, 11:04 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1180.msg18480#msg18480 date=1563984142]
[quote author=Irena link=topic=1180.msg18479#msg18479
date=1563983615]
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1180.msg18478#msg18478 date=1563981448]
Riding a bus in the US is a risky proposition. You're advised to
sleep with one eye open. A few years ago there was rash of
people getting their throats slit on buses. Low-cost air travel
has put all but the poorest on buses, for the most part. So
Steve wasn't far off with his statement that the homeless ride
the bus.
[/quote]
That sounds like an exaggeration to me. I took buses many times
in the States (both local and long-distnace). Nothing ever
happened. In a country as big as the United States, of course
you'll always have something bad happening somewhere, pretty
much always. But if I found myself in the States again, I
wouldn't hesitate to ride.
[/quote]
Luckily you got lucky. It's also safer in the daytime.
[/quote]
And luckily I got lucky that no-one shot me in broad daylight.
;)
And as a matter of fact, I did travel with Greyhound overnight.
#Post#: 18482--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Truman Overby Date: July 24, 2019, 11:15 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=Irena link=topic=1180.msg18481#msg18481
date=1563984247]
And as a matter of fact, I did travel with Greyhound overnight.
[/quote]
Empty bus?
#Post#: 18485--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Irena Date: July 24, 2019, 11:31 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1269.msg18482#msg18482 date=1563984934]
[quote author=Irena link=topic=1180.msg18481#msg18481
date=1563984247]
And as a matter of fact, I did travel with Greyhound overnight.
[/quote]
Empty bus?
[/quote]
Nope. ;)
#Post#: 18487--------------------------------------------------
Re: Public transport in the US and elsewhere (Split from Courage
or show-off?)
By: Alharacas Date: July 24, 2019, 11:36 am
---------------------------------------------------------
[quote author=The Artist formerly known as Truman Overby
link=topic=1269.msg18478#msg18478 date=1563981448]
We have in the US a taxpayer-funded rail service called Amtrack.
It's existed for decades. It's never once turned a profit. Not
once.
[/quote]
Jerry, I don't know whether it's any consolation, but it's no
different in Germany (and probably also in other countries - I
just can't be bothered to check right now): being able to move
about is one of the requirements of modern life, isn't it? So,
what would we have our respective governments do? Of course,
it's possible to demand these state-funded companies turn a
profit. That would mean they'd simply shut down the unprofitable
lines. And then what? Have the government fund bus service for
those unfortunates who live along those lines and who lack a
car? Is that going to be any cheaper, you think?
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