i don't understand anti-transit people specifically in atlanta

[wasel]

[quote=cqholt;42778529]

Originally Posted by wasel

That does not change the fact that the kids are more likely to be hurt or killed in a personal vehicle car crash. Buses are tanks, they have fallen off freeway overpasses and majority have survived. They sit a lot higher than personal vehicles, and the seats create almost like a roll cage around the students.

Yes. And I have had 1/6th the traffic violations my husband has, yet he perceives my driving as less safe than him.

[wasel]

[quote=cqholt;42778529]

Originally Posted by wasel

That does not change the fact that the kids are more likely to be hurt or killed in a personal vehicle car crash. Buses are tanks, they have fallen off freeway overpasses and majority have survived. They sit a lot higher than personal vehicles, and the seats create almost like a roll cage around the students.

Yes, and your point is?
I have 1/6th the traffic violations of my husband yet he perceives my driving as less safe than his driving. Perception is what it is.

[sedimenjerry]

Arjay must've bought stock in a moped/scooter company!

[AnsleyPark]

[quote=wasel;42777386]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Nothing, except that in DeKalb, many buses have been overcrowded with kids having to stand. I don't think parents like that. Parents also don't like the fact that the school buses don't have seatbelts.

DeKalb doesn't offer bus service if your address is within a one mile walking route. So in inclement weather parents feel compelled to drive their kids to school.

Also, many of the kids I know don't come straight home from school. They attend gymnastics, or soccer or other activities that require transportation to some other place. The parents have a well coordinated system of carpools to juggle all this.

Life can't be fit into neat "you should do this" boxes.

Good comments. I will never understand why school buses do not have seat belts. It is asinine in my humble opinion.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

Arjay must've bought stock in a moped/scooter company!

He's crafty that way! :-)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

No transportation option is the perfect magic bullet.

I'm just saying the scooter merits a lot more attention and support that it's been getting.

A very nice modern scooter can be had for $1,000, and probably considerably less if mass buying power was used.

Even at that price, the city could spend $50 million -- half the cost of the streetcar -- and put 50,000 scooters on the street within a few weeks. That's probably one for every millennial in town.

Can you imagine 50,000 young folks buzzing around on these cool little critters and how much pressure that would immediately take off our traffic?

Scooters are valid transportation options for millions of people and if they choice they go and buy them. But unlike the streetcar, scooters are not an economic development tool.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by arjay57

No transportation option is the perfect magic bullet.

I'm just saying the scooter merits a lot more attention and support that it's been getting.

A very nice modern scooter can be had for $1,000, and probably considerably less if mass buying power was used.

Even at that price, the city could spend $50 million -- half the cost of the streetcar -- and put 50,000 scooters on the street within a few weeks. That's probably one for every millennial in town.

Can you imagine 50,000 young folks buzzing around on these cool little critters and how much pressure that would immediately take off our traffic?

i think you've got a really good point and you guys shouldn't be quick to dismiss him. while this wouldn't be a good option in very urban or very suburban areas, it would fit a lot of the mid-density historic intown neighbourhoods very well. we should have streets and roads that people feel safe enough to drive on in smaller vehicles like this; all of our roads are one-size fits all, built to accommodate the largest of vehicles at the fastest of speeds.

if you look at older parkways in town that haven't been upgraded, they are built for slower speeds and smaller vehicles. check out this entrance ramp to norman berry drive in east point:



designs like this could add mixed-use paths to the sides of the road for non-motorized vehicles, but imagine how much safer, more efficient, and pleasant it would be for motorcycles, scooters, and small cars.

the problem is that the various departments of transportation have road standards that are too high. this is an issue that isn't being talked about.

[brown_dog_us]

There are electric scooters and electric assist bicycles out there too. Definitely a way to cut emissions, traffic, and parking.