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Pretty sure people here still aren't getting it. For $10.50 an hour, no, he cannot "maintain" a new 2015 vehicle. Get a grip on reality, people. Buying a used car presents him with the same situation he had with his old car, (which, by the way, is why he isn't driving, not because he had a DUI...where do you people pull this stuff from? You just make it up as you go along?), in that it may get him some place for a minute, but when it comes time to get it fixed for something that broke, you all are not hearing this:
When you are poor, there is NO room for error. None. You think, "oh big deal, it's a $200 repair bill". You all don't get it if you think that's "no big deal" to a poor person.
A bike would just get stolen. I'm getting the impression that many of you didn't even bother to read the article. He's going to ride that bike through 8 mile? You think that bike wouldn't get stolen immediately?
Rides...apparently he lives in the opposite direction of his co-workers. This one person would see him, all the time, and started to offer him rides periodically. In the article itself, which clearly many did not read, the guy worked a 2pm to 10pm shift. He would get home at 4am...and yes, there were some buses that did not run at that time of night, so he walked. So, he gets home at 4am, and he has to be up and ready to begin his commute again in a few hours to make it to work by 2pm. When, exactly, is he going to have all of this time to go car shopping? Or house shopping? He's living with his girlfriend who inherited the house they live in. That doesn't mean that they don't have property tax to pay for, maintenance on the house to pay for, he needs to buy food, he needs to pay for heat/electricity, I'm pretty sure he's going through some shoes faster than most if he's been doing all that walking for a decade.
Move closer to work...do you even realize where he works? How the hell is he going to afford that? So now you all want him to add first, last, deposit and a rental payment on top of what he already has to pay? And you all think that's "smart".
It's very clear that many of you have zero idea what it's like to be poor. You think $10.50 an hour is not poor...maybe not in some areas, but in many areas, it is. No, I do not propose that we raise the minimum wage, or have the government give him a bunch of stuff. What has happened, people donating money, is how it should be. They are giving of their own free will because they have compassion...something that is SORELY lacking on this forum. Thank God everybody isn't as jaded and bitter as some of you.
WOW, a true leftist is mad because someone wants to work....
No need to say, this should never happen, it does, no need to say everyone else is wrong, no need to say he should not have to walk......blah blah blah......
Pretty sure people here still aren't getting it. For $10.50 an hour, no, he cannot "maintain" a new 2015 vehicle. Get a grip on reality, people. Buying a used car presents him with the same situation he had with his old car, (which, by the way, is why he isn't driving, not because he had a DUI...where do you people pull this stuff from? You just make it up as you go along?), in that it may get him some place for a minute, but when it comes time to get it fixed for something that broke, you all are not hearing this:
When you are poor, there is NO room for error. None. You think, "oh big deal, it's a $200 repair bill". You all don't get it if you think that's "no big deal" to a poor person.
A bike would just get stolen. I'm getting the impression that many of you didn't even bother to read the article. He's going to ride that bike through 8 mile? You think that bike wouldn't get stolen immediately?
Rides...apparently he lives in the opposite direction of his co-workers. This one person would see him, all the time, and started to offer him rides periodically. In the article itself, which clearly many did not read, the guy worked a 2pm to 10pm shift. He would get home at 4am...and yes, there were some buses that did not run at that time of night, so he walked. So, he gets home at 4am, and he has to be up and ready to begin his commute again in a few hours to make it to work by 2pm. When, exactly, is he going to have all of this time to go car shopping? Or house shopping? He's living with his girlfriend who inherited the house they live in. That doesn't mean that they don't have property tax to pay for, maintenance on the house to pay for, he needs to buy food, he needs to pay for heat/electricity, I'm pretty sure he's going through some shoes faster than most if he's been doing all that walking for a decade.
Move closer to work...do you even realize where he works? How the hell is he going to afford that? So now you all want him to add first, last, deposit and a rental payment on top of what he already has to pay? And you all think that's "smart".
It's very clear that many of you have zero idea what it's like to be poor. You think $10.50 an hour is not poor...maybe not in some areas, but in many areas, it is. No, I do not propose that we raise the minimum wage, or have the government give him a bunch of stuff. What has happened, people donating money, is how it should be. They are giving of their own free will because they have compassion...something that is SORELY lacking on this forum. Thank God everybody isn't as jaded and bitter as some of you.
Which is precisely my point, he's in a mess of his own choosing, he's had a decade to figure it out and hasn't.
There's something that doesn't add up here. There are two of them, between them they can't afford a beater in 10 years? It's only got to make it 30 miles a day. They can't afford to move? In 10 years? If two of them are working why not? If you're straining to pay property tax, living expenses and maintenance on a house you own so badly you walk 21 miles a day to a $10.55/hr job, sell it, because sooner or later it's going to cost you more keeping it than selling it (if it's repo'd for tax arrears you get cents on the dollar at best), that will release cash flow. If they both don't work why not? While I read he likes living where he does and will not move, well that's a choice, and how much can you enjoy where you live when you're only there for 2 hours of sleep a night (plus naps on the bus) and catching up on sleep at the weekends?
He doesn't have to car shop, if it's purely for transport they can figure out a budget and his girlfriend can shop for it (not ideal, but it's an option), doesn't have time to look for an apartment, one of them has at least as much time as any other working person and they seem to manage.
Hell in 10 years he's probably bought two $5000 cars just in excess footwear from his walking the distances he does, and would it matter if he spends $50 on a bike that's stolen every 6 months, compared to $100 every 6 months on boots that he wears out?
Most of what you're saying is just excuses for why this person chooses to walk that distance, and it's clearly a choice. Sure call me bitter and jaded if you want to, but to be honest given the way he's managed his life for the past 10 years, without serious life changes he's always going to be in that or a similar situation. His problem isn't money, its his choices. If being bitter and jaded means that I'm looking at the problem and trying to fix it, rather than throwing things in his general direction, then perhaps it would be better if more people were bitter and jaded.
Which is precisely my point, he's in a mess of his own choosing, he's had a decade to figure it out and hasn't.
There's something that doesn't add up here. There are two of them, between them they can't afford a beater in 10 years? It's only got to make it 30 miles a day. They can't afford to move? In 10 years? If two of them are working why not? If you're straining to pay property tax, living expenses and maintenance on a house you own so badly you walk 21 miles a day to a $10.55/hr job, sell it, because sooner or later it's going to cost you more keeping it than selling it (if it's repo'd for tax arrears you get cents on the dollar at best), that will release cash flow. If they both don't work why not? While I read he likes living where he does and will not move, well that's a choice, and how much can you enjoy where you live when you're only there for 2 hours of sleep a night (plus naps on the bus) and catching up on sleep at the weekends?
He doesn't have to car shop, if it's purely for transport they can figure out a budget and his girlfriend can shop for it (not ideal, but it's an option), doesn't have time to look for an apartment, one of them has at least as much time as any other working person and they seem to manage.
Hell in 10 years he's probably bought two $5000 cars just in excess footwear from his walking the distances he does, and would it matter if he spends $50 on a bike that's stolen every 6 months, compared to $100 every 6 months on boots that he wears out?
Most of what you're saying is just excuses for why this person chooses to walk that distance, and it's clearly a choice. Sure call me bitter and jaded if you want to, but to be honest given the way he's managed his life for the past 10 years, without serious life changes he's always going to be in that or a similar situation. His problem isn't money, its his choices. If being bitter and jaded means that I'm looking at the problem and trying to fix it, rather than throwing things in his general direction, then perhaps it would be better if more people were bitter and jaded.
This reminds me of the incredulous of people during the Katrina crisis. People just could not understand why everyone did not just get in their nice cars and drive away before the levy broke......because everyone was PROJECTING that THEIR OPTIONS and CLEAR CHOICES are the options and clear choices FOR EVERYBODY!!!
This might be hard for some of you to understand....BUT LIFE IS DIFFERENT FOR A HELL OF A LOT OF PEOPLE. You cannot expect people, whose environment and life exist in a FOG to see what you can see from your clear and sunny environment that has high visibility.
This reminds me of the incredulous of people during the Katrina crisis. People just could not understand why everyone did not just get in their nice cars and drive away before the levy broke......because everyone was PROJECTING that THEIR OPTIONS and CLEAR CHOICES are the options and clear choices FOR EVERYBODY!!!
This might be hard for some of you to understand....BUT LIFE IS DIFFERENT FOR A HELL OF A LOT OF PEOPLE. You cannot expect people, whose environment and life exist in a FOG to see what you can see from your clear and sunny environment that has high visibility.
In a world where desperate people hop on rafts to float across oceans, or walk thousands of miles through desert, leaving everything behind to make it to a place they've never been in order to start a new life, find a new job, improve theirselves, etc..... it's a bit hard to empathize with people "not being able to move" 10 miles. "Not being able to" and "Not trying to" are usually the key differences. Most of us can actually move whenever we want. It's just hard. Takes effort. Might have to rent your place if you can't sell it. Or take a short term loss for a long term gain. Might have to leave friends and family on the street you live on.
Now, I like the story of this man because he is dedicated and goes to work no matter what the obstacle before him.
But... there really isn't anything special about this guy's situation (from what I've read at least) that precludes him from being able to move closer to where he works. People get comfortable where they are, and that's OK. Don't get mad on his behalf though, when he doesn't seem to be as upset about the situation as you are.
In a world where desperate people hop on rafts to float across oceans, or walk thousands of miles through desert, leaving everything behind to make it to a place they've never been in order to start a new life, find a new job, improve theirselves, etc..... it's a bit hard to empathize with people "not being able to move" 10 miles. "Not being able to" and "Not trying to" are usually the key differences. Most of us can actually move whenever we want. It's just hard. Takes effort. Might have to rent your place if you can't sell it. Or take a short term loss for a long term gain. Might have to leave friends and family on the street you live on.
Now, I like the story of this man because he is dedicated and goes to work no matter what the obstacle before him.
But... there really isn't anything special about this guy's situation (from what I've read at least) that precludes him from being able to move closer to where he works. People get comfortable where they are, and that's OK. Don't get mad on his behalf though, when he doesn't seem to be as upset about the situation as you are.
In a world where Usain Bolt can run the 100 meters in 9.6 seconds and Micheal Jordan can dunk a basket ball, while taking off from the free throw line, its hard to believe that EVERYBODY with the will to do so cannot do it.
Last edited by Indentured Servant; 02-06-2015 at 07:47 AM..
This story shows two things:
Americans are very generous, as evidenced by the outpouring of donations to the walking worker.
Any person is capable of working, if they are motivated. Walking miles each day demonstrated this man's dedication to being independent and self-reliant.
Unlike the OP, I saw this story as a very positive story of how strong Americans are and the kindness Americans show, one to another.
In a world where Usain Bolt can run the 100 meters in 9.6 seconds and Micheal Jordan can dunk a basket ball, while taking off from the free throw line, its hard to believe that EVERYBODY with the will to do so cannot do it.
Way to deflect.
But yes, anyone can RUN a 100 meters, unless they have a legitimate disability.
The outcome and time is not the important part. It's running in the first place. Whether it takes 9 seconds or one hour to go 100M.
Only those who refuse to run at all don't get to complain about having to sit and watch.
Not deflecting....but presenting the logic of your theory to another situation.
Only there's no equivalence to the situations. An outcome is based on ability. Whether or not to run a race is based on drive/motivation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Indentured Servant
And everyone makes choices.....unless they are mentally disabled.
The outcome of the choice is not the important part, its making a choice in the first place....which everyone does who is not a mental vegetable.
Only those who refuse to make a choice at all don't get to complain about the outcome of their reality.
Is the Detroit guy mentally disabled?
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