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Old 03-11-2016, 01:10 AM
 
4,369 posts, read 3,696,519 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neutrino78x View Post
ok, so, the reason public transit is percieved as better in Europe is because it is a lot more compact. You have to remember that Euope is far, far older than the USA. Cities like Paris came into being thousands of years ago, when people got around on foot and on horseback. So, naturally, the scale is a lot smaller.

That's why "the Northeast Corridor" in the USA is profitable to Amtrak (the national public transit railroad). It was part of The Original 13 Colonies; it, too, came into being before the invention of the automobile, so everything is designed for walking and horseback.

Contrast this with the West Coast of the USA. San Francisco is an exception, because it became dense during the Gold Rush of 1849 (hence the San Francisco 49ers), when everyone came to San Francisco to find gold. But San Jose was not a big city at the time, and did not experience rapid growth until the 20th century, long after the invention of the car. San Jose is now the biggest city in the Bay Area. So San Jose has to graft public transit onto a city that was originally a suburb of San Francisco.

I get around with public transit in Silicon Valley because I have no choice; I make $11.25/hr and can't afford a car. But once you get used to it, it is great. It could be a lot better, though. For example, they stupidly run most of the light rail system at ground level, instead of it being elevated or otherwise "grade separated" as the engineers say. It also has a low maximum speed of 55 mph; it should be double that speed. It also has no turnstiles; they use ticket inspectors instead.
You make 11.25 an hour? Why not move to Texas so you can be a homeowner?
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Old 03-12-2016, 02:52 AM
 
2,335 posts, read 2,897,432 times
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Originally Posted by bentobox34 View Post
Add me to the list of people puzzled by this comment. I've been to Holland, and there is nothing about Silicon Valley that strikes me as similar. Holland is clean, has infrastructure in a state of good repair, transit gets you everywhere quickly (even in small towns), and 40% of the population rides bikes everywhere. I don't think an intersection that looks like this exists anywhere in Holland.
The similarities I noticed is that Silicon Valley looks tidy and developed, is densely populated with many living in small houses on tiny lots or in apartments, there does not seem to be much sprawl. Malls, stores, and offices are close to residential areas. Infrastructure like roads is good for American standards, I actually did see quite a few people riding bikes. Overall, the density and level of development makes it similar to Western Europe to me.

There are differences too, public transportation seems to be mostly lacking indeed, the building style is different and we don't have intersections like that, the col are completely different too, the Netherlands is expensive but Silicon Valley is outrageously expensive especially relative to salaries, and the climate is much better in Silicon Valley.
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Old 03-12-2016, 10:00 AM
 
958 posts, read 1,138,438 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drro View Post
The similarities I noticed is that Silicon Valley looks tidy and developed, is densely populated with many living in small houses on tiny lots or in apartments, there does not seem to be much sprawl. Malls, stores, and offices are close to residential areas. Infrastructure like roads is good for American standards, I actually did see quite a few people riding bikes. Overall, the density and level of development makes it similar to Western Europe to me.

There are differences too, public transportation seems to be mostly lacking indeed, the building style is different and we don't have intersections like that, the col are completely different too, the Netherlands is expensive but Silicon Valley is outrageously expensive especially relative to salaries, and the climate is much better in Silicon Valley.
If you didnt see much sprawl, then you obviously limited your travel to certain areas, probably sf/oak/berkeley. That is not all there is to the bay.
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Old 03-12-2016, 11:26 AM
 
Location: "Silicon Valley" (part of San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA)
4,375 posts, read 4,044,423 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Perma Bear View Post
You make 11.25 an hour? Why not move to Texas so you can be a homeowner?
Wtf? Why would I want to live in Texas? I grew up here in the Bay Area. I have lived here since the age of five. It is my home.

And I have no reason to own a home; women aren't interested in me as more than a platonic friend (which is depressing, but is also reality).

Also, in the future I will make a lot more money. This is just the job I have while looking for something better.
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Old 03-12-2016, 05:52 PM
 
Location: san jose
207 posts, read 256,168 times
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@perma bear
with 11.25/hour it will be like 2k/month and after tax it would be ~1.5k/month. You can't be home owner in TX in most of areas. Forget Austin, Dallas which are good at software. Probably Detroit or some other areas in MI can be a choice
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Old 03-13-2016, 06:15 PM
 
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Originally Posted by jonlovet View Post
@perma bear
with 11.25/hour it will be like 2k/month and after tax it would be ~1.5k/month. You can't be home owner in TX in most of areas. Forget Austin, Dallas which are good at software. Probably Detroit or some other areas in MI can be a choice
Maybe 13 more realistically
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Old 03-13-2016, 10:33 PM
 
1,185 posts, read 1,489,743 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jonlovet View Post
@perma bear
with 11.25/hour it will be like 2k/month and after tax it would be ~1.5k/month. You can't be home owner in TX in most of areas. Forget Austin, Dallas which are good at software. Probably Detroit or some other areas in MI can be a choice
Michigan? Some parts of are starting to become expensive. The Grand Rapids area especially has seen a spike in house prices.
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Old 03-13-2016, 10:38 PM
 
1,185 posts, read 1,489,743 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by neutrino78x View Post
Also, in the future I will make a lot more money. This is just the job I have while looking for something better.
Just about every one of my friends who didn't like their current situation said the same thing.

We're in our 30s now.

They are still in those same situations.

It's a sentiment I'm getting tired of hearing in the Bay Area. "Oh, I'll move there and eventually find a better paying job."

The only thing these people are doing is adding to the "5 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment" rent-raising, overcrowding-causing nightmare that this place has become.
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Old 03-13-2016, 11:37 PM
 
4,369 posts, read 3,696,519 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lockdev View Post
Just about every one of my friends who didn't like their current situation said the same thing.

We're in our 30s now.

They are still in those same situations.

It's a sentiment I'm getting tired of hearing in the Bay Area. "Oh, I'll move there and eventually find a better paying job."

The only thing these people are doing is adding to the "5 people living in a 2 bedroom apartment" rent-raising, overcrowding-causing nightmare that this place has become.
The key is to live at home.
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Old 03-14-2016, 12:05 AM
 
Location: san jose
207 posts, read 256,168 times
Reputation: 60
Mobile homes could be an option for such people. or buy 1 unit in multifamily home. I don't know much about any of these things. just wanted to know if these can be tried. After looking up on redfin, i see mobile home cost less than 100k in bay area. eg-
https://www.redfin.com/CA/Union-City...home/104010311
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