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This is kind of a vent thread, nothing to really debate about or anything. However, for everyone that has ever complained about their city's metro, subway, or whatever you want to call it, I want you to just take a second and think about how privileged you are to have at least a sub-par metro system.
So basically my wheel on my car is all messed up. So without my car I am not able to do anything. I honestly cannot believe I have been a slave to my car, not by choice, but because that's how America is set up. The Phoenix metro area does have a light rail and bus system but it is deplorable. Even with a car you still have to drive long distances.
So if you live in Chicago, DC, or NYC, (I hope you guys are bouncing back from Sandy), and you complain about your subways; how dirty, hot, and slow it is, be grateful you have that
If you live in Europe, Asia, South America, even parts of Canada where it is transit heaven, however you complain about miniscule things, be grateful you have transit.
To everyone that lives in a city that is walkable and has a good balance of infrastructure ie... subway, bus, walk, bike, drive, commuter train, etc.....be grateful that you have a choice between all of those.
Because where I live and in 80% of America, if you don't have a car then you are SOL.
Are you able to move? I realize everyone has priorities and constraints, but you can do as I'm doing; save up money and plan a move, even if it takes a couple years. Unfortunately, most places in the US are either unable to invest in transit or don't want to. I value walking and transit, therefore, I'm saving to comfortably situate myself in one of the best cities and neighborhoods for exactly that.
Are you able to move? I realize everyone has priorities and constraints, but you can do as I'm doing; save up money and plan a move, even if it takes a couple years. Unfortunately, most places in the US are either unable to invest in transit or don't want to. I value walking and transit, therefore, I'm saving to comfortably situate myself in one of the best cities and neighborhoods for exactly that.
yeah but move to where? in terms of walkable and transit friendly cities, the pickings are rather slim in the US. you also have to quit your current job and find another one. and there's no guarantee that you will find another job as good or better than they one you quit. or find any at all. that's a big gamble I think many people are not willing to take.
another idea would be to move to another country that is more friendly to walking and transit, find a local and marry them like I did. but that's only because I got real lucky. otherwise unless you have gobs of money it is very, very difficult and really virtually impossible for the average person to simply move to another (developed) country in the west and gain permanent residence there. not to go off-topic too much but as long as we're all venting. even if you work for a multinational company who is willing to transfer you and sponsor your work visa to work in one of their overseas offices its usually only temporary. you might get a work visa to stay and work for a few months, or a student visa if you're studying abroad, but that's not the same thing as permanent residence. its much harder to get permanent residence in another country, even if you just want to move to Canada.
Some metro areas are starting to get rail, but it almost takes an act of God to get good transportation, so it is proper to say a region is "blessed" with good public transport. Such metro areas include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Washington and LA. Some that seem to be making a good effort to catch up: San Diego, Seattle, DFW, Denver, and Minneapolis. Honorable mention to Honolulu and Albuquerque/Santa Fe. I know a lot of you will disagree on the specific cities.
funny thing about the LA metro rail. I know people who lived in the LA area all their lives and never knew a metro rail system existed until I mentioned it to them. or they heard about it but have never seen it or used it. the system doesn't seem to be of much practical use if people never even heard about it or have seen it in operation. I lived in LA county between 2002-05 but never knew there was a metro rail myself until years after I left. the same could be said for metro rail in san diego, dfw, etc. the systems are much too small to be of much practical use, except maybe for tourists. I think these metro areas are far too sprawled out for any practical form of transit other than a car.
Some metro areas are starting to get rail, but it almost takes an act of God to get good transportation, so it is proper to say a region is "blessed" with good public transport. Such metro areas include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Washington and LA. Some that seem to be making a good effort to catch up: San Diego, Seattle, DFW, Denver, and Minneapolis. Honorable mention to Honolulu and Albuquerque/Santa Fe. I know a lot of you will disagree on the specific cities.
BOULDER - There apparently is no light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the projected 41-mile Northwest Rail line from Denver to Longmont that would have run through the Boulder Valley.
The projection that only 9,700 riders per day would get aboard the planned rail line, along with a doubling in cost and the fact that the Regional Transportation District already has spent all its FasTracks money on projects in and around Denver, has some saying the rail line won't happen for at least 30 years, if at all.
BOULDER - There apparently is no light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to the projected 41-mile Northwest Rail line from Denver to Longmont that would have run through the Boulder Valley.
The projection that only 9,700 riders per day would get aboard the planned rail line, along with a doubling in cost and the fact that the Regional Transportation District already has spent all its FasTracks money on projects in and around Denver, has some saying the rail line won't happen for at least 30 years, if at all.
Would there be frequent bus service on the roads that intersect the proposed stations on the Northwest line?
How about all the other FasTracks projects, do a decent number of them look like they could get built?
Cities might justify not implementing transit because low ridership that doesn't outweigh the initial cost. People (not everybody I know) complain about not having it, but when their city builds it, they don't ride it. It will never be as easy or convenient as a car but a middle ground should be reached that requires work from both sides. I'm glad LA put it's subway in a section of town where it is very practical. If not, maybe nobody would ride it and there would be no hard reason to expand: "well, if nobody is riding the train here, why should we expect them to ride it there?" Older cities that flourished before cars were accessible to everybody were blessed to have a population receptive to transit and were also built at a more pedestrian scale. Newer cities have mroe trouble with that. They are built on a vehicular scale and turning that into a transit accessible area to pedestrians is difficult to overcome...
My two cents.
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even if you work for a multinational company who is willing to transfer you and sponsor your work visa to work in one of their overseas offices its usually only temporary. you might get a work visa to stay and work for a few months, or a student visa if you're studying abroad, but that's not the same thing as permanent residence. its much harder to get permanent residence in another country, even if you just want to move to Canada.
