The Myth That Mass Transit Attracts Crime Is Alive in Atlanta (Roswell: apartment, tech jobs)

[jero23]

Originally Posted by AtlantaComment

The Bay Area is certainly nowhere near the forefront of public transit, the whole mishmash of systems is a mess.

Atlanta has a lot to learn about transit but should not look anywhere near the Bay Area for a model.

There are multiple systems in the region, but one can transfer from one to the other easier than what is going on in the present here.

[AtlantaComment]

Originally Posted by jero23

There are multiple systems in the region, but one can transfer from one to the other easier than what is going on in the present here.

yes this is precisely why all the large Silicon Valley co's are able to rely on Muni/Bart to Caltrain to get their employees to work. Oh wait, instead they setup an entire parallel private bus system because the current system is so bad.

[WanderingImport]

What's the area of Bay Area transit coverage versus Atlanta Metro transit coverage?

Since we're comparing systems and all..

[AtlantaComment]

Originally Posted by WanderingImport

What's the area of Bay Area transit coverage versus Atlanta Metro transit coverage?

Since we're comparing systems and all..

Bay Area has a much larger coverage area than MARTA rail.

BART alone must have twice as much track as MARTA. There are actually a lot of similarities to Atlanta where key parts of the SF Bay area opted out of the system leaving glaring holes in coverage.

All I am saying is that the systems in the Bay Area (Muni/BART/Caltrain etc) are not a model anyone would emulate.

[AcidSnake]

You know what's funny?

I never at all said or even implied that MARTA is directly or indirectly to blame for Georgia not having its own Silicon Valley.

I am stating plainly it is the bigoted, old-world, close-minded thinking that prevents Georgia from having its own Silicon Valley. The sort of spiteful thought process that chases away creative minds that would lead to the Silicon Valley-type of places.

People with this type of thinking creates workplaces that reject collaboration.

I would go even farther to say that people with the sort of "remove those people from my sight" type of thinking ecourages a toxic, good ol' boy, feudalistic work environment that chases away people who think different and may offer good solutions.

That's why Ga Tech trains up these brilliant minds only to have the bulk of them leave this state for greener pastures. Companies here in Georgia all too often practice an extreme "it's not what you know, it's who you know" mantra for hiring newly graduated young people.

That's my point.

Never have I put transit options into this equation.

But I suppose it is simply another case of people selectively reading what they want and not reading what is actually being said.

[gtcorndog]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

That's why Ga Tech trains up these brilliant minds only to have the bulk of them leave this state for greener pastures. Companies here in Georgia all too often practice an extreme "it's not what you know, it's who you know" mantra for hiring newly graduated young people.

Ummm... I don't think it is that local companies don't want to hire GT grads. It is that working for Apple or Google for 6 figures out of college is more appealing than working for Delta or Home Depot.

The 1st part of what you said is true, but the follow on sentence is garbage.

[AcidSnake]

That's cool because nothing you say I take seriously anyways.

I see most if not all of your comments as the equivalent of satire. They are good for a momentary laugh, but at the end of the day they end up being stale and depressing.

Originally Posted by gtcorndog

The 1st part of what you said is true, but the follow on sentence is garbage.

[Gulch]

Originally Posted by AtlantaComment

Bay Area has a much larger coverage area than MARTA rail.

BART alone must have twice as much track as MARTA. There are actually a lot of similarities to Atlanta where key parts of the SF Bay area opted out of the system leaving glaring holes in coverage.

BART = 104 miles, MARTA = 48 miles

[afdinatl]

I had this discussion with an older guy OTP. He said mass transit bring in apartments which brings in section 8 which means his taxes dollars are now going to help the poor

[Lodestar]

This from the Atlanta Livable Communities Coalition:

"Data that are available, using Uniform Crime Report (UCR) classifications, suggest that transit crime is of a less serious nature although serious crime does occur regularly. Disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, fare evasion theft, and simple assaults appear to be the five most frequently occurring offenses. As would be expected, serious and violent crime is more characteristic of larger transit systems, measured both by statistical incidence and crime per passenger trip."

This is certainly a mixed message.

Speaking from an anecdotal perspective I don't go near any form of mass transit in the major urban areas of my state. There have been too many beatings, thefts and murders at stations in areas that were previously safe.

Regarding low-level crimes on mass transit, who really wants to share a trip to the zoo or public park with disorderly, dishonest, assaultive, thieving or drunk people?

It may well be true that transit systems do not increase crime. I expect that may be true although finding information on it isn't easy as little published research seems to be available.

But I have no difficulty stating from my own observations that public transit has moved crime into low-crime areas.