The real story behind America's streetcar demise (tax, costs)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by AcidSnake

All I know is I can't see myself marrying a woman that I can't carry, regardless of her class status.

How come, Snake? You may be eliminating the best person in the world for you based on appearance stereotypes.

[AcidSnake]

I don't subscribe to that "the one" nonsense. That's crap that someone dreamed up to create lousy talk shows and sell books.

Anyone who has a good nature and easygoing is compatible. In case of emergencies I simply should be able to safely carry the person I love. And vice versa.

My potential partner for life has every bit as much right to expect me to maintain a healthy weight & lifestyle as well.

Originally Posted by arjay57

How come, Snake? You may be eliminating the best person in the world for you based on appearance stereotypes.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Walking offers the ultimate flexibility and freedom.

But you're incredibly limited in distance.

[shunketsu]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

But you're incredibly limited in distance.

Which is mainly a problem in car-dependent communities where things are geographically far apart from one another...

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by shunketsu

Which is mainly a problem in car-dependent communities where things are geographically far apart from one another...

Even then, as soon as you need to leave that walkable area for whatever reason, you won't be able to walk it if it's longer than a mile or so. That's not flexibility when the area served is so small. I drove to get lunch today. It was only about a half mile but it was much quicker than walking. So I can drive in a walkable area, or I can drive with the flexibility of driving much farther than I can walk. Typically just for my commute home but I like to travel a lot and I'm certainly not gonna do that walking.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

Even then, as soon as you need to leave that walkable area for whatever reason, you won't be able to walk it if it's longer than a mile or so. That's not flexibility when the area served is so small. I drove to get lunch today. It was only about a half mile but it was much quicker than walking. So I can drive in a walkable area, or I can drive with the flexibility of driving much farther than I can walk. Typically just for my commute home but I like to travel a lot and I'm certainly not gonna do that walking.

It's situational as well. If I'm at the office in Midtown and want to grab a sandwich across the street, then of course I'll walk. But if I need to go by city hall, pick up something from a customer and swing by the post office, odds are I'm driving. It is just much faster and easier.

[jsvh]

Everyone should take the best transportation option for them (fastest, safest, cheapest, least hastle). My only thing is it should be a level playing field. We should not be pushing the burden of cars on anyone but drivers. For example: parking. We should not be forcing landowners / businesses to provide parking if they don't want to. They can decide for themselves how best to spend their money to attract customers.

Now if you have to go 2 miles away but would have to sit in traffic and pay $5 to park 2 blocks away, you might reconsider the car as the best option for that trip.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jsvh

Everyone should take the best transportation option for them (fastest, safest, cheapest, least hastle). My only thing is it should be a level playing field. We should not be pushing the burden of cars on anyone but drivers. For example: parking. We should not be forcing landowners / businesses to provide parking if they don't want to. They can decide for themselves how best to spend their money to attract customers.

Now if you have to go 2 miles away but would have to sit in traffic and pay $5 to park 2 blocks away, you might reconsider the car as the best option for that trip.

I agree. Everybody should pay the true cost of transportation.

That's why I always say stick it on the user instead of the taxpayer in general. People will never appreciate (or know) the true cost of transportation if somebody else is footing the bill.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

I agree. Everybody should pay the true cost of transportation.

That's why I always say stick it on the user instead of the taxpayer in general. People will never appreciate (or know) the true cost of transportation if somebody else is footing the bill.

Vehicle Mileage Fee, track all drivers and send them a bill for the mileage thy drive per year.

[evannole]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Vehicle Mileage Fee, track all drivers and send them a bill for the mileage thy drive per year.

Well, the gas tax already does pretty much exactly this...