Why Isn't MARTA More Widely Used? (Atlanta: insurance, to live in, safety)

[JPD]

Just curious...how many more pages are going to be filled with this tedious argument before the thread is locked or someone says something on topic?

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

As if there was a consensus on any issue. I think responding with such an abstract analogy is a bit disingenuous.
I've read a lot of your posts, and I do pick up on an inherent bias toward our city in them. I'm sure I'm not the only one, which is likely why you are often met with defensiveness from the 'restless natives' here.

I've learned a lot from this thread. I've learned that MARTA is more widely used than I originally thought. I've learned that there are some people who don't believe it's widely used and feel that the statistics don't tell the whole story. But by far, the most valuable lesson I've learned is that if you point out the fact that not everyone agrees on an issue, that's the same thing as arguing it.

LovinDecatur, there's nothing disingenuous about my analogy. You just don't get it. You dismiss it by saying "as if there was a consensus on any issue." How is that relevant to your original point? It's not. You also claim to have read my posts, but if you truly had, you would know that I've more or less committed to moving to Atlanta and am simply trying to do more research on the area. So why would I have a bias against it? I got the information I needed about MARTA so I won't mind if the moderator closes this thread. But I sincerely hope the defensive attitude I've seen here is not typical of the people in Atlanta. I was thinking of starting a thread entitled "Are Atlanta summers really as humid as people say?" But I'm worried. Suppose 10 people say NO and 3 people say YES. I'm worried that if I say that not everyone agrees, that someone like LovinDecatur or DeaconJ will accuse me of denying the facts and of arguing with the 10 people who said YES. Here's a newsflash for you. Pointing out that 3 people don't agree with 10 isn't the same as denying the facts nor is it equivalent to arguing. Keep that in mind the next time someone is interested in learning more about your city.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

I've learned a lot from this thread. I've learned that MARTA is more widely used than I originally thought. I've learned that there are some people who don't believe it's widely used and feel that the statistics don't tell the whole story. But by far, the most valuable lesson I've learned is that if you point out the fact that not everyone agrees on an issue, that's the same thing as arguing it.

LovinDecatur, there's nothing disingenuous about my analogy. You just don't get it. You dismiss it by saying "as if there was a consensus on any issue." How is that relevant to your original point? It's not. You also claim to have read my posts, but if you truly had, you would know that I've more or less committed to moving to Atlanta and am simply trying to do more research on the area. So why would I have a bias against it? I got the information I needed about MARTA so I won't mind if the moderator closes this thread. But I sincerely hope the defensive attitude I've seen here is not typical of the people in Atlanta. I was thinking of starting a thread entitled "Are Atlanta summers really as humid as people say?" But I'm worried. Suppose 10 people say NO and 3 people say YES. I'm worried that if I say that not everyone agrees, that someone like LovinDecatur or DeaconJ will accuse me of denying the facts and of arguing with the 10 people who said YES. Here's a newsflash for you. Pointing out that 3 people don't agree with 10 isn't the same as denying the facts nor is it equivalent to arguing. Keep that in mind the next time someone is interested in learning more about your city.

Oh, I don't get it? Now we have to suffer your callow condescension as well. You have done gracious plenty on your own to invite a 'defensive attitude', as you call it. And you can drop the innocent act...we see right through you.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Oh, I don't get it? Now we have to suffer your callow condescension as well. You have done gracious plenty on your own to invite a 'defensive attitude', as you call it. And you can drop the innocent act...we see right through you.

Nice try. You can take your shots at me, but it still doesn't change the fact that not everyone agrees that MARTA is widely used. Do most people think it is? Yes. But pointing out the ones who don't isn't the equivalent of taking their side or challenging the majority opinion. But in your mind, that's exactly what it is.

Oh look. The Supreme Court just rendered a 5-4 decision on Miranda rights. I better not point out that 4 of the justices disagreed with the majority opinion or else people like you and DeaconJ will accuse me of denying the facts and arguing with the majority.

[coolieandre]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

First off, I apologize if this question has been asked before. I searched through the forum and found LOTS of posts on MARTA, but most seemed to focus on the lack of funding, the limited track lines, the politics, etc. But I didn't really find anything that addressed why the people who have access to it don't seem to use it. I was talking to one poster who had lived in Atlanta and he said people there just look down on it as if taking the train were somehow beneath them. As a 30something single without kids who's considering moving to Atlanta, I'm pretty sure I'll be living either inside the perimeter or close to it. And as much as I love my car, I don't relish the idea of sitting inside it for 2 hours a day, especially if my foot will be on the brake during most of that time. So here are my questions:

1) Is MARTA safe? In Washington DC, the train system is kind of like MARTA in that it doesn't extend very far into the suburbs. But people there take the bus to the nearest train station. From what I hear, it's pretty crowded. If you don't get on at the first stop, you're standing the whole way. So clearly the people in the DC suburbs don't look down on public transit and will suffer through it rather than be stuck on the freeway. The fact that you don't see the same thing in Atlanta makes me worry that it's not safe to ride the trains there. How true is that?

2) Is MARTA reliable? I've never had a job where I needed to take the train to get to work. Besides safety, another concern I have is reliability. Does MARTA have a history of not running on time? Are there a lot mechanical problems?

3) How comfortable are the MARTA trains? I know you can't expect public transit to be luxurious. But in most cities, it's reasonably clean. How are the MARTA trains? Can you ride the train wearing a suit and tie and not worry? Are they air-conditioned during the summer and heated during the winter? Or will you be miserable riding in there?

4) Is there a problem with the people who ride on MARTA? When I first saw the MARTA map and saw how it doesn't extend very far into the suburbs, I couldn't help but wonder if that was to keep "undesirables" from coming to the suburbs. If so, do people in the burbs really think blacks are going to get on the train just to come out to the burbs and rob or kill them? I've also heard there's a big Atlanta/Georgia rivalry where the rest of the state wants to keep Atlanta contained. All of this makes me wonder about what type of people ride the train. In other cities, you'll see all kinds of people. Blue-collar, white-collar, young, old, etc. Is MARTA dominated by a particular demographic or type of rider to the point where no one else feels welcome?

5) How does MARTA's future look? If they don't have a lot of people using it, does that mean they may scale back on how often it runs or possibly raise ticket prices? I know there's continual talk about it expanding, but it sounds like that won't be happening anytime soon, if at all. That's fine by me since, like I said, I won't be living far from the perimeter.

Any other info about MARTA would be greatly appreciated.

1.) Yes
2.) Yes
3.) The trains are comfortable and pretty average compared to other city metros....
4.) The people are like on any city metro....You have business people, tourist, few bums in the downtown areas...etc... But then again what city metro doesn't...lol
5.) To me the future looks dull. They are really cutting back greatly, and alot of the counties are voting to decline coverage into their areas b/c in my opinion they simply don't like Marta and the demographic of indivicuals who 1.) Use marta as an alternative to save on gasoline and 2) Must rely on Marta b/c they have no car.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by coolieandre

1.) Yes
2.) Yes
3.) The trains are comfortable and pretty average compared to other city metros....
4.) The people are like on any city metro....You have business people, tourist, few bums in the downtown areas...etc... But then again what city metro doesn't...lol
5.) To me the future looks dull. They are really cutting back greatly, and alot of the counties are voting to decline coverage into their areas b/c in my opinion they simply don't like Marta and the demographic of indivicuals who 1.) Use marta as an alternative to save on gasoline and 2) Must rely on Marta b/c they have no car.

Thank you for this. It's so nice to get back to the original topic and not be told I'm denying facts just because I point out that not everyone agrees with the majority opinion.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

Nice try. You can take your shots at me, but it still doesn't change the fact that not everyone agrees that MARTA is widely used. Do most people think it is? Yes. But pointing out the ones who don't isn't the equivalent of taking their side or challenging the majority opinion. But in your mind, that's exactly what it is.

Oh look. The Supreme Court just rendered a 5-4 decision on Miranda rights. I better not point out that 4 of the justices disagreed with the majority opinion or else people like you and DeaconJ will accuse me of denying the facts and arguing with the majority.

Another vague analogy. Oh, brother. I'm done...I generally find arguing with the obtuse to be unproductive.

[TheseGoTo11]

Originally Posted by DennyCrane

In Washington DC, the train system is kind of like MARTA in that it doesn't extend very far into the suburbs

it's being extended out to Dulles Airport and already goes fairly deep into Maryland

most underreported thing about our Metro, which is poorly run, is not that people use it, but the hot chicks who ride the Orange Line between their apartments in Northern Virginia and their jobs in DC, no subway in the country can compare in this regard

that said, Atlanta is crawling with good looking women, so it's not like New York where you've got to put up with loud mouth, big hair Yentas and Guidettes

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Another vague analogy. Oh, brother. I'm done...I generally find arguing with the obtuse to be unproductive.

If you think that's vague, then you're the one who's obtuse. It's abundantly clear to anyone with an ounce of common sense. I'm glad you're done though. If you can't deal with the fact that some people don't agree with you, then you probably shouldn't bother posting on a forum like this.

[DennyCrane]

Originally Posted by TheseGoTo11

that said, Atlanta is crawling with good looking women, so it's not like New York where you've got to put up with loud mouth, big hair Yentas and Guidettes

That's good to hear. But how friendly are they? Some cities have lots of great looking women, but they have an attitude.