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Old 08-05-2007, 12:24 AM
 
Location: Everywhere
1,920 posts, read 2,766,127 times
Reputation: 346

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Quote:
Originally Posted by austin-steve View Post
I'd replace the word "collapse" with "correction", as war, famine, diseases etc. are the earth's way of thinning out excess population. I heard this theory explained once and I can't come anywhere close to articulating it as well as the person I heard, but history provides plenty of examples of Earth's merciless population reduction abilities.


Just playing devil's advocate ... who is a "greener", more environmentally friendly person, someone who commutes 60 miles a day from a suburb, 5 days a week round trip in a Prius, or someone who lives downtown, owns a Hummer and rides a bike or bus to work weekdays?

In other words, does one's vehicle tell us everything we think it does about that person? I don't think it does. It simply acts as the basis upon which to judge others with no other data or information about that person's actual level of oil and energy consumption, i.e. - their "carbon footprint".

No I don't drive a Hummer, I'm just suggesting that, as people, we blindly use iconic symbols to jump to conclusions about others based on appearances.

Steve
No, I think its all your fault steve....polluting the air with your bicycle
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Old 08-05-2007, 12:28 AM
 
Location: Everywhere
1,920 posts, read 2,766,127 times
Reputation: 346
Quote:
Originally Posted by Austinman View Post
I am moving as soon as possible. I have been here 20 years and I have seen conditions deteriorate. Just another crowded chain-store laden bog with the worst drivers in the country.
And it used to be such a nice place...
The song lyrics "They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.." best describe Austin.
I hear you....Austin is "Tailgate city" man. I don't even think its safe to buckle my son in the back seat of our car. For some reason cars hug my bumper like ive got a hug magnet on it or something, you know who you are....back off before you kill someone. I have not had this tail gating experience anywhere else in the nation. I travel for a living and I KNOW WHAT IM TALKING ABOUTl
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Old 08-05-2007, 09:59 AM
 
Location: Hutto, Tx
9,249 posts, read 26,601,067 times
Reputation: 2851
tailgating's a hot button issue with me as well.
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Old 08-05-2007, 10:04 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
1,235 posts, read 3,759,465 times
Reputation: 396
Quote:
Originally Posted by austin-steve View Post
I'd replace the word "collapse" with "correction", as war, famine, diseases etc. are the earth's way of thinning out excess population. I heard this theory explained once and I can't come anywhere close to articulating it as well as the person I heard, but history provides plenty of examples of Earth's merciless population reduction abilities.
I agree, in the long run it's a correction. But to those who live through it, "collapse" will be what it feels like. For example, fisheries that are "collapsing" because of over-fishing, climate change and pollution --- they hit local communities very hard and it doesn't feel to them like a "correction," even though you're technically right that it's just a blip on the geological scale of time and the dramatic changes that earth constantly goes through.

Bringing it back home to Austin, we're probably going to see an ecological "collapse" of some of our pristine spring-fed rivers, and this will be tragic for those who feel that the soul of Austin is Barton Springs, and the soul of San Marcos is the SM River. When the "Closed due to pollution" signs show up, I'll be moving far away.
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Old 08-05-2007, 08:59 PM
 
Location: Northern California
1,587 posts, read 3,902,305 times
Reputation: 541
Quote:
Originally Posted by love roses View Post
tailgating's a hot button issue with me as well.
Is there a city where people DON'T tailgate?
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Old 08-06-2007, 12:38 AM
 
Location: Hutto, Tx
9,249 posts, read 26,601,067 times
Reputation: 2851
probably not, but this has to be one of the worst I've seen it in. We just got back from Dallas and didn't get tailgated there like we do here. And in Houston, if someone ends up tailgating, they actually pass you and don't just drive on your bumper.
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Old 08-06-2007, 08:52 AM
 
Location: Austin 'burbs
3,225 posts, read 14,026,068 times
Reputation: 783
I haven't even really noticed this as a problem... maybe I am a tailgater myself so I don't recognize it in others I'm from the east coast though, so that could be why.

People are AGRESSIVE drivers on the highway, but I don't really think it's tailgating. More like stupid decisions and high speed.
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Old 08-06-2007, 09:11 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
2,357 posts, read 7,874,271 times
Reputation: 1013
Driving brings out the worst in people. Would you give the finger to someone's face if they were walking too slow in front of you on the sidewalk? Probably not, unless you were a first place a-hole But in a car, you feel shielded of accountability for your toddler actions.

People get paid a lot of money to operate heavy machinery. I think it's too much to ask of the ordinary person to drive around for EVERY LITTLE THING while maintaining a high level of concentration. We simply have too much on our minds, in our ears, in our mouths and too much to do with our hands to handle this responsibility properly.

Imagine if driving could be reserved for heavy shopping, leisure, travel etc...Of course you would need quality public transportation for that to be possible.

OK, I'm done with my rant
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Old 08-06-2007, 11:37 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
1,235 posts, read 3,759,465 times
Reputation: 396
Quote:
Originally Posted by twange View Post
Driving brings out the worst in people. Would you give the finger to someone's face if they were walking too slow in front of you on the sidewalk? Probably not...
True. Internet forums also bring out the worst in people. This forum is very well-moderated, but if you get on some other forums where people are allowed to flame, curse, etc., it's almost all flame wars. The very same person who smiles and lets you cut in line at the grocery store might be the person who was posting on a forum the night before that you're a racist moron who should be dipped in a vat of sulphuric acid and then run over by a tank.

Anonymity allows us to vent without feeling like we're dealing with another human being, we don't experience their reactions, we don't empathize as much in these unnatural situations.

This reminds me of the issue of modern warfare with its sterile, remote methods of killing. Pushing a button to launch a missile that will kill a few thousand people is probably a lot easier on one's conscience than slaughtering each of them with a knife while looking them in the eyes. What we call "collateral damage" in warfare includes tens of thousands of children and destroyed families. But it's remote, like the anonymous people in "the other car". They're not as human to us so we don't feel the immediate sense of compassion for THEIR situation, feelings, motives and needs.
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Old 08-06-2007, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Austin, TX
2,357 posts, read 7,874,271 times
Reputation: 1013
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheHarvester View Post
This reminds me of the issue of modern warfare with its sterile, remote methods of killing. Pushing a button to launch a missile that will kill a few thousand people is probably a lot easier on one's conscience than slaughtering each of them with a knife while looking them in the eyes. What we call "collateral damage" in warfare includes tens of thousands of children and destroyed families. But it's remote, like the anonymous people in "the other car". They're not as human to us so we don't feel the immediate sense of compassion for THEIR situation, feelings, motives and needs.
Uh oh, this gets me riled. I'll restrain myself as this isn't a political forum. But let me say this:

If tanks were rolling down your street, bombs obliterating your neighborhoods etc...there would be a hell of a lot more urgency to avoid combat. War has become a video game/TV show...
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