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Yeah but that's not the question, it's only asking which has worse traffic. If I had to drive and could not use public transportation I would much rather drive in Los Angeles. I live in L.A. and I have never seen worse traffic than Manhattan on a busy afternoon (I learned my lesson, will never drive there again). I'd guess our car averaged at around 2 mph.
Well I have seen very bad traffic on the L.A. freeways and it is one of the reasons that I didn't move to L.A. years ago when I had the option to do (which included a job offer at that time).
If driving is the only option, yes, probably NYC is worse, as it is more dense, therefore more people in a single area. However, if I want to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, New York would probably be better because of public transportation and for the most part, places are much closer than in LA, where they're spread out.
As dense as NYC is, it can be pretty hellish at all times of the day to get around. Buses still have to go through rush hour traffic, and both the MTA subways and buses, though they come frequently during peak hours, are often so crowded you have to let a few go by before you can actually get on. Waiting on a platform or at a bus stop alone can take 15 minutes or more. The fact that they service so many areas makes it slow as well. A 8 minute car ride can be 20 minutes with all the stops the buses make.
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Originally Posted by bdn12
If driving is the only option, yes, probably NYC is worse, as it is more dense, therefore more people in a single area. However, if I want to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, New York would probably be better because of public transportation and for the most part, places are much closer than in LA, where they're spread out.
LA, since the traffic can last over the span of counties. The traffic in New York does not outflow as much to suburban regions. My office is about 35-40 miles from my house. On a bad traffic days it takes me as long as 2 hrs (typically 1.5 hrs)...the trip on mapquest is around 45 min.
The main problem in New York is that it is set on a bunch of islands and a peninsula so everything is determined by the flow on the bridges and tunnels. I won't even discuss the futility of rush hour in midtown.
Of course, in New York you usually have a choice of transportation options if traffic is bad.
This is not the point I think. If public transportation is so wonderful and everybody thinks the way you do and takes public transportation where did the traffic of NYC come from? Apparently many people still drive, or take the cab.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdn12
However, if I want to get from point A to point B as fast as possible, New York would probably be better because of public transportation and for the most part, places are much closer than in LA, where they're spread out.
Last edited by fashionguy; 08-06-2009 at 02:09 AM..
Yes I feel that is true for most public tranportation. As extensive as NYC subway is, it is still no comparison with the road network therefore it does not go along the shortest path possible from point A to point B. Overall driving is still faster. That is why taxi charges a lot higher than subway, has to be in the traffic, yet is still a successful business in NYC, and besides, Taxi has huge presentation, but is really not the majority of cars on the street even in NYC.
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Originally Posted by bizchick86
Is this personal experience or an assumption?
A 8 minute car ride can be 20 minutes with all the stops the buses make.
If public transportation is so wonderful and everybody thinks the way you do and takes public transportation where did the traffic of NYC come from? Apparently many people still drive, or take the cab.
Out-of-towners, commercial/delivery drivers, taxi cabs. The latter two making up most of the traffic.
Haven't you seen views of Manhattan traffic? Did you just think that 30 - 50 percent of New Yorkers drove yellow cars ;-) If you go into Manhattan on an average day, check out the license plates on private cars. You will see more New Jersey and Connecticut plates than New York plates and many if not most of the New York plates are driven by people from LI or points upstate.
Of the few people in New York who own a car, most of them use them to for trips out of the city, not to go around the corner for a quart of milk or to get to work.
Taxi cab is no different from driving aside from parking. They are in traffic and they contribute to traffic. 30--50% is not the majority. I don't see where I am wrong here. As for people in NJ and CT, yes maybe they are the ones that are mostly concerned about the traffic, and that is exactly what this thread is about, for people who are concerned about traffic, what it is like. As long as there are people on the road, no matter whether they are in a cab, or driving their own car, no matter whether they are from NJ or CT, or anywhere else, it means there are people who are concerned about the traffic, and right now it is obvious that this is a huge crowd which is not solved about public transportation. This thread is not about "Do Manhanttaners or LAers concern more about traffic?" I don't see what your point is.
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Originally Posted by ABQConvict
Out-of-towners, commercial/delivery drivers, taxi cabs. The latter two making up most of the traffic.
Haven't you seen views of Manhattan traffic? Did you just think that 30 - 50 percent of New Yorkers drove yellow cars ;-) If you go into Manhattan on an average day, check out the license plates on private cars. You will see more New Jersey and Connecticut plates than New York plates and many if not most of the New York plates are driven by people from LI or points upstate.
Of the few people in New York who own a car, most of them use them to for trips out of the city, not to go around the corner for a quart of milk or to get to work.
ABQConvict
Last edited by fashionguy; 08-06-2009 at 05:08 PM..
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