Why are so many conservatives against improving public transit? (Obama, insurance, school)

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Originally Posted by workingclasshero

I dont know why you would try to paint a picture with such a broad brush

99% of the concervatives out there are not againt a mass transit system...they are against the corrupt government system that never does the job correctly

the NY MTA is BROKE, poorly run, and corrupt.......and the layout of the system was poorly planned and never gets updated (for routes, etc)

an example: I live 12 miles from work...when there is no traffic (maybe 2am) it would take me 15 minutes.....but during rush hour it takes me almost 1 hr, I use a tank of gas (14 gallons) a week (at $3/gallon, that's $42 a week or 168 a month)..............to take mass transit I would have to DRIVE 3 miles to the trainstation, then wait for a train, to get to the treminal (jamaca station) to pick up the subway (to flushing), then hop on a bus to get to work, and it would take me over 2 hours......and a monthly ticket for the long island railroad is over $300 a month...pluss the subway and the bus

that's why many dont like mass transit....because the SYSTEM is just screwed up

I can relate to this as the LA County light rail system is poorly planned to not serve the most congested areas (when is that Subway to the Sea gonna ever get finished?). Also, our commuter rail is excellent for suburbia and city folks in other counties to commute into the city but what about the zillions of us who commute OUTSIDE of LA to work? I know of many folks who would utilize it if they have extended hours but currently the first train gets to my location at 8:05am and the only evening train leaves at 4:11pm! I only do this as I'm not working a full day but for the average worker, these hours just do not work! Also, with all the transfers needed to get from point A to B, some commuters find that it is more time consuming to utilize the public transit system. This is why we need to invest and work towards a more workable mass transit that serves our communities!

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Originally Posted by harrymiafl

For your info,
u may regard that
customers prefer mass transport,if for example they r stuck in
Kendall,wanting to go to Mia Beach...

Meanwhile,research after research shows that
autonomous transport by car is
superior in all aspects to other ways of
surface
Transport...

Come over to Southern California and try the aggravation of trying to get from point A to B while sharing the road with 1,000,000,000 like-minded folks. Try the 5, 10 or 101 freeways, which functions as an idling zone on a regular basis and tell me how superior personal vehicles are to mass transit. It is attitudes such as yours that have kept us from real progress.

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Originally Posted by Minethatbird

The first reason is no mass transit system pays for itself. That means each ride is paid for by someone else. Why are you or any mass transit rider entitled to my money?

Why do I have to pay taxes so YOU can drive on nicely paved roads? Why do I have to fund freeway expansions and other public works projects so you guys won't have to drive over potholes and other poor road conditions. That is socialism!

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Originally Posted by rogerbacon

That's what the gas tax is supposed to be for. In reality I'm sure governments use it for general revenue but that is another problem. The gas tax is one of the fairer taxes if it is used to pay for roads because the more you use the roads the more tax you end up paying. Someone who never used the roads doesn't pay the tax, except a few cents when they fill up their lawn mowers.
Mass transit asks other people to pay for it because it is subsidized-- heavily subsidized in most cases. To give you an example, the elevated rail in Miami (Metrorail, or metroFail as we call it) would cost $24 each way without subsidizing. Of course, no one would use it at that price.
If people are ok with subsidizing mass transit then what about airlines. Why not charge $5 a seat to fly anywhere and have the government (i.e. taxpayers) pay the rest? Transportation is transportation, right?

The last thing conservatives don't like about mass transit, other than the costs, is the idea that it reduces individuality and individual freedom. No matter how invasive mass transit is in your city it will never go exactly where or when you want it to. It will go where some policy maker says it will and on a schedule some bureaucrat says it should. Your car is your freedom. Mass transit is government holding your hand and telling you when to cross the street.

If bus/rail tickets were 24 bucks per trip, then the folks who cannot afford their own vehicles are screwed. Very few folks can afford it. There are tons of roads and other public works improvements that I support with my tax dollars but rarely if ever use so why should I be forced to subsidize those improvements so your car won't hit potholes and other poor road conditions?

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Originally Posted by seattlerain

For all you conservatives against public transportation I suggest you read the following:

"How to Convince A Conservative To Support Public Transportation"

It is an interview with William Lind, director of the Center for Cultural Conservatism at the Free Congress Foundation. Needless to say he is a conservative, and he supports public transportation.

Excellent article Seattle. Thanks for contributing it.

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Originally Posted by silas777

I can only speak for one conservative...............As a Conservative I just do not believe that the government is the best solution for everything, public transportation is no exception. Here in Washington State we have one of the largest Ferry systems in the world, it is costly, slow and inefficient, when I am sitting in a parking lot on I5 and a Bus goes flying by me in the pool lane and it has 6 people on it,that tells me it is grossly inefficient. Bottom line is I am not for throwing good money after bad, Public transit has a very, very, poor record, when it comes to getting the most value from tax payer dollars.

That is why we need expansions ... In order to make it a viable option for commuters. If transit is limited or slow or does not serve needed areas, then it is inefficient. I know of folks in Southern California who would utilize transit if it worked with their schedules or provide seamless travels from Point A to B.

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Originally Posted by OhioIstheBest

Roads are a passenger transportation service. And they are used by the general public.

Are they not?

Not all public utilizes the roads. Regardless, it is still socialism as we don't pay directly for the upkeep and expansions of our roads but indirectly through forced taxation. How about each driver pay for the amount of wear and tear their personal vehicle causes to our tax-subsidized roadways versus having us all taxed the same. Those who carpool should be granted a discount as that means less vehicles on the road. Why should us carpoolers pay the same rates as you personal vehicle owners?

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Originally Posted by Pretzelogik

It is a waste of money...no one uses it

Yeah ... I'm "no one"

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Originally Posted by seattlerain

So why should public transit have to stand on its own and the highways and freeways shouldn't?

Maybe all roads, highways and freeways systems should be converted to toll roads with no public funding whatsoever.

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Originally Posted by harrymiafl

It is sad to see so many commentators falling into the trap of socialism...

Mass transport must be denounced as a matter of principle,for ideological reasons...

Any person not in a coma can find $ 5K to buy a car.

We already use mass transport at sea & in the air. Land transport is the last frontier to freedom.

We should not imprison ourselves to buses & trains.

Only cars,always by car...

Not everyone CAN or should be driving. I cannot drive and do not have a disability that qualifies for Access service. What do you propose I do? Stay at home and collect welfare or use mass transit to get to my job and pay my share of taxes?