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On OPEC, Technology And Transportation...

Posted by Cliff on from the you-wish-your-commute-was-just-to-the-living-room dept.

cybrthng asks: "With prices of gas hitting above $2.00 a gallon in many areas and projected to rise more yet, how should we look at our commuting and travel needs? With OPEC limiting the supply, people traveling more and all this technology advancement wouldn't you think we would be able to come up with alternate ways to get around? How about public transportation? Safer places to keep your bike? Smarter drivers so people on motorized and non-motorized vehicles are not at such a risk. What would be the technological or even ethical solution to today's costs and problems with transportation? Let's unite and strategize for a few minutes on what is a huge part of daily life." Interesting question. I find that too many people drive in overcongested metropolitan areas due to the fact that the public transportation system just isn't sufficient for their needs. PT systems in many areas are nice, but it just plain sucks when you have to wait 30 minutes for the next train. Quite personally, I would just prefer to telecommute.

3 of 9 comments (clear)

  1. life without a car. by cybrthng · · Score: 2
    I ride my trusty Trek almost everywhere i go. The buses where i live are 1 an hour on each route, even further apart during non peak times. Most bus stops are non covered and costing from 1.10 to 3.45 each way, its not very economical for daily use.

    What keeps towns from accepting people on bicycles? Why arent there more bike racks to lockup? What are commuter friendly towns? It looks like the big apple is (albeit not to clean nor safe at times) and Washington DC. DC seems to have the cleanest subway system i have ever seen, which is another factor in PT, how safe, how clean and how frequent the trips are. State college has a great, clean and frequent bus system. Anyone to write to that can help?

    I make a great living, money is not a factor of why i dont want another car (gas, theft, insurance, loan interest, and i have all sorts of other gadgets and things i want to spend my money on besides another piece of metal that always has problems and seems to hold up a sign saying radomly break into me and cause my owner to have a living hell). I like riding my bike, i like being able to walk out to a subway and walk a block to where i want to be, i like catching the train to NYC and cabbing/subbing around town. For one, i save money, (parking is ridiculous), 2, less worries (will my car be there, will i get any tickets for whatever reason, is my insurance still valid, where is my insurance card, keys?).

    I guess there are many reasons, but i find my life better spent and exponentially simpler without a car. (although very it is harder in some ways since i can't depend on pt...).

  2. Re:Stop subsidizing the American automobile by cybrthng · · Score: 2

    That is a pretty informative article. Are there any other sites your aware of that would be good to forward to local government and state representatives as a means to help alleviate alot of the problems with public transportation? I cant bitch and moan all i want, but the more studies and historic/geographic data i can send, i feel the better i can represent myself. Plus it would just be interesting reading, as i may want to move to a place that better suits my needs, after all why should i be paying property taxes to subsidize new roads for the gas guzzling SUV's and monster trucks? I think it would be interesting to actually develop resoureces that break down how people are blindly paying for all this stuff no matter what they do (walk/ride/drive, how your income is being used to subsidize drivers if you aren't one.. etc... etc..)

  3. Its gotta work before we will use it! by bluGill · · Score: 2

    I looked at using public transit one time. I was 20 minute to work, driving, or over an hour by bus. Even if the bus had gone by work more then 4 times in a day that was enough to kill the idea. I don't know when I get off work, last week I unexpectedly ended up working 2 hours latter then normal to take care of something that needed to be done now. If I had taken the bus in I would have been stuck at work all night.

    Of course now I live out where I can smell fresh cut alfaha. To smell that twice a summer makes living downwind from a pig farm worth it. No bus service, but no different then when I was living in the city.

    To put my complaint differently, public transportation needs to do more then go downtown. I need to give my kid a note of permission and tell him go visit grandma, and then go about my buisness, knowing the kid will be safe on the trip. (assuming grandma knows the kid is coming) But today the transit system assumes that I go home to work to the airport to work to home. And God help anyone who doesn't work downtown or wants to go anyplace else without a car.

    I'd love to have good public transportation, but I've yet to hear of a plan that even in the best case would be one I'd consider using.