Originally Posted By DAR And trust me Skinner it's not about image, I've driven the same Chevy Cavalier for 13 years now.
Originally Posted By ecdc >>How about we get car companies to build more affordable energy efficient cars and get those on the road.<< I think people have been unfairly dismissive of this statement from DAR, which I think is absolutely correct. These high speed rail projects are the first in the nation, and they will be done sometime around 2025. The first ones. Mass transit that actually works well in this country to the point where most people can use it - important as it is - probably won't happen in my lifetime. In the meantime, much more energy efficient cars could make a difference. Smaller cars could also make a big difference.
Originally Posted By DAR <<Why does it take longer to get home?>> I have a schedule where I'm off Mondays(see doing my part there by one less day where I'm not on the road) But I work Tuesday through Friday from 7-5:30. I usually leave between 6:30-6:45 there's not a lot of people on the road it's just starting up. When I leave at 5:30 that's usually right in the heart of rush hour.
Originally Posted By plpeters70 <<In the meantime, much more energy efficient cars could make a difference. Smaller cars could also make a big difference. >> It depends on what problem you're trying to solve. Replacing every car on the road with an electric car would go along way towards stopping global warming, and getting us off oil. (Assuming the electricity was made in environmentally friendly ways.) But, this would do nothing to stop our urban sprawl problems. So, while I'm all for replacing gas guzzlers with fuel efficient cars, I would also like to see a very concentrated effort made by local, state and the federal government to link our cities with high speed rail, and build local, efficient mass transit systems within them.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Boo hoo poor DAR cannot tolerate more than 15 min for his commute. Wuss.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <But it takes me 10-15 minutes to get to work as it is. And it takes me about 15-20 on the way home I currently like that and would like to keep it that way.> And if Milwaukee had a decent public transit system, you would be forced to use it rather than drive... why? New York has a good public transit system. It also has roads and cars. I could drive every day from Brooklyn into Manhattan if I wanted to. I don't do that, because I'm not insane. The subway is faster, a hell of a lot cheaper, and I can read the paper. But I'm not forced to take it. If I wanted to, I could drive in every day. Millions do. You would not be forced to take public transit, if it existed. It might even make that evening trip home faster, with more cars off the road.
Originally Posted By DAR <<New York has a good public transit system. It also has roads and cars. I could drive every day from Brooklyn into Manhattan if I wanted to. I don't do that, because I'm not insane.>> I said if I lived in NY or Chicago I'd take advantage of the public transportation. Again here it's not really necessary. As I've said eariler I live fairly close to where I work and if I wanted to drop my car off for the day to wait for the bus take me to work I'd be there already. <<and I can read the paper.>> Well I do that on the crapper every morning so that's not really a selling point.
Originally Posted By trekkeruss >><<and I can read the paper.>> Well I do that on the crapper every morning so that's not really a selling point.<< OK, how about you could sit there and check out all the good-looking women also riding the train?
Originally Posted By Dabob2 <I said if I lived in NY or Chicago I'd take advantage of the public transportation. Again here it's not really necessary.> Two things: a). it's not all about you. Maybe it's not necessary for you, but for those who can't afford a car, a lack of public transit puts them at a disadvantage. and b). I was responding to your post that said you'd like to "keep" your car commute. I pointed out that even in the city with the most extensive public transit in the country, lots of people DO keep their car commute. The idea that somehow you couldn't if Milwaukee upgraded its public transit it kind of silly. In fact, as I pointed out, it might even reduce YOUR evening commute time by pulling some cars off the road.
Originally Posted By mawnck Wait a second here ... are we really arguing with DAR about whether or not he should drive to work? I guess World Events can be taken to mean different things.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Not whether or not he should - that's his choice. But with the silly idea that if Milwaukee upgraded its public transit, somehow he couldn't.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Great. Let's hope Milwaukee (and most cities) upgrade their public transit as well for those who would like to (or have no choice but to) use it.
