4 ms·

> Our mass transportation system, MARTA, must be profitable. When it's not profitable, a certain segment of society always criticizes it. They don't think of th

> Our mass transportation system, MARTA, must be profitable. When it's not profitable, a certain segment of society always criticizes it. They don't think of the impacts to society of providing cheap, reliable and convenient transportation. An easy way to shut up the idiots like these is to point out the extent to which miles traveled are subsidized for car drivers (invariably more than for transit, due to how horribly inefficient cars are). When they're forced to imagine a society without transport subsidies instead of one with only _their_ favored transport subsidies, they tend to quickly shut up. Though of course this only works for people you know: the voting public is allowed to be as dumb and contradictory as it wants to be.

fma 10y ago
Actually the polls show the citizens want the railway expanded, but the politicians are the absent minded bigots. They need to be voted out and find a job picking up trash. http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/poll-gwinnett-residents-in-favor-of-marta/nkwrQ/ http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/poll-gwin...
superbaconman 10y ago
> An easy way to shut up the idiots like these is to point out the extent to which miles traveled are subsidized for car drivers (invariably more than for transit, due to how horribly inefficient cars are). When they're forced to imagine a society without transport subsidies instead of one with only _their_ favored transport subsidies, they tend to quickly shut up. First, I don't think you're going to change anyone's mind by beginning with, "You're an idiot." Second, you're right, I can't imagine a society without transport subsidies; But, considering the state of my community's infrastructure, it's equally hard to imagine being able to subsidize even more transportation than it already does. Maybe if they were decommissioning roads in sync with new transit roll outs... Main questions I have for discussion (mostly related to rail transit): Will businesses that are not within walking distance of a mass transit endpoint a see a positive benefit? Will individuals that are not within walking distance of a mass transit endpoint see a positive benefit? Will their property values be adversely effected?

fma 10y ago

Actually the polls show the citizens want the railway expanded, but the politicians are the absent minded bigots. They need to be voted out and find a job picking up trash. http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/poll-gwinnett-residents-in-favor-of-marta/nkwrQ/ http://www.myajc.com/news/news/local-govt-politics/poll-gwin...

superbaconman 10y ago

> An easy way to shut up the idiots like these is to point out the extent to which miles traveled are subsidized for car drivers (invariably more than for transit, due to how horribly inefficient cars are). When they're forced to imagine a society without transport subsidies instead of one with only _their_ favored transport subsidies, they tend to quickly shut up. First, I don't think you're going to change anyone's mind by beginning with, "You're an idiot." Second, you're right, I can't imagine a society without transport subsidies; But, considering the state of my community's infrastructure, it's equally hard to imagine being able to subsidize even more transportation than it already does. Maybe if they were decommissioning roads in sync with new transit roll outs... Main questions I have for discussion (mostly related to rail transit): Will businesses that are not within walking distance of a mass transit endpoint a see a positive benefit? Will individuals that are not within walking distance of a mass transit endpoint see a positive benefit? Will their property values be adversely effected?