5 ms·

I understand the outrage, but what are the "real" solutions, who is pushing them, and why aren't they gaining traction? Maybe tunnels suck, but at least there i

I understand the outrage, but what are the "real" solutions, who is pushing them, and why aren't they gaining traction? Maybe tunnels suck, but at least there is something happening.

erentz 8y ago
> but what are the "real" solutions Trains. Lots of trains. Inside tunnels. On the surface. On elevated tracks. That interconnect in a network so you can get from anywhere to anywhere. On trains. > and why aren't they gaining traction? Because everytime someone points out mass transit is a solved problem, has been for over 100 years, everyone responds somehow saying "that's unrealistic!" or "eww gross you want me to sit next to someone else!"
- piyh 8y ago
  There's a reasonable limit on how high you can build, as well as noise concerns and NIMBY. Building over existing neighborhood is a nogo. Train transfers are a pain in the ass. I live a block away from a rail station and only use it when going to the absolute heart of downtown. Even then I drive as close as I reasonably can and take the train for the last 3 miles. It saves me at least an hour round trip vs taking the train the whole way.
- Skunkleton 8y ago
  I love trains. Still, other than a few major cities, they aren't a great way to get around in the states. It is a shame there isn't more public support for building more rail.
radicalbyte 8y ago
Bicycles and electric scooters combined with changes to the roads to give them priority over cars. We'd be better off in general if we didn't waste so many resources on making our countries work for cars.
- favorited 8y ago
  Bicycles and scooters aren't year-round solutions for huge parts of the US. You can't optimize your roads for something that is a non-starter for 1/3 to 1/2 of the year.
  - radicalbyte 8y ago
    I doubt that any single solution would work for your entire country. It works fairly well here in The Netherlands. The country is flat but it does have cold winters (two weeks of snow/ice and two-three months of close-to-or-under-freezing temperatures). Whenever I have worked within cycling distance (15km or somewhere with a viable train connection) I've cycled all year round. It would work in a city such as New York (which has a similar climate to here); the metro is already great for the bulk of the journey and bikes/e-bikes would work great for the last part. You'd just have to replace the cars.
  - kgermino 8y ago
    Where in the US are bikes not suitable for 1/2 the year? Are you thinking areas like Florida and Texas? I can see biking being tough in the hot/humid summer but wouldn't something like an electric scooter (where you're just standing there) be fine?
    - Helloworldboy 8y ago
      Ever try to take an electric scooter through snow?
    - favorited 8y ago
      The last time I was in Florida in August, I was sweating in shorts and a t-shirt. I can't imagine trying to commute to a job that requires a suit.
      - kgermino 8y ago
        That's fair. My intuition is that a scooter would be ok, but I'm definitely not familiar with the kind of heat they get down there. I'm in Milwaukee WI, 95 and humid is our normal "hot summer day"

I understand the outrage, but what are the "real" solutions, who is pushing them, and why aren't they gaining traction? Maybe tunnels suck, but at least there is something happening.

erentz 8y ago

> but what are the "real" solutions Trains. Lots of trains. Inside tunnels. On the surface. On elevated tracks. That interconnect in a network so you can get from anywhere to anywhere. On trains. > and why aren't they gaining traction? Because everytime someone points out mass transit is a solved problem, has been for over 100 years, everyone responds somehow saying "that's unrealistic!" or "eww gross you want me to sit next to someone else!"

piyh 8y ago
There's a reasonable limit on how high you can build, as well as noise concerns and NIMBY. Building over existing neighborhood is a nogo. Train transfers are a pain in the ass. I live a block away from a rail station and only use it when going to the absolute heart of downtown. Even then I drive as close as I reasonably can and take the train for the last 3 miles. It saves me at least an hour round trip vs taking the train the whole way.
Skunkleton 8y ago
I love trains. Still, other than a few major cities, they aren't a great way to get around in the states. It is a shame there isn't more public support for building more rail.

radicalbyte 8y ago

Bicycles and electric scooters combined with changes to the roads to give them priority over cars. We'd be better off in general if we didn't waste so many resources on making our countries work for cars.

favorited 8y ago
Bicycles and scooters aren't year-round solutions for huge parts of the US. You can't optimize your roads for something that is a non-starter for 1/3 to 1/2 of the year.
- radicalbyte 8y ago
  I doubt that any single solution would work for your entire country. It works fairly well here in The Netherlands. The country is flat but it does have cold winters (two weeks of snow/ice and two-three months of close-to-or-under-freezing temperatures). Whenever I have worked within cycling distance (15km or somewhere with a viable train connection) I've cycled all year round. It would work in a city such as New York (which has a similar climate to here); the metro is already great for the bulk of the journey and bikes/e-bikes would work great for the last part. You'd just have to replace the cars.
- kgermino 8y ago
  Where in the US are bikes not suitable for 1/2 the year? Are you thinking areas like Florida and Texas? I can see biking being tough in the hot/humid summer but wouldn't something like an electric scooter (where you're just standing there) be fine?
  - Helloworldboy 8y ago
    Ever try to take an electric scooter through snow?
  - favorited 8y ago
    The last time I was in Florida in August, I was sweating in shorts and a t-shirt. I can't imagine trying to commute to a job that requires a suit.
    - kgermino 8y ago
      That's fair. My intuition is that a scooter would be ok, but I'm definitely not familiar with the kind of heat they get down there. I'm in Milwaukee WI, 95 and humid is our normal "hot summer day"