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>> Between being crammed in the cars, the mentally unstable accosting you, the lack of cleanliness and the occasional assault Three of the four of those are th

>> Between being crammed in the cars, the mentally unstable accosting you, the lack of cleanliness and the occasional assault Three of the four of those are things you don't hear people complaining about with the transit system in Japan because of the culture differences in the USA. How can that be fixed, here?

Voloskaya 6y ago
Calling this a "culture differences" is quite the understatement, unless you include politics, access to healthcare and other things under "culture". I do agree that there is definitly a cultural component to this too however.
- colinmhayes 6y ago
  I absolutely consider those things culture. The American culture of individualism is the cause of them.
  - Grimm1 6y ago
    I hard disagree with you. Individualism is not the root of our failing infrastructure.
    - Teever 6y ago
      I think that the hyper-individualism that has been cultivated in certain segments of the American population for partisan political purposes is ultimately the greatest threat that American society faces. It corrodes all aspects of society when a sizable population will place themselves above all else. The ironic part is that except for a thin slice of the wealthy it doesn't even benefit the people who espouse it the most.
      - Grimm1 6y ago
        Individualism != selfish and ignorant. I'm highly individualist. I stay inside, wear a mask everywhere I go and listed to experts like Dr.Fauci on the subject of Covid. That's just one example. There's a large amount of the population that lack empathy and are willfully ignorant. Individualism may be the cover word but what you actually mean is "hyper ignorance and selfishness"
        colinmhayes 6y ago
        As A. Savage says, collectivism and autonomy are not mutually exclusive. I'm not sure most Americans know that though. If Americans self identify as individualists and believe that means being anti-collectivism then isn't individualism, or at least the ideas of individualist thinkers, partly to blame for our cultural bias against collectivism? Maybe I should've said it's America's culture of toxic individualism rather than run of the mill individualism.
        hungryforcodes 6y ago
        But that definitely describes hyper individualism in America.
- bluedino 6y ago
  Not all of the problems with public transit are caused by the mentally ill. It's a very small amount.
Grimm1 6y ago
Actually put money into expanded infrastructure and staffing of public transport instead of funneling it into someone's pocket. Regularly patrol the cars. Open more shelter for the homeless and institute better mental health policies. None of this is a cultural issue unless you mean a cultural issue of political disinterest and general apathy from the public and graft from our politicians on either side.
UncleOxidant 6y ago
I was listening to a youtube recently talking about covid in Japan (their numbers are strikingly low) and the correspondent in Japan mentioned that 5 year olds commonly ride on public transit alone to school without parents. She said it was a rite of passage for 5 year olds that they ride the trains by themselves. That's just unimaginable in the US especially in a city like NYC. Huge cultural differences.
SilasX 6y ago
Well, I can think of two possibilities: 1) Japan has scalably solved mental illness to the point that, in expectation, you will never be near someone still suffering therefrom. 2) Japanese law enforcement doesn't f--- around when it comes to train etiquette, and even so the most dangerous people don't mess with riders.
decafninja 6y ago
One solution I see suggested often is shut down 24hour subway service in NYC. Use that time to do (thorough) cleaning, maintenance, etc. I doubt that would put NYC's subway near the level of Tokyo's or other cities with actual great transit, but it would help a lot. Whenever this gets suggested, there is a loud outcry from people that say they would gladly put up with the filth, unreliability, and occasional assault/rape/murder if it meant 24hour service. Usually arguments put forth is that there are always people (including lower income night shift workers) that must have the subway at wee hours of the night/morning. I'm pretty sure Seoul and Tokyo also have night shift workers and they manage to do just fine using buses or other alternate transportation. If anything Seoul and Tokyo have an even more notoriously hardcore "city never sleeps" workaholic culture than NYC.

Voloskaya 6y ago

Calling this a "culture differences" is quite the understatement, unless you include politics, access to healthcare and other things under "culture". I do agree that there is definitly a cultural component to this too however.

colinmhayes 6y ago
I absolutely consider those things culture. The American culture of individualism is the cause of them.
- Grimm1 6y ago
  I hard disagree with you. Individualism is not the root of our failing infrastructure.
  - Teever 6y ago
    I think that the hyper-individualism that has been cultivated in certain segments of the American population for partisan political purposes is ultimately the greatest threat that American society faces. It corrodes all aspects of society when a sizable population will place themselves above all else. The ironic part is that except for a thin slice of the wealthy it doesn't even benefit the people who espouse it the most.
    - Grimm1 6y ago
      Individualism != selfish and ignorant. I'm highly individualist. I stay inside, wear a mask everywhere I go and listed to experts like Dr.Fauci on the subject of Covid. That's just one example. There's a large amount of the population that lack empathy and are willfully ignorant. Individualism may be the cover word but what you actually mean is "hyper ignorance and selfishness"
      - colinmhayes 6y ago
        As A. Savage says, collectivism and autonomy are not mutually exclusive. I'm not sure most Americans know that though. If Americans self identify as individualists and believe that means being anti-collectivism then isn't individualism, or at least the ideas of individualist thinkers, partly to blame for our cultural bias against collectivism? Maybe I should've said it's America's culture of toxic individualism rather than run of the mill individualism.
      - hungryforcodes 6y ago
        But that definitely describes hyper individualism in America.
bluedino 6y ago
Not all of the problems with public transit are caused by the mentally ill. It's a very small amount.

Grimm1 6y ago

Actually put money into expanded infrastructure and staffing of public transport instead of funneling it into someone's pocket. Regularly patrol the cars. Open more shelter for the homeless and institute better mental health policies. None of this is a cultural issue unless you mean a cultural issue of political disinterest and general apathy from the public and graft from our politicians on either side.

UncleOxidant 6y ago

I was listening to a youtube recently talking about covid in Japan (their numbers are strikingly low) and the correspondent in Japan mentioned that 5 year olds commonly ride on public transit alone to school without parents. She said it was a rite of passage for 5 year olds that they ride the trains by themselves. That's just unimaginable in the US especially in a city like NYC. Huge cultural differences.

SilasX 6y ago

Well, I can think of two possibilities: 1) Japan has scalably solved mental illness to the point that, in expectation, you will never be near someone still suffering therefrom. 2) Japanese law enforcement doesn't f--- around when it comes to train etiquette, and even so the most dangerous people don't mess with riders.

decafninja 6y ago

One solution I see suggested often is shut down 24hour subway service in NYC. Use that time to do (thorough) cleaning, maintenance, etc. I doubt that would put NYC's subway near the level of Tokyo's or other cities with actual great transit, but it would help a lot. Whenever this gets suggested, there is a loud outcry from people that say they would gladly put up with the filth, unreliability, and occasional assault/rape/murder if it meant 24hour service. Usually arguments put forth is that there are always people (including lower income night shift workers) that must have the subway at wee hours of the night/morning. I'm pretty sure Seoul and Tokyo also have night shift workers and they manage to do just fine using buses or other alternate transportation. If anything Seoul and Tokyo have an even more notoriously hardcore "city never sleeps" workaholic culture than NYC.