4 ms·

In most of the United States it is the only way, unless you're referring to the disaster that is Amtrak or the four-ish airlines here (which also run on gas). I

by i13e 4y ago

In most of the United States it is the only way, unless you're referring to the disaster that is Amtrak or the four-ish airlines here (which also run on gas). I'd prefer an alternative too, but there isn't one (yet?).

warning26 4y ago
> In most of the United States it is the only way And that, there, is the problem. Everywhere in the US is designed, often in legally-enforceable ways, to ensure that cars are prioritized over everything else.
- rarec 4y ago
  Chicken and egg problem. Cars are necessary because businesses/places to work are far apart, but they got to be the distance they were because cars are around. The US is a huge place, there was plenty of space to go around and the current situation is what follows from it.
  - trgn 4y ago
    Partly, but it doesn't explain people's obsession with large, heavy, low MPG vehicles and the entitlement people have when it comes to fueling these cheaply. The chicken-egg explanation is a normal consequence of not having anticipated the consequences when urban planning for car travel got going in the 50s. Unfortunate as it may be, but it's catch-22 that can be broken out of. The unwillingness to break out of it, is because of the fetishization of car technology. This is a completely pathetic for adults to do, and is this toddler-mindset which is the biggest impediment to meaningful change today.
    - RhysU 4y ago
      > The unwillingness to break out of it, is because of the fetishization of car technology. Careful tossing that first stone. This is Hacker News. Surely most people here have made some technology purchasing choices moreso for coolness than for practicality. Cars are simply one particular sort of technology.
esotericimpl 4y ago
usrn 4y ago
Amtrak is actually pretty great in the coastal part of the mid-north Atlantic region, I ride it very often. Pretty much everywhere else it's useless. In most of the US cars are very much the only option (no you can't bike on a 50mph two lane highway with no shoulders for 15 miles. That does not work.) We don't have transit for a number of reasons, one is that everything would have to be torn up and rebuilt for high speed rail. Two we have a much lower trust society than places like Europe and Japan. Three it's just so unprofitable and people dislike it so much it never gets funding.
matthewdgreen 4y ago
A mixture of carpooling, WFH, biking and walking, switching to fuel-efficient vehicles, less recreational driving, plus public transportation where it's available. I'm not saying any one of these will work for everyone, but when gas gets expensive enough you'll see all of these come into play.

by i13e 4y ago

warning26 4y ago

> In most of the United States it is the only way And that, there, is the problem. Everywhere in the US is designed, often in legally-enforceable ways, to ensure that cars are prioritized over everything else.

rarec 4y ago
Chicken and egg problem. Cars are necessary because businesses/places to work are far apart, but they got to be the distance they were because cars are around. The US is a huge place, there was plenty of space to go around and the current situation is what follows from it.
- trgn 4y ago
  Partly, but it doesn't explain people's obsession with large, heavy, low MPG vehicles and the entitlement people have when it comes to fueling these cheaply. The chicken-egg explanation is a normal consequence of not having anticipated the consequences when urban planning for car travel got going in the 50s. Unfortunate as it may be, but it's catch-22 that can be broken out of. The unwillingness to break out of it, is because of the fetishization of car technology. This is a completely pathetic for adults to do, and is this toddler-mindset which is the biggest impediment to meaningful change today.
  - RhysU 4y ago
    > The unwillingness to break out of it, is because of the fetishization of car technology. Careful tossing that first stone. This is Hacker News. Surely most people here have made some technology purchasing choices moreso for coolness than for practicality. Cars are simply one particular sort of technology.

esotericimpl 4y ago

usrn 4y ago

Amtrak is actually pretty great in the coastal part of the mid-north Atlantic region, I ride it very often. Pretty much everywhere else it's useless. In most of the US cars are very much the only option (no you can't bike on a 50mph two lane highway with no shoulders for 15 miles. That does not work.) We don't have transit for a number of reasons, one is that everything would have to be torn up and rebuilt for high speed rail. Two we have a much lower trust society than places like Europe and Japan. Three it's just so unprofitable and people dislike it so much it never gets funding.

matthewdgreen 4y ago

A mixture of carpooling, WFH, biking and walking, switching to fuel-efficient vehicles, less recreational driving, plus public transportation where it's available. I'm not saying any one of these will work for everyone, but when gas gets expensive enough you'll see all of these come into play.