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"We tried nothing and we're all out of ideas." It's funny you mention the Netherlands as your proof for your little list of gotchas. The Netherlands handles al

"We tried nothing and we're all out of ideas." It's funny you mention the Netherlands as your proof for your little list of gotchas. The Netherlands handles all your little gotchas fine, and so do more northern countries like Sweden. The problem is the convenience of a car makes it not worth just putting on a layer of clothing for the weather. Use a car if you're going to travel 100km, but don't be like the rest of the people in my Montana town and use a car to go pick up the groceries 3 miles away just because it's 42 degrees and you're cold. See by saying you need a car for these extremes you are actually just making excuses to use a car all the time.

aperson_hello 4y ago
But at least in my experience (and I suspect in others' as well), those shorts trips make up a miniscule percentage of overall miles (and therefore emissions). It's commuting and road trips that account for 90% of my mileage
- undersuit 4y ago
  Well you should definitely be commuting by bike or public transportation. Don't know why you would think that wasn't in the cards. Road trips? Why are you taking them in a personal vehicle? Because there isn't competent public transportation. I'm against car ownership. Oh you can't get anywhere without a car? Maybe build another lane to a place where I care.
  - aperson_hello 4y ago
    There's a huge infrastructure and zoning problem that incentivizes some jobs to be in transit-friendly places (professional services - so they have easy access to their customers) and others to specifically not be in transit-friendly places (manufacturers - so they have easy highway access for shipping). If you're living with someone in the other category of work, at least one of you is necessarily living in a location that requires commuting where I am. I have the short end of that equation, so I'm commuting 20 minutes by car (vs. nearly 2 hours by bike or by bus). It just doesn't make sense to have transit go regularly enough or direct enough to where I'm commuting to (one rider buses are worse than cars!!).
    - undersuit 4y ago
      You've given up then. You've tried nothing and you're all out of ideas. Go have "fun" in your 20 minute commutes.
      - aperson_hello 4y ago
        I could find a new partner? Or get a new job/career?
        undersuit 4y ago
        When your partner dies from participating in one of the most dangerous activities Americans do on a daily basis? Yeah, that would suck. It's hard to change you life to avoid such a convenience, but it's possible if you try.
        aperson_hello 4y ago
        So...I should try more by doing what, exactly? Assuming I'm an average driver, and across a 30-year career, that commute is increasing my changes of dying something like 0.3%, given the number of miles I'm driving (that's a whole lot higher than I expected!) by car vs. 0.03% by bus. But...by bus, I've spent an additional 3% of my entire life (assuming I live 100 years = 876,000 hours) commuting, so the balance of that equation shifts pretty far in favor of car commuting (and I'll switch to electric at some point soon once EVs are purchasable without a 6-12 month wait...). I will grant you that riding a bike 4 hours per day would probably improve my lifespan more than that 4 hours (due to improved fitness), though will likely also cost me my relationship because all I'll be doing is working and commuting to work. But this would enable me to move closer to work! Win/win!
        undersuit 4y ago
        >So...I should try more Yes. You're replying to the meme comment: "We tried nothing and we're all out of ideas." and you're literally saying you're out of ideas. >by doing what, exactly? You've already mentioned you have a 30 minute commute. What could you do to reduce that? Maybe your SO has better options for public transportation to their work than you do and you could move to take advantage of that while giving you a commute close enough to bike. You could car pool. You could work with your local government to increase public transit options. Get an E-bike and take that to the faster public transportation routes instead of waiting 2 hours on the bus. You could just take the bus.
yourusername 4y ago
>The Netherlands handles all your little gotchas fine, and so do more northern countries like Sweden. Most people in the Netherlands who can afford it still have a car though. Yes i do a lot by bicycle but a car is far superior for many errands and trips.
- undersuit 4y ago
  No one said the car was inferior for those trips. It's unnecessary and far more damaging.

aperson_hello 4y ago

But at least in my experience (and I suspect in others' as well), those shorts trips make up a miniscule percentage of overall miles (and therefore emissions). It's commuting and road trips that account for 90% of my mileage

undersuit 4y ago
Well you should definitely be commuting by bike or public transportation. Don't know why you would think that wasn't in the cards. Road trips? Why are you taking them in a personal vehicle? Because there isn't competent public transportation. I'm against car ownership. Oh you can't get anywhere without a car? Maybe build another lane to a place where I care.
- aperson_hello 4y ago
  There's a huge infrastructure and zoning problem that incentivizes some jobs to be in transit-friendly places (professional services - so they have easy access to their customers) and others to specifically not be in transit-friendly places (manufacturers - so they have easy highway access for shipping). If you're living with someone in the other category of work, at least one of you is necessarily living in a location that requires commuting where I am. I have the short end of that equation, so I'm commuting 20 minutes by car (vs. nearly 2 hours by bike or by bus). It just doesn't make sense to have transit go regularly enough or direct enough to where I'm commuting to (one rider buses are worse than cars!!).
  - undersuit 4y ago
    You've given up then. You've tried nothing and you're all out of ideas. Go have "fun" in your 20 minute commutes.
    - aperson_hello 4y ago
      I could find a new partner? Or get a new job/career?
      - undersuit 4y ago
        When your partner dies from participating in one of the most dangerous activities Americans do on a daily basis? Yeah, that would suck. It's hard to change you life to avoid such a convenience, but it's possible if you try.
        aperson_hello 4y ago
        So...I should try more by doing what, exactly? Assuming I'm an average driver, and across a 30-year career, that commute is increasing my changes of dying something like 0.3%, given the number of miles I'm driving (that's a whole lot higher than I expected!) by car vs. 0.03% by bus. But...by bus, I've spent an additional 3% of my entire life (assuming I live 100 years = 876,000 hours) commuting, so the balance of that equation shifts pretty far in favor of car commuting (and I'll switch to electric at some point soon once EVs are purchasable without a 6-12 month wait...). I will grant you that riding a bike 4 hours per day would probably improve my lifespan more than that 4 hours (due to improved fitness), though will likely also cost me my relationship because all I'll be doing is working and commuting to work. But this would enable me to move closer to work! Win/win!
        undersuit 4y ago
        >So...I should try more Yes. You're replying to the meme comment: "We tried nothing and we're all out of ideas." and you're literally saying you're out of ideas. >by doing what, exactly? You've already mentioned you have a 30 minute commute. What could you do to reduce that? Maybe your SO has better options for public transportation to their work than you do and you could move to take advantage of that while giving you a commute close enough to bike. You could car pool. You could work with your local government to increase public transit options. Get an E-bike and take that to the faster public transportation routes instead of waiting 2 hours on the bus. You could just take the bus.

yourusername 4y ago

>The Netherlands handles all your little gotchas fine, and so do more northern countries like Sweden. Most people in the Netherlands who can afford it still have a car though. Yes i do a lot by bicycle but a car is far superior for many errands and trips.

undersuit 4y ago
No one said the car was inferior for those trips. It's unnecessary and far more damaging.