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They should be embarrassed because Switzerland assumed the Italian part would be the one not finished on time and even helped a bit financially on that side to
by sschueller 3y ago
They should be embarrassed because Switzerland assumed the Italian part would be the one not finished on time and even helped a bit financially on that side to make sure it gets done. No one ever thought the Germans were incapable of getting it done. They are still buying land! Meanwhile Switzerland dug the longest train tunnel in the world. Italy is completely done as well and cargo imports are now shifting to the south instead of through the north.
- throwaway5959 3y agoThat sounds great for Italy.
- johnfabian 3y agoIn general Italy builds transit infrastructure cheaply by European standards (which means massively cheaper than North American standards). Despite real concerns about corruption or ineffective bureaucracy they've managed to improve their rail infrastructure a lot these past few decades. Germany and the UK look very bad compared to them in this respect
- zabzonk 3y ago> In general Italy builds transit infrastructure cheaply by European standards And then: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Morandi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Morandi
- mc32 3y agoGiven that bridge was in its 5th decade, I don't see how that applies to what the Italians have done in the last couple of decades, unless you're arguing what they are building today will be tomorrows Morandi Bridges?
- zabzonk 3y agoi have no idea what the italians have been doing. i would observe that in the uk most bridge failures were in the 19th century, when the properties of materials such as cast iron were not too well understood - same lack of understanding that the morandi bridge seems to have had much more recently.
- handsclean 3y agoWikipedia lists 282 bridge failures between 2000 and present, 4 of which occurred in the UK, 7 in Italy, and 35 in the US.
- zabzonk 3y agono doubt my wikipedia skills are lacking, but kindly where are you getting the 4 in the uk from?
- handsclean 3y agohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bridge_failures#2000–present https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bridge_failures#2000–p... I admit it’s not great data, but I think it’s a step better than drawing conclusions from a single event.
- stratom 3y agoGermany deliberately starved public transport to death over last decades, spending money nearly exclusively on motor highways to pleasure lobbyists.
- KennyBlanken 3y ago[flagged]
- Moldoteck 3y agoGermany has money too, they just don't use it efficiently. Look at Italy, France - train infra in both works much better. Anyway, believe in what you want to believe, truth is - big part of modern world can have swiss quality train infra, they just choose not to
- _zoltan_ 3y agoI've moved from a very low income family from an east European country to Switzerland with 0 immigration fuss. So on that point you're definitely wrong
- sschueller 3y agoThe financial sector only makes up 9% of the Swiss GDP. Additionally in 1996 there was a global investigation by several nations including Switzerland, several Jewish organizations and the US into "Nazi Gold" and in 1998 Swiss banks paid 1.25 Billion to Holocaust victims[2]. Switzerland has one of the highest percentage in Europe of foreigners living in its borders[1]. It is a staggering 24%. Next one down is Austria with 14.4%. [1] https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/migration-series_europe-s-immigration-balance-sheet/42495760 https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/business/migration-series_europ... [2] https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/politik/zwei-revisionen_rueckblick-auf-die-kontroverse-um-die-holocaust-gelder/36759886 https://www.swissinfo.ch/ger/politik/zwei-revisionen_rueckbl...
- christkv 3y agoStart looking at public infrastructure works in Germany and you’ll a series of massive cost overruns and hugely delayed delivery times. Airport in Berlin is a classic.
- saiya-jin 3y agoIt boggles my mind how such an efficiency powerhouse can be that bad. I live in Switzerland and although I am not involved in trains, what Swiss do aint magic, just simple following the rules, and rules they do. Maybe even less efficient than Germans at the end. I really dont see any difference with Germany on the ground, yet when I look at Germany's politicians and their actions, at least the public part leaves a lot to be desired. Rather then the question becomes how come this country is actually economically so successful? Certainly not due to perfect environment for private businessess.
- blibble 3y ago> It boggles my mind how such an efficiency powerhouse can be that bad. it's almost as if it isn't true that it's an efficiency powerhouse
- candiodari 3y agoThe German "secret" was first "interim" jobs (effectively day laborers, with government support for not paying social services) and then cheap energy. You don't get to say it, though. Everything came from same old, same old. The secret was easy to exploit people plus cheap energy.
- whoisstan 3y agoThe article doesn't explain "nation built on efficiency", its a theme that continues to persist despite any significant examples.
- globular-toast 3y agoI've been saying it for years. Germany's real strength is in marketing. Look at German cars. The myth about them being reliable still persists despite ample evidence to contrary.
- mro_name 3y agoin fact we germans bet on Italy being the one to blame for failure and did - nothing!