Traffic is bad because you are the traffic. If you have infill, mixed-used neighborhoods, more people will turn to walking or biking, and public transit can be more efficient (you don't even need NYC density here for this to happen). There may still be people that will drive, but the main idea is to just get people out of their personal automobiles. Unfortunately, much of the US (and I guess Canada) loves their suburban sprawl.I get annoyed when traffic in my own city gets bad, I can't even imagine a place like NYC or even Toronto. Screw that noise. If I was forced to live in such a city I'd try to get by without a car. At least one good thing about big cities though is they tend to be a bit more walk friendly, and the transit system tends to be really good too. In my city everything is spread out more so you practically need a car to get anywhere. Land wise my city is actually 7th largest in Canada according to a random list I found. That's probably part of why our taxes are so high, there's just so many roads and infrastructure to maintain per capita.
Suing the board members themsleves will be cathartic I guess but ultimately most likely fruitless.
Traffic is bad because you are the traffic. If you have infill, mixed-used neighborhoods, more people will turn to walking or biking, and public transit can be more efficient (you don't even need NYC density here for this to happen). There may still be people that will drive, but the main idea is to just get people out of their personal automobiles. Unfortunately, much of the US (and I guess Canada) loves their suburban sprawl.
When I lived in NYC and Chicago, I never dreamed of owning a car. The public transit systems were pretty good, and could reliably get me to where I wanted to go, if I didn't want to walk or bike.
When I lived in NYC and Chicago, I never dreamed of owning a car. The public transit systems were pretty good, and could reliably get me to where I wanted to go, if I didn't want to walk or bike.
In Chicago, I used my bike with a milk crate and a backpack to go the grocery store <10 minutes away by bike. The milk crate fit 2 paper bags, and backpack handled everything else. Could easily get enough for a week+ with a single trip.How were your trips to the grocery store done? I couldn't imagine doing this without a car. Even if you just have 4 or 5 plastic bags of stuff, do you have to lug from the store, to the train station, then on the train, and then walk home with them? Even light weight bulky stuff (paper towels, toilet paper, laundry deterent, etc) would seem like a complete PITA...
How were your trips to the grocery store done?
How were your trips to the grocery store done? I couldn't imagine doing this without a car. Even if you just have 4 or 5 plastic bags of stuff, do you have to lug from the store, to the train station, then on the train, and then walk home with them? Even light weight bulky stuff (paper towels, toilet paper, laundry deterent, etc) would seem like a complete PITA...
Or home depot runs. Imagine carrying a couple 2x6's in the bus lmao. I guess with the price of lumber now days you'd probably hire Brinks for that anyway.
If only places like that delivered.... Oh wait, they do. But granted, the number of times I needed something bully like lumber was 0.Or home depot runs. Imagine carrying a couple 2x6's in the bus lmao. I guess with the price of lumber now days you'd probably hire Brinks for that anyway.
Err whut? Big cities would die without public transit. I take commuter train into downtown Toronto. No way am I dealing with driving hell.Public transport is usually crap, mind you. In my experience, buses are almost always slower than walking, becuase of all the car traffic clogging the roads.
The function of public transport in cities, to my mind, is not for using every day, rather that it's a last-resort emergency option to avoid getting stranded somewhere. The fact that it exists means you can do without a car, and in practice walk or cycle most places, always knowing you can resort to a bus (or, better, train) if you get really stuck due to awful weather or being exhausted or drunk or whatever.
If only places like that delivered.... Oh wait, they do. But granted, the number of times I needed something bully like lumber was 0.
I honestly don't think that's a serious concern for people living a car free lifestyle. And if it was a concern and delivery was just too much, you can always rent a vehicle or use a rideshare. Zipcars, rental vehicles, Uber/Lyft are all options.Usually $50 for delivery, not going to pay that for a small order. For large orders that cost like $1000+ sure, but sometimes you just need a small amount of lumber or other supplies then it's not worth paying delivery.
Different people like different things. I like building my computers; I don't really want to build my furniture. And I'm certainly not going to be renovating apartments I don't own.Guess some of you never build anything or work with your hands?
Usually $50 for delivery, not going to pay that for a small order. For large orders that cost like $1000+ sure, but sometimes you just need a small amount of lumber or other supplies then it's not worth paying delivery.
Guess some of you never build anything or work with your hands?
With prices of lumber lately I have not bought any in a while though. Try to make due with what I already have around the house. I was excited when I realized I had 10 full 2x4s in my basement the other day, that's like $100 of lumber lol.
If these prices keep up I will need to look at building a mini saw mill. Though there's lot of people that have already done it so can probably find rough cut lumber for reasonable prices already if I look around.
Where I'm at, public transport follows the model of "towards the center". Meaning in towards Washington D.C. For a person who works in the city and lives in a location in which they can walk or take a single route to the metro station, the public transport does suffice. One county has basically one major artery or path of flow, which is the I-270 corridor. The best places for folks who have to live a carless lifestyle, which are usually low income people renting a place, are on bus routes that travel down the major highway of MD-355 or directly to the Metro station of Shady Grove. Thus, the bus routes of 55 and 46 are the ones with the most frequent service. The further away from this central artery one goes, the more the houses because large batches of townhomes and single-family detached that were developed on what was formerly farms. Certain areas on the true periphery of "civilization", like Damascus, MD and Poolesville, MD, are served by one lone bus on the weekdays only.Public transport is usually crap, mind you. In my experience, buses are almost always slower than walking, becuase of all the car traffic clogging the roads.
The function of public transport in cities, to my mind, is not for using every day, rather that it's a last-resort emergency option to avoid getting stranded somewhere. The fact that it exists means you can do without a car, and in practice walk or cycle most places, always knowing you can resort to a bus (or, better, train) if you get really stuck due to awful weather or being exhausted or drunk or whatever.
Err whut? Big cities would die without public transit. I take commuter train into downtown Toronto. No way am I dealing with driving hell.
Working from home is best though.
This is defininitely characteristic of NYC living, only because the mass transit, as flawed as it is, is light years beyond any other city in the country, ditto with cycling in some parts, and the sheer density, shit to do everywhere.There's a lot of people in NYC whose only activity at home is sleeping. The lockdown must have been a giant PITA to them. Even eating, just eat out.
Didn't they try removing some of the cars in London via a pass or toll getting into the city? Or was that just talk? If they did it sounds like it didn't help much.People actually claim public transport is 'good' in London, compared to much of the rest of the country, but it's not good, its always been awful, for as long as I remember. And it's largely because of all the private cars taking up all the throughfare space. It's just that the rest of the country got even worse becuase they didn't put up any sort of fight against privatisation and deregulation.
Edit, anyway, way-off-topic, on what's an extremely tragic story. Sorry about that.
You have to pay congestion fee to drive in London.Didn't they try removing some of the cars in London via a pass or toll getting into the city? Or was that just talk? If they did it sounds like it didn't help much.
Yes, this thread is going way off topic, sorry about that.
Didn't they try removing some of the cars in London via a pass or toll getting into the city? Or was that just talk? If they did it sounds like it didn't help much.
Yes, this thread is going way off topic, sorry about that.
London was an inspiration, and congestion pricing is coming here too and all the money goes to transit projects, as it should. Excited to see how it works.The London congestion and ultra low emission zone has been realtively effective.