Comment on Is the US finally getting ‘all aboard’ with electric trains?
GiddyGap@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
I wish. The US is endlessly far behind on public transportation.
Talking to my own family members around the US, they only have eyes for their enormous gas guzzler pickup trucks that they use to run to the grocery store down the street.
spyd3r@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
We don’t need public transportation, we have something better, personal transportation…
GiddyGap@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
You can have both. Europe has a great mix. So awesome to have the option to take the train or bus. They also have awesome road infrastructure in most places. Try comparing an American freeway to a German freeway. You feel like you’re in a third world country when you come back to the roads in the States.
Gsus4@mander.xyz 5 weeks ago
On the one hand, I hear the arguments that Europe has a higher population density, more hubs and smaller cities that make trains effective, but the same efficiencies and cost cuts can’t be achieved in the US.
On the other hand, I play railroad tycoon and see how trains and trams were all the rage to quickly connect and develop the US through efficient public intercity and in-city transport and feel disappointed 🥲
GiddyGap@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
Europe as a whole is not a lot smaller than the US, so I think many of the same efficiencies can be achieved. China has also been able to do it very efficiently, which is basically the same size as the US. Granted, they have a much larger population and more potential customers, but it can definitely be done.
technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 weeks ago
USA has zero hubs because the transportation system is not developed even by the standards of the 1800s.
coffee_with_cream@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
Careful, Godwin’s Law might hear you 😂
GiddyGap@lemm.ee 5 weeks ago
Lol
Habahnow@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
Personal transportation is extremely inefficient. You need to pay a bunch of money for something, in order to get around, and it is always space inefficient, bad for the environment and encouraged parking lot creation over housing.
spyd3r@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
It literally takes me exactly where I am going using the shortest possible route, no detours or stops, in the shortest possible time (excluding jetpacks or helicopters), that is peak efficiency of a mode of transportation.
Habahnow@sh.itjust.works 5 weeks ago
You’re missing price. Compare your trip to Public transit costs, and include infrastructure costs. You had to pay for your vehicle, your car insurance (which in the US there are irresponsibly low legal minimums), registration, gas, and also taxes for the infrastructure, to get yourself somewhere which takes up more room than needed (usually several times more room than a combination lf walking and public transit). Public transit only requires fare pricing, along with infrastructure, which is significantly cheaper per person due to more efficient use of space.
Compare many European metro cities to the US, and you’ll notice their public transit is more convenient (in the characteristics you have pointed out) because we decided to shut ourselves in the foot as a country and forced everyone to have to get a car payment, while making public transit bad.
Of course, public transit isn’t convenient for every area, such as rural towns in which personal vehicles are a better solution, but we have many cities where there should be significantly better public transit.
technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 weeks ago
No. That would be a straight line like a train.
Lmao. Whatever.
trashacct@lemmynsfw.com 5 weeks ago
This only works if you live in areas with no traffic. I have had multiple commutes in different cities, and would take a train whenever possible because of how unpleasant the drive is during rush hour (not to mention driving took longer, in one case 2.5x as long!). I don’t even live in a city, I’m just forced to commute because that’s where the work is. I love cars and have been an enthusiast all my life, but there are many reasons why public transportation is so popular around the world. The US might be somewhat unique in the challenges it faces with public transit, but it is still a better, cleaner, cheaper, and more efficient solution for most of the miles Americans are driving in cities or other congested areas.
technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 weeks ago
People driving around in personal tanks is not “something better”.
It’s dumb, privileged, unsustainable, unhealthy, violent, and literally destroying the planet.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world 5 weeks ago
And even better! All this got rid of those pesky winters
kent_eh@lemmy.ca 5 weeks ago
And replaced it with an extended hurricane season.