It's a sad sad story when transit gets first dibs:
"Why do the buses get the privilege?" asks Mary Rheaume, who lives a few blocks from Cedar Avenue and is unimpressed with the new signal. "Why can't they take the loop like everybody else?"
To be fair, transit is a bit of joke in all but a handful of American cities. When you've spent your entire life in an automobile, it's almost inconceivable that anyone other than the poor or the homeless would take a bus.
... and that's why it's time to keep giving preferences to buses. You have to make them more attractive in some way. If they're more attractive, more people with a choice will try them.
As more people try transit, it becomes less of a joke.
I agree, to a point--I'm just thinking that there's a "psychological" component to this mindset too. The car has become such an expected part of life that only a crazy person would do without one (or so the thinking goes). That's a big barrier to overcome in places where transit has mostly died out.
The comments on that story are mind blowing. I think someone could make a bestselling book, just from reprinting comment to news articles.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, transit is a bit of joke in all but a handful of American cities. When you've spent your entire life in an automobile, it's almost inconceivable that anyone other than the poor or the homeless would take a bus.
ReplyDelete... and that's why it's time to keep giving preferences to buses. You have to make them more attractive in some way. If they're more attractive, more people with a choice will try them.
ReplyDeleteAs more people try transit, it becomes less of a joke.
I agree, to a point--I'm just thinking that there's a "psychological" component to this mindset too. The car has become such an expected part of life that only a crazy person would do without one (or so the thinking goes). That's a big barrier to overcome in places where transit has mostly died out.
ReplyDeleteA lot of the comments were just so moronic.
ReplyDelete