Skier speed trap hell

[BenedictGomez]

My impression of mass transit is that it is way less comfortable and enjoyable than it was years ago.

Why do you suppose that is, is it mostly due to the safety concerns you mentioned? More checks, more time required, etc....

 

[JimG.]

We should face that, and the reasons why, I agree.

If I have to fly or visit another continent I will. It's a shame it causes anxiety.

Not currently getting better either. But I digress.

 

[JimG.]

Why do you suppose that is, is it mostly due to the safety concerns you mentioned? More checks, more time required, etc....

It's a lot of things. The traffic, airport parking, the airport "experience", the people tube and being packed in with others, lack of personal space, not comfortable, all that. It's a concentrated human behavior and misbehavior display. Then add in the crazy people. And the zealots. It's impossible for me to be comfortable with all that.

I don't mind security or being checked, not a bit. I sold packing house equipment for years and roamed the catwalks at the kill floors of several meat packers for years. That's what mass transit feels like to me today. Noise, commotion, controlled chaos. I expect to hear mooing.

So I don't expose myself to it.

 

[VTKilarney]

Global Entry and TSA Pre Check make a big difference. I also fly first class quite often.

But let’s face it. Air travel has become more like bus travel.

 

[x10003q]

Because it's a factually correct statement. No such database currently exists; as such there is no "hard count" of successful usages of weapons for self-defense, which is why researchers must estimate them.



More guns certainly dont = less safe society given the violent crime rate in America has decreased steadily at precisely the same time as total guns in America has absolutely skyrocketed, contrary to the anti-gun crowd's beliefs.

And this time, that's a factually accurate statement that can be easily proven via FBI data.

This fact is ignored and swept under the rug, but if you graph "total guns in America" against "violent crime" it's like an 'X' shape with guns going up and crime going down.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/despit...-of-households-owning-guns-is-on-the-decline/
There are way less households with guns today in the US vs 40 years ago. It looks like a high of 51% between 1975 and 1980 to less than 35% today. Less household gun ownership contradicts your comparison.

"Survey results also show that hunting as a sport has declined since 1977, when 31 percent of Americans said they or their spouse hunted. More recently, in 2014, just 15 percent said they hunted."

"They found that those who own guns own an average of 4.8 firearms. But they also found that half of all guns — 130 million guns — are owned by 14 percent of gun owners or 7.6 million people. That's 3 percent of the U.S. population."
This also contradicts your point.

I would imagine in some cases, the only reason to break into some of these homes is to get at the cache of weapons.

 

[abc]

And due to our current geopolitical situation it has also become more dangerous to both take mass transit or visit foreign countries. Let's face it, Americans wear a bulls eye on our backs.

I don't see any evidence of it.

Compare to 20 years earlier, when Americans were picked out from hijacked planes to be executed, there hasn't been any incidents of Americans being singled out by terrorists. With the increase airport security, it's actually LESS dangerous for Americans traveling in foreign countries. The same danger applies to French or German as to Americans.

My impression of mass transit is that it is way less comfortable and enjoyable than it was years ago.

I suspect that might be true. In the not so distant past, planes are for well-to-do people. So there's a certain expectation of comfort and style. Now, transatlantic flights are just bus-in-the-sky.

For the same price as a flight to Utah, one can fly to Paris or Zurich. But for that price reduction, comfort had to suffer. Flights to Japan has been unchanged for the past 30 years! How can that be? By stuffing more people into the plane! 30 years ago, when I flew to Japan, the plane was half empty. I could stretch out across the seats. I was also upgraded to business class in more than one occasions. Today, the same flight cost the same, but the seats are closer together, and cabin is always 90% full. Barely room to stand while waiting for toilets!

You can't have it both ways. It's either go first class, expensive and comfortable. Or cheap but crammed in the cattle class.

 

[JimG.]

But for that price reduction, comfort had to suffer. You can't have it both ways. It's either go first class, expensive and comfortable. Or cheap but crammed in the cattle class.

Or just use my car.

 

[benski]

Global Entry and TSA Pre Check make a big difference. I also fly first class quite often.

But let’s face it. Air travel has become more like bus travel.

I tried flying out of Newburgh. The security took 5 minuets for my flight to Dublin and no traffic. Parking wasn't bad either. Only thing was it was a transatlantic flight on a jet with no outlets, free food or minimal legroom.

 

[deadheadskier]

April I've done the plane, train, and bus thing sometimes all 3 on one trip.

I was lucky to have parents who traveled extensively and who brought me with them to share these experiences. I've been all over Europe and have been blessed to ski in the Alps many times. I spent 3 months in France living with a French family and spoke fluent French by the time I left. I've also been skiing at many places out west in CO, UT, WY, etc. I have also fished in the US and Canada extensively.

My personal wanderlust has been satisfied many times over. My impression of mass transit is that it is way less comfortable and enjoyable than it was years ago. And due to our current geopolitical situation it has also become more dangerous to both take mass transit or visit foreign countries. Let's face it, Americans wear a bulls eye on our backs.

My preference for being personally in charge of my transport comes from that recent lack of trust and the fact that I have no burning desire to go anywhere that requires me to use mass transit. So I don't. In addition, I love driving. Like deadheadskier, I prefer a manual transmission (with a foot activated clutch, no paddle shifters for me). My dream is to own a new Z06 Corvette. Not far off from reality at this point.

We share a similar disdain for public transportation. There are several places I still wish to travel to with my family, but I'm never in a rush to get on a plane. Hate, hate, hate the flying experience. Don't mind the train, but I've done enough big city visiting and rarely desire to spend my time in them anymore. Smaller cities like Portland or Burlington are well enough for me to satisfy my occasional night life itch and such places usually don't have subways.

I'd also love a Corvette, but my preference would be the Grand Sport. A little more practical for every day driving where as the Z06 is more track focused. At least that's how I interpret the designs. Far off reality for me though. Maybe after I finish saving for two kids college funds.

Sent from my XT1635-01 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[sull1102]

I was going to take the time to find the foolish post by JimG about how Americans are so unsafe and traveling is dangerous now, but I realized something. Because of foolish thinking like this I'm able to go to Europe every 6 months and tour the continent, be skiing the Alps the day after walking through Brandenburg Gate all while admiring the amazing public transportation systems across the continent and spending less than going to in comparison craptastic Denver(love Denver and CO, but compared to the great cities of Europe and the World it gets maybe a C+). You say you spent significant time in Europe, but I can't understand how anyone who has been to Europe for literally any time at all can think "oh I'm an American and have a target on my back." Maybe if you're a loud, obnoxious, ignorant, rude typical American coming in at 300-400 pounds sure you will have a very well deserved target on your back. If you're just a normal person and try to adapt to the culture of wherever you are then guess what, NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU. People have lives man, they aren't looking around for Americans to hassle on the streets of Zurich or Paris. Do you think other nationalities "think oh boy I better not travel because I'll be a target for harrasment and terrorism by the baddies!"? Jesus, we Americans have such a sense of international self importance. Your government tells you this country is the best, this place is free, you are the best people, and then you say shit we're so good we're targets out there and it's so great here I'll just stay here. Then you never see the world, you never see other cultures, experience the world, never bring new ideas and concepts home with you to change your own culture or government. And don't say oh I did that back in the day I don't need that now. The world is changing every day and you need to see that with your own eyes. But hey thanks again for the cheapest transatlantic flights in decades!

Sent from my LG-H820 using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[abc]

Or just use my car.

Good luck driving to Japan or New Zealand. And for that matter, Chile.

 

[deadheadskier]

Then you never see the world, you never see other cultures, experience the world, never bring new ideas and concepts home with you to change your own culture or government. And don't say oh I did that back in the day I don't need that now. The world is changing every day and you need to see that with your own eyes.

Life interests change. Also, for some folks this simply is not a priority. They're content with their culture. Don't care about changing their government. A couple of hour drive to a special fishing hole or a favorite ski area provides more enjoyment for someone like Jim than what you choose to do with international travel. Too each their own.

 

[sull1102]

Thats fine, you do as you please of course! However, that also means the person has ZERO clue what it is like out in the rest of the world and has no right to speak out the behind about how it is "not safe" That is fear mongering garbage no different from saying I need a gun so I can be the good guy when the bad guy comes with a gun. Also cannot speak on mass transit seeing as there is no experience to speak of. Oh you rode on something 30 years ago, BUT your "impression" is that it is now uncomfortable. How would you know? Have you been on the subways of Europe, ridden their busses, light rail, commuter rail, and or regional rail in this millennium? this decade? These things matter and when people just run their mouths about how dangerous everything is and that this where people are safe while there are more guns on the streets than people and a school gets shot up once a month. But we keep on just trucking along because this is america and we are #1!

 

[ss20]

The moral of the story is...

Either take your car and gun and get busted in Woodstock for speeding...or you can take the heavily-subsidized train or autonomous car gun-free because guns are dangerous.

 

[BenedictGomez]

There are way less households with guns today in the US vs 40 years ago.

Not really.

What there is, are way fewer people who are going to affirmatively answer the question, "do you have guns in your home", when blindly called by a stranger representing a polling agency, for reasons that in 2018 should be abundantly obvious to you.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I tried flying out of Newburgh. The security took 5 minuets for my flight to Dublin and no traffic. Parking wasn't bad either. Only thing was it was a transatlantic flight on a jet with no outlets, free food or minimal legroom.

I've never flown out of there, but IME small airports are an absolute pleasure. Flying out of Burlington was easy when I lived in Vermont, and now I eschew Newark & Philadelphia for Allentown even if the ticket costs $25 or $40 more. Another example is that Sanford is a much better option than flying into Orlando.

 

[Jully]

I've never flown out of there, but IME small airports are an absolute pleasure. Flying out of Burlington was easy when I lived in Vermont, and now I eschew Newark & Philadelphia for Allentown even if the ticket costs $25 or $40 more. Another example is that Sanford is a much better option than flying into Orlando.

+1. I like flying into SLC more than Denver for this reason too.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I was going to take the time to find the foolish post by JimG

A classmate of mine's father is currently being held hostage in a foreign nation.

Extraordinarily rare? Yes. Clearly. But to act like this never happens is at least as "foolish" as however foolish you believe Jim's opinion is.

For my money, there are certainly places I wouldn't go. And THIS time, it's definitely "fear" that's the reason. Or perhaps more accurately, an abundance of caution.

 

[cdskier]

A classmate of mine's father is currently being held hostage in a foreign nation.

Extraordinarily rare? Yes. Clearly. But to act like this never happens is at least as "foolish" as however foolish you believe Jim's opinion is.

For my money, there are certainly places I wouldn't go. And THIS time, it's definitely "fear" that's the reason. Or perhaps more accurately, an abundance of caution.

Maybe sull has never seen the Taken movies. While they may be fiction, things like that really do happen. I wouldn't necessarily say "Americans" themselves are specifically targets, but tourists in general often can be. I agree that pretending these things don't happen is foolish.

 

[Domeskier]

Extraordinarily rare? Yes. Clearly. But to act like this never happens is at least as "foolish" as however foolish you believe Jim's opinion is.

Ignoring miniscule risks is not foolish. Spending your life in a concrete bunker because there is a non-zero chance of being hit by an asteroid or space debris is. Rational people weigh risks accurately and take appropriate precautions. Irrational people magnify risks like being taken hostage on a trip to London and ignore much more mundane but significantly higher risks like driving 80 mph to the airport to shave a few minutes off an eight hour trip.