Skier speed trap hell

[gregnye]

You are grossly mistaken. Car dependence will NEVER end in the USA. People need to get to work and mass transit will NEVER be able to accommodate all the workers and the locations where they work.




I lived in NYC for 15 years and I did try to figure out a train trip to Killington. It was an expensive nightmare that can take twice as long as a car trip.

I really hate this argument that "trains will never work in the U.S." because size, etc. I understand that there are many rural areas of the U.S., however most people do live in city areas. And recently we've seen a transition to cities like never before.

The truth is that the American population is becoming increasingly urban/concentrated in cities. The fact that many cities have inadequate transit infrastructure for this urbanization is ridiculous.

While obviously a train will never be possible for people who live in remote areas like the grand canyon, we can and should fund trains in areas where people live, like Springfield Metro Area in Mass for example.

On the topic of taking a train to Killington, I've seriously been considering moving to Salt Lake simply because I can take a bus to the ski area! And the snow's better too!

 

[Pez]

Springfield mass needs a lot of things a train is not one of them.

 

[tumbler]

I think the kids today have found freedom through their phones. We would first use our bikes to find friends then as soon as we could drive would use the car. Now they text, snapchat, play video games, etc and don't have to leave the house. That is their version of independence.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I really hate this argument that "trains will never work in the U.S." because size, etc. I understand that there are many rural areas of the U.S., however most people do live in city areas. And recently we've seen a transition to cities like never before.

And the prediction of futurists is that self-driving cars are going to lead to people fleeing the cities and moving to the suburbs and rural areas.

I've seriously been considering moving to Salt Lake simply because I can take a bus to the ski area!

You hate driving yourself so much that you'd move somewhere "simply" because you can take the bus places?

 

[cdskier]

I understand that there are many rural areas of the U.S., however most people do live in city areas. And recently we've seen a transition to cities like never before.

The truth is that the American population is becoming increasingly urban/concentrated in cities. The fact that many cities have inadequate transit infrastructure for this urbanization is ridiculous.

Do you have numbers to support this claim? It just seems counter-intuitive to everything I know personally. So many of my friends and family that were in cities have spread out and moved away from the big cities.

And if you're going off census data, you need to be very careful with how they define urban areas. For US Census data purposes, anyone that lives in a whopping 3500 square mile area around NYC is considered part of that urban area. I'd love to see someone try to cover an "urban" area that big with efficient mass transit. Not going to happen...

I for one cannot stand mass transit and have 0 interest in taking it if at all possible (and that's one reason you'll rarely see me in NYC even though I live less than 10 miles away from it).

 

[x10003q]

I really hate this argument that "trains will never work in the U.S." because size, etc. I understand that there are many rural areas of the U.S., however most people do live in city areas. And recently we've seen a transition to cities like never before.The truth is that the American population is becoming increasingly urban/concentrated in cities. The fact that many cities have inadequate transit infrastructure for this urbanization is ridiculous.

You may hate the argument, but it speaks the truth. There is zero money for rail and due to the way metro areas have developed, trains will never be able to serve commuters. While metro areas are increasing in population, millenials are starting to have kids and are leaving cities for suburbs due to schools and space. This is a common theme in the NYC metro area.

While obviously a train will never be possible for people who live in remote areas like the grand canyon, we can and should fund trains in areas where people live, like Springfield Metro Area in Mass for example.

There is not enough population or density or money in Springfield to justify rail, let alone the ridiculous idea of spreading rail around the Springfield Metro Area. It is probably hard to even justify vans/buses for Springfield metro.

I live in north NJ, one of the best rail served areas in the US, but, unless I am headed to NYC/Hoboken/Jersey City, rail is difficult to use. I had a job 6 miles from my home on a different rail line. By car my commute was around 12-15 minutes, by rail it would have been over 2 hours (including a 20 minute walk from the train station to the office) and the times did not correspond to my work schedule and family schedule. Every town in NJ has residential and commercial real estate, but that does not mean your job is in your town. People are commuting many different directions due to this mixing of residential and commercial. The only way to get to work is by car.

On the topic of taking a train to Killington, I've seriously been considering moving to Salt Lake simply because I can take a bus to the ski area! And the snow's better too!

That would be the smart move. I wish train travel worked for skiing, but it really is not possible in most cases.

 

[Domeskier]

When will automatic flying cars be a thing?

 

[BenedictGomez]

And if you're going off census data, you need to be very careful with how they define urban areas. For US Census data purposes, anyone that lives in a whopping 3500 square mile area around NYC is considered part of that urban area. I'd love to see someone try to cover an "urban" area that big with efficient mass transit. Not going to happen...

I'm surrounded by horse farms and state & county parks, yet I live in the "NYC metro area" for some odd reason.

I for one cannot stand mass transit and have 0 interest in taking it if at all possible (and that's one reason you'll rarely see me in NYC even though I live less than 10 miles away from it).

Especially the bus; the bus is a little slice of hell on earth.

The only time I ever took the bus is when I lived on the UWS and worked on the east side. Subway to midtown, then bus cross-town each day. I dont mind the subway so much at all, but the bus is like a form of punishment. I once took the bus to LGA too, since it's essentially "free" with an MTA card, a horrendous mistake. Ponied-up the ~$55 cab far each time after that.

 

[BenedictGomez]

There is not enough population or density or money in Springfield to justify rail, let alone the ridiculous idea of spreading rail around the Springfield Metro Area. It is probably hard to even justify vans/buses for Springfield metro.

Just pick the funds off of Bernie Sanders' magical money trees.

 

[cdskier]

Yeah, I'm surrounded by horse farms and state & county parks, yet I live in the "NYC metro area" for some odd reason.

About 75% of the "cities" within the Cenus designated "urban areas" have populations under 20,000. I'd consider those small towns, not "urban" areas. Some of the towns in certain urban areas have populations as low as 2500. We're REALLY stretching the definition of "urban" here. As far as I'm concerned, these statistics are pretty meaningless as a result.

And even if 80% of the US population is in a so-called "urban" area, that still means 65 Million people don't live in urban areas.

 

[Pez]

Amtrack goes right through springfield BTW

 

[Domeskier]

Especially the bus; the bus is a little slice of hell on earth.

+1 x 10[SUP]9[/SUP]

 

[Hawk]

As a college student, I feel like most people my age don't like driving. I know many people who don't have there license, and we are always carpooling, and often looking for ways to avoid driving. I think the big drunk driving and texting meanwhile driving campaigns combines with a desire to do both meanwhile in transit makes driving feel like a chore to my generation. I think this is also why millennial tend to put off moving to the suburbs.

I think that Millennials are basically too lazy to drive or move to the suburbs. They would rather use their sense of entitlement and have someone else drive for them. That way they can text and play video games. Driving requires some skill and it also requires an attention span that they do not have. Us Gen-Xers are the generation that will make sure things get done while you guys are busy liking your friends sushi post. LOL

I took the train for 15 years every day. Trains suck and I will never use them again. Dealing with the masses of idiotic people frustrated me to no end.

 

[Jully]

That would be the smart move. I wish train travel worked for skiing, but it really is not possible in most cases.

I'm curious why you think it doesn't work for skiing? While obviously it isn't ever going to be the ONLY way to go skiing, there's hundreds of bus trips out of Boston alone every weekend. Beyond the startup cost, which is very large, it seems like a more reliable method of bus transportation to resorts.

If a resort like Sunday River had a train to it (tracks that are used still run through Bethel), I would ski way more there and decrease the frequency I'm at other places because of the convenience of the train.

 

[Jully]

I think that Millennials are basically too lazy to drive or move to the suburbs. They would rather use their sense of entitlement and have someone else drive for them. That way they can text and play video games. Driving requires some skill and it also requires an attention span that they do not have. Us Gen-Xers are the generation that will make sure things get done while you guys are busy liking your friends sushi post. LOL

I took the train for 15 years every day. Trains suck and I will never use them again. Dealing with the masses of idiotic people frustrated me to no end.

HAHAHA.

Dealing with masses of idiotic people sounds like driving in rush hour traffic to me, except its idiots with 2000 lb weapons strapped around them rather than oversized purses and backpacks. Commuting around other people sucks, whatever your method.

 

[Glenn]

The college I went to allowed Freshman to have cars. The place emptied out on the weekends. Didn't stop us from having a good time. I never figured out why people wanted to rush home on the weekends. Plus, they were urinating away some of their housing budget since they weren't living in their room two days a week.

 

[Smellytele]

HAHAHA.

Dealing with masses of idiotic people sounds like driving in rush hour traffic to me, except its idiots with 2000 lb weapons strapped around them rather than oversized purses and backpacks. Commuting around other people sucks, whatever your method.

But you don't have to sit or stand next to some one who smells like a dead goat nor sit on and touch things that have been pissed on.

 

[Domeskier]

But you don't have to sit or stand next to some one who smells like a dead goat nor sit on and touch things that have been pissed on.

I can't remember the last time I sat down on the subway. Probably after my pants were already compromised by sitting on a bus. I regret the end of winter less because skiing is over and more because it's not longer socially acceptable to wear gloves on public transportation.

 

[KustyTheKlown]

I'm surrounded by horse farms and state & county parks, yet I live in the "NYC metro area" for some odd reason.



Especially the bus; the bus is a little slice of hell on earth.

The only time I ever took the bus is when I lived on the UWS and worked on the east side. Subway to midtown, then bus cross-town each day. I dont mind the subway so much at all, but the bus is like a form of punishment. I once took the bus to LGA too, since it's essentially "free" with an MTA card, a horrendous mistake. Ponied-up the ~$55 cab far each time after that.

I choose to take the bus to work over the subway. the bus stop is a 2 minute walk from my apt. the g train is 10. I spend more time on the bus but like being above ground, seeing the sights, having full service and use of my phone. I only take the G when I'm in a particular hurry since it gets me there about 10 min faster.

but I'm also living and working in Brooklyn. your mileage may vary in big evil manhattan.

 

[Jully]

But you don't have to sit or stand next to some one who smells like a dead goat nor sit on and touch things that have been pissed on.

Fair point.