Egalitarian

I used a big word in the post below and thought some explanation might be in order. Automobiles are in fact the most egalitarian, read that equal, or level, form of transportation ever invented. They are relatively low cost (or high cost, if you want fine Corinthian Leather,) they go exactly where you want to go exactly when you want to go, and at what pace you want to go. You make the choices, not a traffic planner in Washington, DC.

The numbers show that they cost less per passenger mile to run than airplanes or long range trains, and the people who use them pay for their use, not the rest of us through government subsidies to all types of rail transportation.

I agree that central cities have traffic problems, but that is typically caused by government subsidy of on street parking. If the government kept its nose out of the parking business, people would make economic decisions as to whether or not they wanted to drive or take alternate forms of transportation.

Consider this: If it cost $75 a day to park your car on week days in downtown, many people would band together and share vehicles to get to work to share the costs of parking. If two or three people decided to ride share to save $50 each a day each in parking costs, there would be no traffic, no rush hours, and all would be right with the world.

People will make these decisions on their own. Everyone is treated the same, and those who can afford to drive by themselves will, and those who can't or don't wish to won't. Seems fair to me.

Mass transit is the least egalitarian form of travel – it goes when others want it to go, goes where others want it to go, and you are forced to mix and mingle with a thousand strangers you don't want to meet. Ever miss the last train? Now what? Long live the private automobile.

Hey, if you want to ride the train, more power to you. But I don't see why I should pay for your trip.

JVH

Comments

[rta]

You hit the nail on the head, car pooling is the cheapest most effective answer to congestion in our cities. It's also the simplest to implement and there are tax benefits for both employers and employees that participate in or facilitate car and van pool programs. It's a total win/win, so why isn't that the approach being taken by congress? Answer is simple, ever hear of a "carpool lobbyist"?