In Europe I'd take that bet. In America, I'd rather be stuck waiting 3+ hours for public transport than walk along unprotected highways where I could just be knocked down for existing
post
Multiple times I've seen NIMBYs vote down light rails and other public transit options. They'll talk about taxes and traffic, but it always boils down to them not wanting "undesirables" having access to their amenities.
I get the point, but I'd still rather a 3.5 hour train ride with transfers than a 3.5 hour walk.
Funny thing is I'm the opposite, so long as it's OKish weather. I prefer the reliability and flexibilty (and exercise).
bike: 51 min
Car: 25 min
- time spent looking for parking, and time spent walking from the car to the actual destination
That's the broken part in a lot of the areas of the US, there is so much parking that you will always find a spot easily and everyone no matter which mode of transit needs to spend time to cross the giant parking lot because that's what is between the road and the store for example.
I'm lucky I don't live there and only whitnessed the hostility of the infrastructure towards everyone not in a car when I was visiting on holiday.
Also include horrific externalized costs from cars.
Not an issue if you avoid downtown.
It depends where you live. I'm in Europe, and in my case driving to a park (im suburbs, not downtown) with my son was 10min, and cycling was twice as long but with a bike we could go directly to the playground, which was 15 min walk from the park entrance (including taking out the stroller etc) . So, while google maps showed me 10 vs 20 min, i learned it's faster to actually just cycle there.

Could be worse.
Yep for the added cost of just one more minute I would totally opt for the more exercise healthier option. But three and a half hours is a heckuva a long time for either option.
something something freedom i think. its your choice... umm... have it your way--no wait thats burger king...
whatever- takes bus and arrives in 20 mins
Jesus Christ I'm in the US and it isn't like that here. Where is that? That's ridiculous.
Thats how it is for me since you have to take multiple buses or the train then bus from home to work. I had planned on taking the train like I used to but since work moved a bit, the tracks sort of start to drift away from the location of my job, so Id have to then take some buses. the worst part is the earliest train is about an hour after I like to be at work, and the last train home would mean I wouldnt be able to work a full 8 hour shift before Id have to leave to catch the bus to get to the station
It's still so unacceptably bad in most places that this circumstance isn't unbelievable
Yeah, but what that doesn't tell you is that if you actually walk that, you won't be alive at the end of the day anymore and with transit you have at least a standing chance, if you try hard.
all 34 comments