Comments on: Denver’s Bike to Work Prizes Send a Mixed Eco-Message

By: Miranda

Miranda — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

As someone who bought a hybrid but ultimately ended up switching to transit I completely concur with your final comment regarding existing systems. Go Oberstar and DeFazio! I’ll be writing them today to express my support and give comments.

By: Christopher Mims

Christopher Mims — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

As someone who loves the NYC subway system with a fury like that of a thousand suns, I couldn’t agree more.

There are other benefits that go well beyond the carbon impact, tho: an increased sense of community (when was the last time you ran into a friend on the highway?), the ability to use my commute how *I* want (e.g. reading), reduced stress (no traffic jams! no car accidents), and the sheer convenience (no parking issues!) make me wonder how I ever did it any other way.

Mass transit has the ability to improve quality of life in a way few other things can.

By: satb

satb — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Not affordable. Unless it is made affordable, we cannot use public transportation. To go by public transportation even by bus, it costs $10 to and fro. Driving costs about $2. I really want to contribute and use public transport, but I don’t earn so much that I can afford to use it.

By: Nik

Nik — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Yeah, the auto companies crushed our public transportation system when other countries were developing their’s further. I live in Cleveland and there are three lines in our whole transit system, the majority of it is on buses.

Plus, when America moved to suburbs in the 1950’s, it killed the public transit. The nearest bus stop to my house is around 6 or 7 minutes by car.

By: malay

malay — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Look at our government here in Malaysia, building so many roads but most of it is not accessible by buses/trains. Certain bus routes has to make a few rounds only reached the desire destination. Taking from point A to point B sometimes need 2-3 hours to travel which is not efficient at all. New buses which is few years old is tearing off. Providing first class service with 3rd class maintenance. And they are willing to send a man to the moon and buy jet fighters instead of spending it more to the community.

By: new-age-reject

new-age-reject — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

In England to get into town and back, which is about a 30 min walk each way, costs about Â£1 ($2 aprox) and to drive into town, considering the traffic, it probably costs about Â£2-Â£5 so over here public transport is a better option.

By: Fred Camino

Fred Camino — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

To and Fro? Please cite specifics when you are trying to describe how much something costs versus something else. To get from To to Fro via transit costs $10 and in a car it costs $2. Please share your source for such a statement… then we can have a reasonable discussion about costs.

By: LSK

LSK — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

The local government isn’t subsidizing the CTA enough and they’re raising fares to nearly $3. As a student, I still get by on only $.85 a ride, but totally free public transportation would truly improve quality-of-life here.

At the very least, they could clean up a train every now and then…

By: Shaze

Shaze — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

It needs to appear free; we should Socialize the fares into taxes and then the whole thing would a good idea.

Don’t feed Capitolism. We can think of much better uses for people’s time than making money.

By: James wells

James wells — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Great post!

By: John

John — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

Make public transit worthwhile. If they got rid of the single fare and made the smallest fare a 1-day unlimited pass, people would ride like crazy, especially if they offered weekly and monthly passes at a discount. In Pittsburgh, with unlimited fares, I rode all the time. But in Atlanta, I bike most of the time, so I have to really consider whether it’s worth it to spend $1.75 each way. Atlanta has monthly passes, but they’re not useful for a daily commuter. They need something where you buy a few 1-day unlimited passes at a time. On those days where you want to use quite a bit of public transit, it reduces the sticker shock.

A nearly empty bus costs almost as much to run as a full bus. Ridership is key.

By: LifeWrecked

LifeWrecked — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

How on Earth do buy, insure, maintain, and even *start* a car for $2 a trip to *anywhere*??? If you are doing that, *pleeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaazzzze” tell me how, because I just found my ticket to becomeing a millionaire! LOL!

By: Bryon

Bryon — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I currenlty live in the suburbs outside Boston and take the train to Boston daily. While the train ride is 7.25 each way totaling 14.50 just for the train. But I have to drive 15 minutes to the train station, which charges me $2 a day so in order for the privilege to work I have to shell out $16.50 a day.

So the point, the MTA needs to clean up their act and stop raping their customers because of their inability to efficiently run the organization. Their waste is costing the good people of mass untold sums. Any mass transit system should be so cheep that no one has to thing twice about where they have to go.

For example do I want to eat today, or go on this job interview??? There would be countless benefits to a society as a whole with a expanded very cheep Mass Transit system. Yes it would have to be paid for with taxes, taxes mainly of the rich.

By: Shep

Shep — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

the minute i read the title, i knew it was more of the same old global warming bullshit

By: rob

rob — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

PRT could make transit more efficient in terms of both energy usage and passenger time. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_rapid_transit

By: ProGosu

ProGosu — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

So everyone,
In Tokyo 6$ us dollars.
Everywhere u want all day on most mass transit
Anywhere in a city of 10 million people in less 40 min.
Most closer

By: jb

jb — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

I think SATB is right about the $10 assessment, if not he is close (I have studied this topic as I’m a city planner). However, if everyone road buses they would be more full, thus reducing the cost, also extremely expensive streets could be more narrow. Many studies have been done on the true price of gas (includes: roads, parking, pollution, health costs, middle east presence over the last 40 years, etc.) and the price of gas would have to be between $8-$14 to pay for these externalities. And thats not even considering how thickening gases are screwing up the planet. For those doubters, consider this, ice that is 20,000 years old is melting. Thats 20,000 year old ice (carbon dated). Is it just a coincidence that scientists happened to predict global warming (as far back as the 60’s) precisely when we are seeing such abnormal heat???? Not a chance. Even if it is just a normal warming trend, the odds of it are so small that believing otherwise is foolish.

By: Shep

Shep — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

still the same old bullshit. yes, the world is heating up. it’s nothing to do with man’s presence on this planet. ooooh noes, save the trees, cut down on your carbon. propaganda bullshit.

By: jb

jb — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

shep, do you do anything about astronomy? for example, why venus has ground temps of 800 degrees when nasa scientists once thought the poles may be cool enough for habitation? it’s because it’s atmosphere is so full of carbon emissions. the more gases there are in the atmosphere the hotter the temperatures consistently will be. do some research. did you ever consider that the few powerful people who believe we are in a cycle have financial interests in doing so. exxon literally paying people off and the rush’s of the right wing using their tough persona’s for ratings.

By: Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor — Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000

80,000 hours lifespan. I am betting 100 years will be quite normal for a home environment. FOREVER (effectively) for little used lights in closets etc..

Less Pollution – Lower Cost – Less Material waste and Pollution. Its a Win Win Win except to bulb manufacturers who love selling you a dozen bulbs a year off course.

This also EMPOWERS citizens since we will be collectively wealthier IE more money in our pockets to spend on OTHER things.

Solution #2

Electric Cars. We had a viable workable affordable electric car over a decade ago. They killed it on purpose.

All we need is a sub $20,000 4 door family sedan with a minimum 150 mile worst case range.

There is NO WAY in which an Electric car can not be better than a gas car.

Longer lasting. Lower maintenance, lower cost, Faster top speeds faster acceleration better safety.

Cheaper Cheaper Cheaper and oh cleaner too.

ALL the same reasons an LED bulb will save us is why an ECar will save us.

EVEN if all our power plants were coal powered (only HALF are) we would immediately lower pollution to 1/6th what it is now. It takes 6 times less E than the equivalent amount of gasoline to move a car and this does not account for Regen and NO USAGE of power while stopped or coasting.

If the EV1 had not been killed 10 years ago we would HAVE 1000 mile range cheap EV’s today. (its all about R&D dollars and with EV’s SELLING the R&D dollars would have FLOWED)

BUT what makes an EV so good is WHY they want it dead so badly.

Hydrogen is for morons. Literally. Your taking ELECTRICITY to make hydrogen to transport it around and then use that hydrogen JUST to make E again?

YOU DO realize that a Hydrogen car is an ELECTRIC CAR with a hydrogen driven battery right?

3rd grade science folks. SKIP the hydrogen and JUST USE THE ELECTRICITY. (but then they can not SELL you expensive fuel from a pump ehh