> We shot ourselves in the foot because mass transportation in America has failed to impress us as much as a Jaguar XK or Jeep KJ, or whatever your Soul Car is.
As much as I'd like to agree with this, the fundamental problem is that most people in the US do not work at a single point in the city anymore.
That's the real problem. You don't get to connect existing enclaves. You have to build your mass transit, fund it at a loss for decades, make sure it doesn't get overrun with crime, and maybe after 10-20 years there will be enough housing and office space along the line in order to make it viable. Maybe.
Or you can throw down a couple more roads and let people figure out where to live, themselves.
But like. We can certainly innovate more flexible routing systems of transport that don’t require specific neural training and licensing to use foot pedals to stop it crashing.
(Maybe I could have reserved some of those neurons to be better at drumming!)
What stops us from using modular mass transit systems? Lots of things. But when mountains stopped trains, we exploded the mountains. Built huge bridges over ravines.
Because of the period between 1850 and 1970, I don’t buy the excuses. Unless it’s just “we’re still not there yet.”
As much as I'd like to agree with this, the fundamental problem is that most people in the US do not work at a single point in the city anymore.
That's the real problem. You don't get to connect existing enclaves. You have to build your mass transit, fund it at a loss for decades, make sure it doesn't get overrun with crime, and maybe after 10-20 years there will be enough housing and office space along the line in order to make it viable. Maybe.
Or you can throw down a couple more roads and let people figure out where to live, themselves.