Nobody’s laying tracks all over the place to actually make cars obsolete - that would be an insane waste of space, resources and time.
On the contrary, I’d argue that the car-centric infrastructure we have is a massive waste of space… that was a massive decades-long project costing hundreds of billions in today’s money.
Complete privatization of the freight rail industry was a disaster in the UK, US and Canada (and passenger rail for some time in the former case). However long it takes for us all to figure that out is at least how long it will be until we get more usable intercity rail services. Bus service is also getting screwed by increased privitization as your example rightly points out.
Motorways are convenient sometimes but most times are just places to be miserable. The cultural shift and investment so that access to good transit and bike infrastructure isn’t just limited to big cities, needs to happen within our lifetimes.
I think current tech just doesn’t permit trains to be a viable car replacement - they cannot make turns. There’s DLR in London that has a few insane curves, but that ability costs it greatly in terms of top speed. As such it’s only viable in very population dense areas.
Which also leads to a common problem when building public infra - some people just won’t let go of their home, no matter what. Current laws (in a few countries I keep an eye on, at least) do not enable forced buyouts, and I don’t really have a straightforward answer. Part of me says such projects should have the ability for it, but then I’m not sure I’d agree if I myself were in such a position.
There’s also a less tangible benefit of a car that I’m subconciously avoiding to mention because I don’t know how to fully express myself appropriately - freedom. It’s freedom to go anywhere, which could be almost fully be covered by perfect public transit; but it’s also freedom from big orgs such as governments and corporations. It is possible to go across the whole Europe on a couple of tanks of an average car and 4-5 tanks if it’s something thirstier. That little fuel can be easily stocked up by an individual. If rail gets shut down - you’re stuffed. No policy can stop me from moving in a car.
The context of this is russia invading Ukraine and movement restrictions put in place during covid. While I don’t argue too much about covid - something had to be done; implementation and enforcement in some countries outright sucked, though - russia is an actual threat that would affect my family if it invaded further west. And if that happened - nothing beats a car in that case. Rail gets shut, roads and borders closed.
Which also leads to a common problem when building public infra - some people just won’t let go of their home, no matter what.
A lot of the car infrastructure we have, at least in the US, was from taking people’s homes. Often black people. So there’s precedent.
Also there’s a part pointed out in The Power Broker about how one of the highways Robert Moses built takes a really inefficient path to avoid a rich person’s house. This has collectively cost commuters millions of minutes since it was built. (I think it’s like an extra 30 minutes to go around the estate, for each driver, for decades)
I don’t know how to fully express myself appropriately - freedom. It’s freedom to go anywhere,
A car feels like the opposite of freedom to me. It’s a ball and chain. Everywhere i go I have to park it. I have to fuel it. Insure it. Take it for maintainence. If I’m drinking I can’t even use it safely. It’s a constant burden.
Now I just get on the train. Read a little or play a game on my phone. Show up at the place. Have a good time. Then back on the train. No parking. No fuel. No traffic stress. Freedom.
Thanks for replying to my post in earnest.
On the contrary, I’d argue that the car-centric infrastructure we have is a massive waste of space… that was a massive decades-long project costing hundreds of billions in today’s money.
Complete privatization of the freight rail industry was a disaster in the UK, US and Canada (and passenger rail for some time in the former case). However long it takes for us all to figure that out is at least how long it will be until we get more usable intercity rail services. Bus service is also getting screwed by increased privitization as your example rightly points out.
Motorways are convenient sometimes but most times are just places to be miserable. The cultural shift and investment so that access to good transit and bike infrastructure isn’t just limited to big cities, needs to happen within our lifetimes.
Agree with everything you’re saying.
I think current tech just doesn’t permit trains to be a viable car replacement - they cannot make turns. There’s DLR in London that has a few insane curves, but that ability costs it greatly in terms of top speed. As such it’s only viable in very population dense areas.
Which also leads to a common problem when building public infra - some people just won’t let go of their home, no matter what. Current laws (in a few countries I keep an eye on, at least) do not enable forced buyouts, and I don’t really have a straightforward answer. Part of me says such projects should have the ability for it, but then I’m not sure I’d agree if I myself were in such a position.
There’s also a less tangible benefit of a car that I’m subconciously avoiding to mention because I don’t know how to fully express myself appropriately - freedom. It’s freedom to go anywhere, which could be almost fully be covered by perfect public transit; but it’s also freedom from big orgs such as governments and corporations. It is possible to go across the whole Europe on a couple of tanks of an average car and 4-5 tanks if it’s something thirstier. That little fuel can be easily stocked up by an individual. If rail gets shut down - you’re stuffed. No policy can stop me from moving in a car.
The context of this is russia invading Ukraine and movement restrictions put in place during covid. While I don’t argue too much about covid - something had to be done; implementation and enforcement in some countries outright sucked, though - russia is an actual threat that would affect my family if it invaded further west. And if that happened - nothing beats a car in that case. Rail gets shut, roads and borders closed.
I’m probably expanding a bit too much.
A lot of the car infrastructure we have, at least in the US, was from taking people’s homes. Often black people. So there’s precedent.
Also there’s a part pointed out in The Power Broker about how one of the highways Robert Moses built takes a really inefficient path to avoid a rich person’s house. This has collectively cost commuters millions of minutes since it was built. (I think it’s like an extra 30 minutes to go around the estate, for each driver, for decades)
A car feels like the opposite of freedom to me. It’s a ball and chain. Everywhere i go I have to park it. I have to fuel it. Insure it. Take it for maintainence. If I’m drinking I can’t even use it safely. It’s a constant burden.
Now I just get on the train. Read a little or play a game on my phone. Show up at the place. Have a good time. Then back on the train. No parking. No fuel. No traffic stress. Freedom.
Road blockades? Toll roads? Traffic?