Sooo, the terrorists win?? - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MTI · #76 12-29-2009, 03:57 PM

By the time a high speed railway is developed and delivered, America's love affair with the horseless carriage may have had a chance to decline.

HuskyMan · #77 12-29-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTI

By the time a high speed railway is developed and delivered, America's love affair with the horseless carriage may have had a chance to decline.

maybe, but don't hold your breath. last time I was in a major (one million plus population) metropolitan city, people were still choking on each other's exhaust while stuck in traffic. cars, cars and more cars. road repairs, gas stations, car repairs, new car sales, there is an entire industry built up around America's love affair with the car.

aklim · #78 12-29-2009, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuskyMan

europeans are more willing to park the car and take the high speed rail than we are. a friend of mine recently traveled to Stuttgart on her way to Luxembourg. she was able to travel to her destination via rail, no cars were involved in the trip.

in contrast, people in the United States are MARRIED to their cars (in reality, the western equivalent of a horse). we'd rather choke on the other guy's exhaust and search for parking than give it up for high speed rail. go figure.

Been in a country with high speed rail and you cannot do the door to door thing.

Like Tiger Woods was "married" to the gold digger?

Seriously, the car is independence. Public transport is dependence. One gives you the freedom to go as you please with a price. The other demands your dependence but gives you convenience. That country had a nice way to do things. After midnight taxi faires were paid "overtime" and public transportation stopped. IOW, there is no official curfew but there is a curfew. Much like they will allow your boy to go buy a 6 pack but because the taxes are so high, it curtails what you can drink. Do I want to give up my independence to go when I want for that little bit of convenience? I wouldn't.

aklim · #79 12-29-2009, 04:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I can live wherever there is interesting work, don't really care about nations and their little spats.

The spats all have a direct and/or indirect impact on our lives.

pj67coll · #80 12-29-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I'm not afraid of terrorists, I'm just annoyed by the americans overreaction to them.

I can live wherever there is interesting work, don't really care about nations and their little spats.

Then why don't you? You should be easily capable of finding a nice little place with no spats.

- Peter

#81 12-29-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pj67coll

Then why don't you? You should be easily capable of finding a nice little place with no spats.

- Peter

At the moment, my work and familly are in america; when the opportunites are elsewhere, I'll go elsewhere; why would you care?

aklim · #82 12-29-2009, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmash

When we were in Berlin 3 years ago, we took a 1 hour train ride to visit some relatives out of town. We walked to the subway from our hotel. Took the subway to the main train station that just opened. Bought a train ticket at the kiosk. Went to the right platform. Waited 10 min for the train and hopped on when it got their. Found a seat, and enjoyed the ride. No muss, no fuss.

I know it would take a huge investment to get a system like that up and running here in the states, but we have to start some where. And if we do not start now, it will cost even more later on.

Last time I stayed in a hotel in the US, I got out of bed, went to the garage, drove my car to the destination and drove home. I didn't have to find a seat anywhere, I could be traveling with whom I want, etc, etc. No muss or fuss either.

So they said about everything including the health plan they are cooking up. What you forgot at the 2 critical words: IN THEORY. In practice, it becomes a huge slush fund for govt abuse and probably will cost more in the long run.

aklim · #83 12-29-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidmash

Planes do not leave when you want them too or go where you want them too. They leave on a specified schedule and go to a airport. Trains leave on a schedule and go to a train station some of which are at airports. Go figure. Take a train to the airport to take a plane somewhere else.... wow. Might be on to something there.

I was thinking about cars vs public transportation. Sorry if I was not clear.

aklim · #84 12-29-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuskyMan

maybe, but don't hold your breath. last time I was in a major (one million plus population) metropolitan city, people were still choking on each other's exhaust while stuck in traffic. cars, cars and more cars. road repairs, gas stations, car repairs, new car sales, there is an entire industry built up around America's love affair with the car.

What is it you propose that gives us as much independence as the car in the realm of public transportation?

Pavka007 · #85 12-29-2009, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

What is it you propose that gives us as much independence as the car in the realm of public transportation?

Are you so competent about everything in life? If you are I don't really see the point of you wasting your time and have to deal with such a bunch of lame people like us? There is not a single thread on this board that you do not trying to ENFORCE your view to all of us... did you ever think...even for a second that you perhaps can be wrong....occasionally?

I have never ever read a single posting from you supporting anything or anybody, it looks like we are all bunch of idiots and you are the master that is trying really hard to educate us. In several posts you are stipulating that you are proud of your way of thinking and your freedom....so please let us have the same....PLEASE.

aklim · #86 12-29-2009, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pavka007

Are you so competent about everything in life? If you are I don't really see the point of you wasting your time and have to deal with such a bunch of lame people like us? There is not a single thread on this board that you do not trying to ENFORCE your view to all of us... did you ever think...even for a second that you perhaps can be wrong....occasionally?

I have never ever read a single posting from you supporting anything or anybody, it looks like we are all bunch of idiots and you are the master that is trying really hard to educate us. In several posts you are stipulating that you are proud of your way of thinking and your freedom....so please let us have the same....PLEASE.

I asked one simple question and you bring in everything including the kitchen sink?

I supported Tiger Woods. Oh wait. That doesn't count since it isn't somebody YOU supported. What you seem to mean is that I don't support what YOU support.

Pavka007 · #87 12-29-2009, 05:54 PM

Aklim, I can't find a single posting of yours that you are NOT arguing..Forget Tiger Woods, I mean NOT A SINGLE one..here in this thread you are arguing with everybody.
Huskyman
Graig
PJ
Davidmash...
Everybody.....come on man get hold of your emotions and stop. I think that you are here just for arguing with other people, just trying to upset them.
This should be a civilized discussion not a bad argument.
Stop trying to convince everybody that you are always right and we are always wrong. WE KNOW that, just give us a little space.

HuskyMan · #88 12-29-2009, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

What is it you propose that gives us as much independence as the car in the realm of public transportation?

no form of transportation is perfect. perhaps you like sitting in bumper to bumper traffic while burning through $3.00 gallon gas like it was water. I don't like that idea. I do like the idea of boarding a 300 MPH high speed train and being whisked to my destination minus traffic jams, jerk drivers who tail gate me while honking their horn and giving me the finger. in reality, I'd miss all that like a hole in the head. and, I used to really love to drive a car. no more, today's jerk-off self-serving drivers have ruined the experience. driving today is an exercise in self-survival, there is little to no fun in it at all.

years back, I knew a pilot for Continental airlines who flew out of Dallas. I asked him what was it he really enjoyed about his job. he said what he really liked was looking down from the plane and seeing all of the Dallas whack drivers sitting in a traffic jam while he was flying the plane on up to 30,000 feet! I thought, yeah, that must be nice knowing the morons are on the ground while you are in the air BYPASSING the idiots.

MTI · #89 12-29-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

Last time I stayed in a hotel in the US, I got out of bed, went to the garage, drove my car to the destination and drove home. I didn't have to find a seat anywhere, I could be traveling with whom I want, etc, etc. No muss or fuss either.

Yes, there is no comparison . . . except when you truly look at the passenger costs per mile; factor the risks of serious injury or death; compare the actual costs for maintaining the necessary infrastructure for both. There is likely some muss, maybe some fuss.

HuskyMan · #90 12-29-2009, 09:36 PM

add up the cost of tires, oil, fuel, maintenance and insurance along with poorly maintained pot-hole filled roads that knock your front end out of alignment and I'll take the high speed rail over that any day.