[ale] [OT] cartoon on BP spill blame

[Jeremy T. Bouse]

On 06/18/2010 02:38 PM, Dylan Northrup wrote:
> On Fri, Jun 18, 2010 at 1:10 PM, Lightner, Jeff <jlightner at water.com
> <mailto:jlightner at water.com>> wrote:
> 
>     One problem with trying to be responsible is that smaller cars only fit
>     smaller people.   Being 6'3" and ...umm... full figured I find few
>     "cars" that actually fit me.   Despite that I've shopped around and
>     found cars that do and resisted the urge to simply get a pickup or SUV
>     even though I know many of of them will.
> 
> 
> I'm 6'2", 270.  I got along just fine for many years in a Honda Civic
> Hatchback and get along now in a Honda Accord.  It *is* roomier when I
> drive the family mini-van, but for commuting between Marietta and
> Duluth, my primary choice is the car since it gets better mileage.
>  
> 
>     If "public transportation" actually went from point to point AND was
>     policed so that thugs and lunatics didn't make it unbearable more people
>     would probably prefer to use it.   Having had to use it back when I was
>     young and poor and had cheap auto insurance taught me that it is fairly
>     worthless and only masochists would willingly subject themselves to its
>     use if they could afford any other method.
> 
> 
> Too many folks in the Atlanta metropolitan area don't want mass transit
> because it would allow "the wrong element" to more easily make it out to
> the suburbs.  I'm not a masochist, but I'd use MARTA rail if it could
> get me from Marietta to Duluth and back in under 2 hours one way. 
> Sadly, the northern burbs would rather run their own transit systems
> instead of pooling resources and extend coverage to the places that need
> it.  "Can't have those thugs and lunatics able to ride out near my house
> and steal my stuff". . . . because stealing your stuff using mass
> transit is so efficient.
> 
> But instead the county and state governments decry the increased traffic
> while spending more and more money on road construction and maintenance
> while doing nothing to address the real problem: all the people in all
> the cars.  All because the folks in the 'burbs think the folks riding
> mass transit ITP are all "thugs and lunatics" and "we don't want 'the
> wrong element' coming out where we live".
> 
> If only the cities with good mass transit weren't also the cities where
> the winters are cold and bitter.  C'est la vie.
> 

	Well then just color me the masochist... I actually live out in
Paulding County in Dallas and work in Buckhead. I take public transit
daily Mon-Fri to get to work. 10 mile drive from house to park-n-ride
lot for GRTA Xpress, bus down to 5 Points and then take MARTA up to
Buckhead or Lenox station where I then either walk, catch BUC shuttle or
a MARTA bus. I used public transit back in San Francisco Bay Area for 5
years as well. I have no problem with it so long as it's working
properly and on-time, though delays and problems occur. For me it's much
better than having to be in traffic with stupid drivers that piss me off.