Lost interest in cars

[zerocool84]

Public transportation in SoCal??? Good luck

 

[arrfep]

1) Buy fast car
2) Find track
3) ...
4) Life is good again!?

Exactly. What you don't realize is that you've secretly found a reason to really love cars. Once you separate from the idea of car as a utility, it can become simply for pleasure. I love good drives, but most of the time I spend in the car is commuting, which kills all the fun. Same being on the motorcycle.

 

[videogames101]

Just came back from vacation and experienced the rail system. I lost interest in cars and the value of owning one. Can't get myself to get motivated to get in the car and drive. The train, I get in and out, catch the tram every 15 minutes plus free exercise.

Some people own them for something other than practical value.

 

[7window]

please post a list of the cars you own/have owned

I bet regardless of experiencing the rail system, your cars, in themselves would make most people lose interest in cars.

69 fbird 400

64 1/2 mustang

92 240sx

94 honda accord

2000 camry

2010 corolla

2006 mustang vert 5 sp

last 3 current

 

[7window]

Most of the people in Europe who ride the train live in big cities and can't afford a car. Believe me, the rich people aren't riding no train. Nothing wrong with riding public transportation and if I had a train stop in front of my house and in front of work I would consider the train but there is no way I would lose interest in Porsche/BMW/Mercedes/Ferrari. At least reading about them

I have seen rich people ride train. I can't understand why people are bothered by a homelessman riding a bus.

 

[Xyclone]

I've lived in SoCal all my life, and having a car is definitely seen as a "necessity" here. Being car less for a year after having had a car for 5 years, I agree.

However, a couple of my car-having friends have pulled off using public transportation as much as they can. The trick is to ride a bicycle (to the bus/subway stop). It seems like they get more miles in with bicycles than they do with public transportation. They always have to revert to driving, though, for certain situations, like driving late at night.

And forget trying to spit game at the honeys without a car. "Oh yeah, girl, my ride? It's that orange Metro bus right there. Always doing it big, know what I mean?"

 

[Doppel]

i would rather die than take public transportation every day.

I can understand this view point, having taken it enough years ago to still remember how terrible it is being with other people in the confines of a metal square like a bus. Also the "class" of individuals taking public transport, at least in cities that are otherwise highly travel-able by car, leaves much to be desired. Yep, I'm talking about bums and people who talk to themselves. This was before cell phones. I bet it's much, much worse today.

I can't understand why people are bothered by a homelessman riding a bus.

For one they aren't using Suave with tropical coconut in their hair every morning are they?

 

[GTaudiophile]

Sounds like someone went to Germany...

 

[hanoverphist]

I have seen rich people ride train. I can't understand why people are bothered by a homelessman riding a bus.

if the homeless man can keep from slobbering on me, dancing around the crowded car and stinking like a trash can, i have no qualms with him on the train.


however, i do like public transpo for a lot of things. unfortunately, i cant carry all the tools i need in any given day easily, so that leaves buses out. the light rail here is nice, and very convenient. if you live near it. as it is, i would have to take a bus for 9 or so miles to get to the nearest station, then hope where im going is somewhere near the line as well. kids and i do ride it for fun on occasion tho.

 

[KIAman]

Public transportation can't

1. Take me wherever I want to go
2. Take me wherever at the times I want to go
3. Allow me to take home groceries for the entire family (much more than 5 bags).
4. Easily allow me to take my 2 toddlers
5. Provide my exact temperature needs
6. Provide my exact music needs
7. Allow easy quiet conversations
8. Provide occasional sex in the back seat
9. Provide random pit stops for no reason
10. Haul kids to school
11. Haul kids to activities
12. Hold all swim gear for lake excusion
13. Run over rattle snakes basking on the road
14. Provide me shelter when camping and it rains

The list goes on and on and on.

OP, it sounds like you miss Europe.

 

[kornphlake]

In the late 90's I was traveling a lot in Mexico, exclusively on buses. I'd never ridden on a commercial bus before but was very surprised by the comfort of the buses I rode in Mexico, they were immaculately clean, the bus station was run like an air port and they showed movies during the trip, often spoken in English with Spanish subtitles. I thought to myself I'd never need to board an airplane again. I decided to book a trip on a greyhound in the early 2000s and found myself on a dirty bus, full of people who looked like they'd just gotten released from prison, with bus stations in bad areas of bad cities, and they laughed at me when I asked what movies would be playing, it was a polar opposite of the experience I had in Mexico.

Comparing infrastructure in the US to the infrastructure in foreign countries is like comparing apples and oranges. Did you happen to notice the population density in the area you were traveling? I'll bet it was 10x higher than the suburbs in SoCal, and probably 2-3x more dense than the most dense areas in LA.

 

[7window]

Public transportation can't

1. Take me wherever I want to go
2. Take me wherever at the times I want to go
3. Allow me to take home groceries for the entire family (much more than 5 bags).
4. Easily allow me to take my 2 toddlers
5. Provide my exact temperature needs
6. Provide my exact music needs
7. Allow easy quiet conversations
8. Provide occasional sex in the back seat
9. Provide random pit stops for no reason
10. Haul kids to school
11. Haul kids to activities
12. Hold all swim gear for lake excusion
13. Run over rattle snakes basking on the road
14. Provide me shelter when camping and it rains

The list goes on and on and on.

OP, it sounds like you miss Europe.

you can do all of the above except 8, 9 13.

Ride bike to the train station and board the train. I can go up the street in a tram every 10 minutes. I could do this 10x as oppose to taking the car that is a block away.

There are so many rich people that ride the train, the only problem is if someone recognize them they are afraid to be harass.

I saw 50 and above riding a bike uphill without a struggle with a toddler in tow.

The rail system in europe is very efficient.

 

[7window]

In the late 90's I was traveling a lot in Mexico, exclusively on buses. I'd never ridden on a commercial bus before but was very surprised by the comfort of the buses I rode in Mexico, they were immaculately clean, the bus station was run like an air port and they showed movies during the trip, often spoken in English with Spanish subtitles. I thought to myself I'd never need to board an airplane again. I decided to book a trip on a greyhound in the early 2000s and found myself on a dirty bus, full of people who looked like they'd just gotten released from prison, with bus stations in bad areas of bad cities, and they laughed at me when I asked what movies would be playing, it was a polar opposite of the experience I had in Mexico.

Comparing infrastructure in the US to the infrastructure in foreign countries is like comparing apples and oranges. Did you happen to notice the population density in the area you were traveling? I'll bet it was 10x higher than the suburbs in SoCal, and probably 2-3x more dense than the most dense areas in LA.

as long as they dont harm you its all good. I rode a public transportation in asia and the people are poor but they never bothered me.

 

[CraigRT]

I can't take public transpo either. I have a rural commute and at off-normal times.
Having my own car is the only option if I want to keep my job.

 

[Necrolezbeast]

There are quite a few foreigners near me that think they are too good to get on the bus with the locals... so they pay a specific driver about 10x more than a regular taxi would take. It disgusts me that some people can think so highly of themselves, especially while being the guest in the foreign country... but anyway, population density in Europe and Asia is much greater than most places in America and this makes public transportation extremely convenient and efficient. I love riding the bus or my bike everywhere I go, it's a lot of fun and you see a lot of interesting and fun things!

 

[Sulaco]

If cars are purely appliance transportation devices to you, then I can see this view point. Nothing wrong with it, bearing in mind the public transportation in your area is worth anything (which is certainly not universal).

OTOH, plenty of people actually get enjoyment from their cars, not just as a means to get them somewhere. Sure they serve a very practical purpose as well, but they are more than just dishwashers or microwaves to a large group of people.

 

[7window]

If cars are purely appliance transportation devices to you, then I can see this view point. Nothing wrong with it, bearing in mind the public transportation in your area is worth anything (which is certainly not universal).

OTOH, plenty of people actually get enjoyment from their cars, not just as a means to get them somewhere. Sure they serve a very practical purpose as well, but they are more than just dishwashers or micWorowaves to a large group of people.

Worry is priceless

 

[PingSpike]

I don't really want trains as much as I want my car to drive itself to work and back. Now that would be awesome. Driving is a pain in the ass.

Anyway, I live in the woods so the likelihood of passenger train service ever coming here is effectively zero. Bus service is barely above that.

In the US at least, you own at least one car because you have too. And since the public transportation is so fucking bad you might as well drive it all the time because you're paying most of the cost whether you use it or not. That's not even getting to the "you won't get any ass on a bike" factor.

 

[Zivic]

69 fbird 400

64 1/2 mustang

92 240sx

94 honda accord

2000 camry

2010 corolla

2006 mustang vert 5 sp

last 3 current

I think the one two punch of the camry and corolla did more damage than your public transit experience