Expectant Mother Parking and Bike Lane Construction

[Superman]

Well, we were talking about parking spaces and you moved to abortion. And I never miss a chance to try and piss somebody off. Didn't work I guess.

I don't favor criminalizing abortions either, but wish our society was sewn together in such a way they didn't happen.

[creaturecat]

LOTS of bike lanes, expectant mother parking, AND grandparent parking in Canuckistan. ALL paid for by the filthy socialist dollar.

[CamB]

Bike lanes could be justified in any number of ways (notice I put all "coulds").

They could be cheaper than roads. They could reduce congestion through (a) less cars and (b) cars not having to slow down for bikes. They could make is safer for bikes in very heavy traffic (when bikes are faster encouraging more use and less congestion) OR in very fast traffic (beside highways, again encouraging use)).

I see bike lanes a bit like buses and bus lanes. Most places I've ever been have subsidies on the buses to get keep the price down and encourage bus use to manage traffic and avoid building new roads. It's a long way from "user pays". Bike lanes/paths fall into that category.

Personally - as a bike rider - I hate bike paths (too narrow, tooo, ummmm, congested) but love bike lanes, except they are always full of crap (broken bottles etc). I'm just as happy with a wide shoulder.

[Superman]

Yeah, well you Canucks and DownUnder types are like those silly Europeans. It's just a inexplicable twist of luck that has you riding high on the standard of living scale, with all the society-based crap you guys invest in. Trains and busses and parks and with your tax rates and your misguided belief that people are more important than corporations, it's just a wonder that you're at the top of the heap in terms of health and living standards. Which of course don't mean anything when we're out-earning you over here in the good ol' get-what-you-can-pay-for United States of Amerika.

[id10t]

Bike lanes extend the life of the road because the edges of the road crumble away first... so the bike lane adds a few feet of crumble space. Not really important here in Fl, but my uncle up in Mn explained it to me.

[legion]

Originally posted by Superman
Legion, you're an idiot but you're smarter than most.

I'll take that as a compliment, as being a white male, I cannot be bestowed with the highest title of "victim".

You're trying to prove to us all, with one example, that public, collective financing is always better than private, pay per use financing. You fail to realize that we resort to the public method in cases where the private is not practical.

[Superman]

We don't disagree, Legion. You're caricaturizing. I'm not trying to prosetylize, I'm pointing to a couple of examples where a regulation or a cost probably should be suffered by the public. Sure, I think there are lots of things that the public would be best off to provide to itself. Water. Power. Roads.

Hey, I actually like aspects of our economic system here and notice that use of private investment money is a no-brainer and a huge blessing in some instances. And I think the public should direct where those private investment funds do their immense work and make their impressive progress. And I think mommies should get the best parking spots, and that bike paths should be built. Heck, I think bus and train services should be underwritten by the public. There's no money in it that private business would be interested in. Does that mean there should be none? Does it mean that busses are not cost-effctive? No it doesn't. Busses are probably terribly cost-effective, at least where they are a real, practical transportation option. Five miles of new freeway lane is enormously expensive.

Well, at any rate, no I was not trying to make the argument you assumed. Just pointing out that it's not a matter of whether we need gubmint. It's a matter of where you draw the lines, for the good of society.

[tobster1911]

Originally posted by Superman
Yeah, well you Canucks and DownUnder types are like those silly Europeans. It's just a inexplicable twist of luck that has you riding high on the standard of living scale, with all the society-based crap you guys invest in. Trains and busses and parks and with your tax rates and your misguided belief that people are more important than corporations, it's just a wonder that you're at the top of the heap in terms of health and living standards. Which of course don't mean anything when we're out-earning you over here in the good ol' get-what-you-can-pay-for United States of Amerika.

I do not buy into your love of the European lifestyle. If they like it fine, but to say it is SO much better is completely untrue. Everything is extremely expensive over there. It is almost impossible to purchase a house there. Almost everyone lives in a flat. All the buildings are cramped together. Vehicles are expensive to own/opperate. How many people over there have more than one or two vehicles per family?

I agree there are some things they do well, but your position that they have better living standards I do not buy. America has a lot of benefits to offer that other countries do not have. I guess that I appreciate these and others do not......

[CamB]

Originally posted by Superman
Yeah, well you Canucks and DownUnder types are like those silly Europeans. It's just a inexplicable twist of luck that has you riding high on the standard of living scale, with all the society-based crap you guys invest in. Trains and busses and parks and with your tax rates and your misguided belief that people are more important than corporations, it's just a wonder that you're at the top of the heap in terms of health and living standards. Which of course don't mean anything when we're out-earning you over here in the good ol' get-what-you-can-pay-for United States of Amerika.

Sorry Supe, but it isn't quite that utopia. In Auckland the buses are crap, the trains worse (although they're trying with both), and the bike lanes are sporadic.

We're spread out like LA (actually worse) and now we're paying for it. We do have lots of nice parks though

Originally posted by tobster1911
I do not buy into your love of the European lifestyle. If they like it fine, but to say it is SO much better is completely untrue. Everything is extremely expensive over there. It is almost impossible to purchase a house there. Almost everyone lives in a flat. All the buildings are cramped together. Vehicles are expensive to own/opperate. How many people over there have more than one or two vehicles per family?

I agree there are some things they do well, but your position that they have better living standards I do not buy. America has a lot of benefits to offer that other countries do not have. I guess that I appreciate these and others do not......

Ummm, population density is virtually the entire explanation for the above. Be glad you have a lot of room and a lot of resources.

[Serge914]

Originally posted by CamB


Ummm, population density is virtually the entire explanation for the above. Be glad you have a lot of room and a lot of resources.

So true, if the Europeans would be living the way we do it would be a nightmare because of their density.

How about reserved parkings spots for small cars? Smallers and more efficients parking spaces.