[doady]

First, it really doesn't matter how often the buses run if they take forever to get to a destination that's across town.

Yes the high frequency does matter, since it proves that it is worthwhile to invest in transit improvements in the suburbs, while you claimed it wasn't worthwhile. You just contradict yourself.

 

[kEiThZ]

In my experience, people who complain the most about how terrible transit is, are often people who rarely ever use transit. Their entire schtick is so that they can justify their car use. What's absurd in this case is then making the argument that since you found transit inadequate that we should give up fixing it altogether and just not invest in it all. That's ridiculous. If it's not meeting people's needs, let's fix it.

 

[LowerBay]

It only take 40 minutes to get from Square One to York U by bus, that is a fact. Your claim that transit cannot work in the suburbs is ridiculous.

Have you actually tried doing it? -- I challenge you to get from Islington and Steeles to a destination in the Hwy 403/10 area by transit in under 2 hours. I hope you've got a strong bladder or are constantly dehydrated.

 

[LowerBay]

In my experience, people who complain the most about how terrible transit is, are often people who rarely ever use transit. Their entire schtick is so that they can justify their car use. What's absurd in this case is then making the argument that since you found transit inadequate that we should give up fixing it altogether and just not invest in it all. That's ridiculous. If it's not meeting people's needs, let's fix it.

You can't fix it - the origin-destination patterns ARE TOO DIFFUSE. You would have to spend a gazillion dollars laying subways in every direction.

 

[LowerBay]

Yes the high frequency does matter, since it proves that it is worthwhile to invest in transit improvements in the suburbs, while you claimed it wasn't worthwhile. You just contradict yourself.

Yeah, I really care that the Finch bus comes by every 5 mins when it takes me 1 hr 50 mins to go from Finch and Martin Grove to Finch and say, Warden.

 

[LowerBay]

LB,

Despite your personal experience, are you still arguing that we should not invest in more in transit?

I am confused here. You keep putting up examples of how bad transit is in the burbs. But then reach the conclusion that we are putting in too much?

I'm saying we should invest more money in transit downtown, and more money in roads in the suburbs -- that we will get more bang for our buck that way. We would have to spend 10x the amount we're currently planning to make a difference. With that money, you could buy everyone an electric car and double-deck all the highways instead.

 

[kettal]

Yeah, I really care that the Finch bus comes by every 5 mins when it takes me 1 hr 50 mins to go from Finch and Martin Grove to Finch and say, Warden.

Funny you should say that. I, myself have spent about 2 hours doing that distance on the 401.

You're delusional if you think that is the typical commute that Transit City is trying to serve. It is to improve the service for the 40,000 who already use the bus every day, and the many more who will in the future.


I'll say it again: Finch, despite being in the "unserviceable-by-transit" suburbs is one of the most successful and heavily traveled bus routes on the continent.

If you suggest we'll be better off if they all switched to cars instead, you will get a well deserved earful.

 

[W. K. Lis]

Currently, crude oil is selling at $63 a barrel. There is an economist (Jeff Rubin) who is predicting crude oil could reach over $200 a barrel by 2012. With oil reaching those numbers, bicycle lanes and paths, GO Transit improvements, and Transit City better be going ahead of schedule so that those in the sprawling suburbs can get around. Staying with cars is not in the future.

Click on this link for a short video where

Jeff Rubin talks about how skyrocketing oil prices will see a regression in global economies, and a return to local ones, as outlined in his new book, Why Your World Is About to Get a Whole Lot Smaller.

 

[LowerBay]

Funny you should say that. I, myself have spent about 2 hours doing that distance on the 401.

You're delusional if you think that is the typical commute that Transit City is trying to serve. It is to improve the service for the 40,000 who already use the bus every day, and the many more who will in the future.


I'll say it again: Finch, despite being in the "unserviceable-by-transit" suburbs is one of the most successful and heavily traveled bus routes on the continent.

If you suggest we'll be better off if they all switched to cars instead, you will get a well deserved earful.

$1.2 billion for a Finch West light rail line, and 40,000 passengers served. That's $30,000 per passenger!

 

[scarberiankhatru]

LowerBay: why don't you just move? Transfer City won't get around to your house for another few dozen billion dollars of projects.

 

[kettal]

$1.2 billion for a Finch West light rail line, and 40,000 passengers served. That's $30,000 per passenger!

It's expected to go to 70,000 per day in 10 years, so about $17,000 per passenger. If you think that's expensive, you should see how much it costs to build a single parking space in a parking structure. Add the cost of widening the road to accept an additional 53,000 cars each day and the LRT is a bloody bargain by comparison.

 

[W. K. Lis]

To better illustrate the length of subways, metros, and other rapid transit systems in the world, check out this link. Here's some images from that site of subway systems of the world, presented on the same scale:

Toronto:

Montréal:

London:

New York:

Tokyo:

Los Angeles:

Paris:

 

[LowerBay]

LowerBay: why don't you just move? Transfer City won't get around to your house for another few dozen billion dollars of projects.

LOL ... actually I did move. I live at Bathurst and Bloor now ... right on the subway, and now I still have to use my damn car to go out to Mississauga to work. The company I work for moved from downtown to Miss. after I moved down to be closer to work ... so to everyone who says move closer to where you work, I salute them with an F ... and then a U.

 

[doady]

Yeah, I really care that the Finch bus comes by every 5 mins when it takes me 1 hr 50 mins to go from Finch and Martin Grove to Finch and say, Warden.

I don't give a shit that you care or not.

I did not point out the frequency of the Finch buses to how good suburban transit is, but to show the the suburbs already support frequent service and why it is worthwhile to improve transit in the suburbs. You bitch about transit and yet you oppose any attempts to improve it... you are a hypocrite.

 

[LowerBay]

To better illustrate the length of subways, metros, and other rapid transit systems in the world, check out this link. Here's some images from that site of subway systems of the world, presented on the same scale:

Toronto:

Montréal:

London:

New York:

Tokyo:

Los Angeles:

Paris:

We look pitiful compared to the others.