|
Comments:
Dave D. - 2005-03-05 13:29:06 Yes, I've seen the faceless man at Arborland a bunch of times for whatever reason. He got on with his buddy somewhere on Washtenaw, headed to AA. The Mountain Man is a quiet gentleman. Wouldn't want to cross him, though. Dave D, are you a bus-rider? Cool. * * * * * * * * * * * * Dave D. - 2005-03-05 13:38:14 I haven't had a car in over 3 years, and have no need of one. I do research work and general library stuff at the UM libraries, and my apartment is only a few blocks from the Ypsi station. Plus, I got a hold of a sponsored pass so I ride free all year. I only wish they ran a little later on the weekends. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-05 13:45:38 I admire you. Good for you for not driving! I haven't driven since last spring, and then only sporadically. Bus and bike everywhere. Aside from some slight adjustments in shopping procedures, it's been great. Less stressful, for sure. Like today--I got to read the paper and drink tea all the way to work, then biked right to Borders, stuck the bike on a pole and voila. No parking, no hassle, people honking, &c., &c. Thinking of getting rid of the car and truck (both old vehicles, purchased from family members). Costs a lot and at this point I am way out of step with the car culture. Rather use the $ for car insurance to get a nice new mountain bike. At any rate. Enough about me. Dave D., do you ever find yourself inconvenienced by not having a car? Just wondering. * * * * * * * * * * * * Dave D. - 2005-03-05 13:57:12 I think I was more inconvenienced by having a car vs. not having one. I got into an accident the day after 9/11, subsequently got ripped off on a lemon, and basically said screw it. Between accidents, rip-offs, gas, insurance, and maintenance, it's just not worth it. Plus, I just don't like driving in general-I can always read or screw around with my laptop on the bus to and from. Although, I think were exceedingly fortunate to have the AATA as an alternative option. I also utilize the bike racks during non-winter weather, but I have to take my bike to BIT for an overhaul because it's been sitting out back of my apartment for the winter. * * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2005-03-05 16:33:06 God help me, but I love driving. Not the commuting sort of driving, but the tooling around on back country roads wondering what's up this lane and that lane or heading up the coast to Maine kinda driving. Mmm.. grape leaves. That is the one thing I really, really miss being back out east. Very little good middle eastern food.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-05 18:22:22 DaveD: It is inconvenient to have a car, for the reasons you mention. It's a hassle. We are lucky to have the AATA, as opposed to the Detroit bus non-system, to rely on. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-05 18:27:28 Anna: a half-pound, or maybe a pound of juicy, sour, delicious grape leaves from Ahmo's is the treat I give myself for working on a weekend day. So yummy, always fresh, with squishy lemony rice inside. Yum. I toyed with the idea of making my own grape leaves for stuffing last year but the grape vines are right by the bird feeders and so all the leaves are "decorated." Anyways, I fondly remember eating super-fresh lobster and a clambake when I visited Maine years and years ago.* * * * * * * * * * * * lynne - 2005-03-06 00:34:40 I have to confess that I like driving too. At least when compared to taking the bus. I dont like being on the bus for some reason. The funny thing is that I *love* trains. I often wish I could commute on a train. Sometimes I fantasize about a light rail system being built in AA/Ypsi* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-06 00:54:25 Lynne: There was a movement afoot a year ago or so to arrange for, if I remember correctly, Amtrak passenger trains to stop off in Ypsi on their way to Ann Arbor. A petition was floating around...but this movement seems to have faded away. * * * * * * * * * * * * lynne - 2005-03-06 09:58:24 Sadly, there is a good chance that Amtrak will be going away as well since the Bush crowd would like to get rid of the subsidy for Amtrak. So any chance of having Amtrak pick up folks in Ypsi is unlikely to ever happen. In a way, it is sad that people don't value alternate forms of transportation much. It kind of makes me mad that often the same people who cry about tax dollars being spent on things like local public transportation or Amtrak are the same people who demand that more public money be spent on road projects. Um, and tax dollars being spent on roads isnt the government providing a subsidy for car drivers how? Don't get me wrong though. I dont have anything against roads. I like roads. I own a car and certainly use roads a lot. But I also see the value in good public transportation. People often fail to see why things like public transportation are important even if one doesnt personally use them. I know that one of the reasons I like living where I live is that I have public transportation available to me. I have used it once in a while too. When my car breaks down, it means a lot to me that I *can* get to work on my own without begging a ride from someone. There are a lot of people who dont use public transportation on a regular basis who still value it. It increases the price of property that has access to public transportation. But, there are other reasons why good public transportation is important to a community and should be important even to people who dont use it. For one thing, it is a way to get low income workers into those low wage jobs that every city has, that are necessary for the functioning of said city. Us car drivers arent going to get very far if the minimum wage gas station attendant who cant afford a car cant get to work. * * * * * * * * * * * * Scott - 2005-03-06 11:50:48 Update for all interested: The dude with the hole in his face, serious drug addict who has been basically chased out of Ypsi by the PD. Plus, in his defense, theres more cash in A2. I would be tickled beyond repair if the stop would happen at the Depot in Ypsi, but as I think Anna may have heard, the Fed is holding the Train people hostage and wants control or no funds at all. Seems kind of odd if you ask me. I glean that Oil is the reason for all this? thoughts? * * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2005-03-06 15:51:59 Huh? The fed is holding train people hostage? You mean Amtrack? I hadn't heard anything about their demanding control, all I heard about was cuts, cuts, cuts. It's so frustrating how the gov't is perfectly willing to use taxpayer money to continue to widen Interstate 95 (destroying adjacent neighborhoods and wetlands in the process), while cutting the trains. Don't they see the connection between inconvenient train service and the need for a wider E. Coast highway? Most people around here would far rather take the train from city to city on the East Coast than drive (esp. Boston, NYC, Washington DC, to a lesser degree Providence, Portland, Baltimore, Montreal), but don't when the schedules are going to be too wacky (e.g., leaving at 4 AM with a 3 hour layover on a trip that would take 3 hours to drive).* * * * * * * * * * * * Scott - 2005-03-06 16:08:36 On Friday on NPR, there was a discussion about how the Fed has no money for Amtrak. UNLESS, they turn over financial control to the government and then magically they have 1.5 billion to hand over. Strikes me as typical that the government's response to this was "It's better than nothing." Overall I feel that the amount of money EXPECTED from the Big 3 each year, could be better utilized like any other facet of the governments spending habits. Its a shame that there isnt any type of need outside of the EC.HW area for the Amtrak. Its just has losts it's appeal with the lemmings of the US. As someone who has spent much time in Europe, I have grown to love and respect their rail system. Especially the Chunnel. * * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2005-03-06 18:14:22 Lynne: you are right, strong public transportation means more local people can get and hold local jobs. Anna: The NYC--Boston--DC area is where Amtrak is used most heavily. It loses money on those long westward routes (the Empire Builder out to Seattle...wonderful ride, I've done it several times). Scott: the European rail system is very good and puts ours to shame. Needless to say.* * * * * * * * * * * * Anna - 2005-03-07 10:40:36 I think it actually loses money on the Boston-DC route, too, just not as much as in other places; I'm pretty sure the acela lost money, despite its popularity. It's terrific the whole train is business class, which means laptop plugins and trays that are big enough to work on -- I take it to DC from a station a mile from my house -- nice ride, more comfortable, faster and easier than flying because you can easily cab it to the station on this end, and subway (or walk) to the hotel on the other.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |