Excuse my rant, but when people talk about raising taxes to provide public transit I believe they are ignoring the price that they are imposing on those of us who don't see the need to always rely on a car - especially in a metropolitan area where there are, or should be, reliable alternatives.

Having grown up in a city with great public transport I find I do use a car to get places I used to go on the bus, street car or subway. The difference is that my current community is definitely car oriented.

It does not save most people money to rely on your car.

The motorbike, bicycle and walking options are all better for your long-term health, as well. (Providing they take more cars off the roads, that is!)

 

Here's the point.
Them as rides public transit expect Government to build and maintain it. Public Transit is not a pay as you go process; it is always subsidized by tax money. Always.

So when someone says "I don't own a car, I use public transit and I support a tax on cars/gas/tires to expand it" then all they are really saying is; I want you to pay for shit I want.

But see, I'm already paying for my transportation; I pay gas tax, license "fees" road taxes, tolls, and so on. What you want is for me to pay for my shit AND your shit. Excuse me, but that makes you a putz in my world.

And when you're a dog that makes you a double Putz

 

No, you listen here you pompous gas bag; I'll call anyone i want a Putz, double Putz, or even a TWAT if I feel like it.

Cause, you know, I'm Merican and I got rights!

PWAT


for the holidays

 

And a MERRY-FUCKING- CHRISTMAS to you too, my lil' bi-polar chum

 

On this question, I am totally out of the loop. the nearest public transport is about 90 miles away. I can not drive and my wife has to drive a van to get me anywhere.
Public transport, cabs and even bikes would do me no good anyway. As a retired Park Naturalist this really hurts.

 

Yes, you pay for your own transport, but that is your decision, unless you are in a situation like the fellow who lives miles away from public transit. I pay for my own transit, as well. It is subsidized, but think about what it would cost you to pay for all the roads you drive along - remember we are all taxed to look after the roads you and other drivers, including truck and transit drivers.

So, please, don't tell me you pay your own way, either. You pay a BIG amount for the decision you have made to drive, but the decision is yours - and you have the disposable income, I hope, to make certain it does not drive you into the poor house.

We all pay to help you drive, regardless of how we travel - even if we simply walk or drive a bike.

 

So, I guess you also cheered Obama's speech about all those businessmen didn't build their business, gummit did, cause you know, you wouldn't have a business if we hadn't built all them roads for you, and the power stations, and what not................

I own a car because I can and because it's more freedom than relying on public transportation. I've paid every tax ever laid on me, never cheated or tried to slide away from a tax. So, as they say "I paid my money". So did everyone else.

And I don't mind at all paying tax to subsidize public transit. Never have. What I object to is some wit coming along saying "we need to raise taxes to expand public transit, cause you know, I ride the bus and it doesn't always go where I want it to".
Fuck that. You want bigger and better, pay the tax yourself. I rarely use public transit, partly because I'm 6 miles from the nearest bus line.

And yeah, I pay my way just like everyone else does. Except transit riders. See, public transit is subsidized. Always. By taxes I pay. I don't know of a single bus rider that subsidizes my ride. Any transport related taxes bus riders pay go towards the roads and what not their bus is on, and on top of that some of my tax money goes to transit I rarely if ever use.

No need to thank me, I'm Merican.

And by the way, my kids are grown and gone but I still happily pay to support the school district (just got a hefty tax increase this year in fact) cause hopefully, the school will educate the little vermin to support themselves so I don't have to.

 

Frankly, people who see themselves as proudly "'Merican" frighten me, not because they live in the Great US of A, but because we currently have a Prime Minister who would love to be "'Merican" although he criticized the previous Government leader for not staying in Canada, but taught in the States.

I am glad you can afford a car, but I am sorry that you feel you don't cause others to pay taxes to support your chosen lifestyle. We all pay for roads and airports and cars and the pollution that vehicles - any vehicle - produce. And if we don't it is because we likely don't have a high enough income to pay taxes and live, or have found ways to reduce the amount of general taxes owed to Governments to almost nothing. It is hoped that people and corporations who travel the low tax road are doing their best to make our planet a better place to live - for all of us.

 

what you are missing is the point that is being made
people that solely use subsidized public transport the expenses are the taxes paid by all and a small amount for tokens or fares
for people that own their own vehicle the costs are compounded
like registration, inspection, insurance, upkeep, fuel, ect.

in my situation there is no available public transport option and for many people in the us it is not a viable solution because of the limitations of destinations

 

Actually, I lived in a city with very adequate public transit, but I also grew up without a car, which made my choice fairly simple - until I moved to a city where I could get around on public transit, but it was a pain in the butt. At that point I decided I needed to learn to drive, if I could.

I now do have access to a car, but drive only once in a while because public transit gets me where I am going, whereas, for my wife, because her work is from site to site a car is necessary (although I do think she depends on it too much).

As for places not well served with transit I agree that there is little choice. My guess is that if you lived in NYC or Chicago, Toronto or Montreal, transit would be far more viable. Frankly, my argument is directed more at people in large cities who choose to drive, which may sometimes just add to the congestion of the streets for everyone.

 

but you again fail to accept that people that do own cars are paying more than those that only use public transport
i buy very little gasoline and do not buy diesel
we own a bio-diesel plant that makes about 1,200gallons per week and i make federally allowed fuel alcohol from what we grow and excess corn
but even in cities like houston a vehicle is needed even with the available public transport options because of the sheer size
so your insistence that you pay an equal share is false based on the fact that registration and inspections fees are spent on roads and other infrastructure and people that do not own a vehicle do not pay more for

 

omfg, this is SOOOO fuking hillareous......

the ecoweenies want public trans alllll over the place "cuz it'll be goooood for the enviorrrmeeent".....
SOME want to get rid of them due to the fuel taxes( even though it goes to pay for the Roads, and Bridges, and tunnels)

lol, IF you don't have the taxes for the Roads; No Roads. No Roads, just HOW do you think those nice little diesel things called TRUCKS are going to get to you're stores to deliver ooohhhhhh FOOD, Drinks, etal. that you BUY in the stores to enable you TO FUKING LIVE YOUR LIFE?!!!!! WHAT? you think you're going to have TRAINS to every store?!!!!

OH, and w/o the taxes from ALLLL DOSE NAAASSSTYYYY cars, WHO DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO PAY TO BUILD THE ROADS FOR YOUR BELOVED BIODIESEL BURNING BUSES?

 

daverjackoff you can kiss my ass
i dont want to get rid of public transport it works for some people and hell if dumbfucks like you didnt pay for fuel we would have to tax sex to pay for roads----oh wist the bulk of that would still go the military
but knowing that you are in florida ill lay this out easy for ya
stop all foreign aid
stop all corporate welfare
stop all tax deductions for entertainment/meals for anyone especially corporations
stop decorating on the government level for any holiday
stop allowing tax settlements to people that owe over $10,000
cut military spending by 60% across the board
stop giving companies grants to develop medicines that they then sell at a profit
install a flat tax rate and include all incomes

 

Using that Bio-diesel, do you have problem with injectors, or do you use an additive?

 

neither i use a kit made by lovecraft
it uses a 2 stage filter system and an in-line heater
the f-550s and even the old 8n start easily on veggie oils
but last i heard they were shutting down so maybe search lovecraft bio diesel

 

In the Vancouver, BC area university students are required to get bus passes to go to classes. They can drive their cars if they wish, but they pay for the car over and above the cost of the bus pass. This policy was NOT implemented by a socialist government.

In downtown Portland, I believe, public transit is free.

Does that suggest to anyone that cars, in some situations are not only unnecessary, but also costing ALL of us money that could be better spent on other things.

To suggest that cars are always bad is ludicrous, but to try to claim that because cars are expensive to own and operate that they should have nothing further to pay when they are adding to the cost of living in some areasis also not really looking at the cost of individual travel when there are group alternatives.

 

Because a technology is shutting down may mean that it is uneconomical, or that it is being forced out by the company with the bigger clout. The reason that Los Angeles got rid of its street cars had nothing to do with them being underused, but a lot to do with the transit system being bribed by GM to get rid of the "old" technology and bring in their buses.

 

ok charlie on average every month i transport almost 1000 cattle to slaughter about 10 miles from the pasture where they are raised
it takes a supplemental feed supply of 60 pounds per animal per week meaning i have to bring in hay
the closest "convenience store" is about 8 miles away and wal-mart is more tan a half hours drive
wheres my bus?

 

Hey, in a situation like yours there is no practical alternative than to have likely both a truck and a car. I am NOT talking about a situation like you have. I am talking about people who live in large cities and insist that they need a car to go everywhere. Let's put is this way, I would be very surprised if you have to pay any taxes to subsidize public transit - usually those taxes are levied at the local level.