[N'Djamena]

I guess it's too late for America to try and put in a mass transit system now isn't it? Cars have been in so long that they are intergrated into our society.

Too bad ... looks like we'll be dependent on gas for our personal cars.

Ho hum.

[GandalfTheGrey]

mass transit will never eliminate cars no matter how efficient it is. Cars are just too damn convenient.

As for being dependent on gas (or as we call it, petrol) forever, there is no reason why cars of the future can't run on alternative and more environmentally friendly fuel sources.

I like this scene from I Robot:

*Will Smith introduces the chick to his antique motorcycle*

chick: "you mean this runs on gas?? - but gas is explosive!!"

[QatzelOk]

America won't be able to afford cars - no matter what they run on - after the price of manufacturing stuff goes through the roof.

The oil that goes into making 2000kg vehicles is incredible.
Even the amount of water is staggering.

Some items we take for granted will soon dissapear. Or we will.

I pick "items."

[Boondock Saint]

Some cities can embrace mass transit in the US but the US itself won't embrace mass transit in the way that Europe has.

Perhaps size, spreading of major cities, population density or lack there of it in certain areas of the US play a role here.

Clearly the airline industry owns a share in congress and is also an intergral part of the US economy. Shut down the airlines and shut down business ... that's not good.

The types of speedy trains that Europeans and the Japanese use won't hit on in the US either, even on one of them it takes too long to go from New York to Los Angeles.

If I want to go from a city to the suburbs or to the rural farm areas of New York I have no real way to go other then a car, a bicycle or walk. Clearly I am not going to the later two thus I will drive a car ...

[GandalfTheGrey]

even on one of them it takes too long to go from New York to Los Angeles.

well it is a long way...

[canyoucatchme]

america will find alternative means of transport or to drive the transport, I am sure. Don't disregard human ability to adjust and change.

[Unperson-S]

Adjust and change? America?

[Thunderhawk]

Aside from a couple cities (and at that, regions of those cities), most USA cities dont have the popualtion density nor the population movement in-city to justify Mass transit.


Environmentalism and politics get media attention, and may be the pushing force, but Mass transit is usually implemented by city planners to increase (or stablize) population flows in high traffic areas when main and secondary highways get to congested.


Major USA (aswell as Canadian) cities have mass transit. Be it light rail, subway, communter trains, buses, etc...


It just isnt isnt ingrained in the culture as "part of America" (it iant usually used in entertainment, and when it is, it is usually the setting for something bad)