Liebling:-)))

What about train connection? Take train or bus is cheaper than use car.

__________________

Deafness

__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on AllDeaf.com

Mookie

Sure, do you know how to make fertillzer and what to do with it? Are you going to donate to Terry Nichols in the federal jail?

DeafSCUBA98

well.. to tell you.. USA don't have train connections everywhere.. only major cities such as san franciso, chicago, DC, NY.. that's all i know..

also USA don't have Bus service EVERYWHERE only cities... small town like where i live only have bus service for disabilites. sooo.. and USA depends on far travels.. many of our families don't live close.. many students go thousand of miles to other college away from familes, etc..

__________________


Nucleus Freedom 04/18/05
activiated 05/16/05

Reba

Very true. There is no train or bus service in my town. I have to use my car.

Sometimes Europeans have a hard time understanding the vastness of the United States. Everything in Europe is close by. Except for some cities, everything in the United States is spread far apart. Even our country is divided into different time zones. Our country is not "cozy" like Europe.

cady75

I wish! There is a train, but it arrives either two hours before work (at 5:30 AM) or right when work starts (:7:30), so that means I would either be really early or too late everyday. (And if I wanted the 5:30 train, I'd have to get up at 3 AM to catch it. Yeah right).

No, I don't have a choice at all. I have to drive.

I am planning to move soon!

kuifje75

Actually, Europe has four time zones, similar the US

cady75

Yeah, but we're talking about individual countries here. Like England, for instance. It doesn't take as much time to travel in England as it does here in America.
Most people have been settled for generations near where they work and socialize. Roots run deep. Their cities were built for pedesterians and short distances (back then, nobody had cars, so everything was built closer together)

Americans, on the other hand, are much more mobile, our cities are still growing, our economy has not stablized yet (because America really is a very young nation- only 300 or so compared to England, wh ich is thousands of years old), and our infrastructure is very different. We always had the luxury of cars, so we could always just set something out there and know people could get there somewhow. Europeans did not have that luxury.

Hence, having a car and gas prices impact us much more as Americans.

diehardbiker

It really depends. In America the land is HUGE, and open! Not like in Europe which they don't have much acreage properties like here. There are plenty of 200+ acres of land you could buy and own for yourself! So, this is NOT feasible having public transportation everywhere in America.
My case, there is NO public transportation to my work from my home! So, this leaves me limited choices.

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

DeafSCUBA98

oh crap.. gas will raise again

just had an oil spill in mississippi

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9175553/

__________________


Nucleus Freedom 04/18/05
activiated 05/16/05

diehardbiker

Not really, America is the oldest industrial country. Sure England, Europe, Even china is much older than us, but we were first in many things, especially automobile. We started trains, airplane, motorcycle, etc. etc. etc right here in America, other countries copied from us, learned mistakes from us. Believe it or not, NYC has the world first subway! On other hand the culture, your right America is one of the youngest country on culture and lifestyle.

[QUOTE=cady75]

Americans, on the other hand, are much more mobile, our cities are still growing, our economy has not stablized yet (because America really is a very young nation- only 300 or so compared to England, wh ich is thousands of years old), and our infrastructure is very different. We always had the luxury of cars, so we could always just set something out there and know people could get there somewhow. Europeans did not have that luxury.

QUOTE]

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

The*Empress

speaking of colleges, i wonder if more students are going to colleges nearby their homes than go out of state colleges because of expensive gas prices and air fare and bus fare and all

i wonder about the college LSU in NO, are there students trap in that school?

The*Empress

oh i got this from www.lsu.edu

LSU Establishes 24-hour Hurricane Information Center
LSU is operating a 24-hour Hurricane Information Center. Staff will be on hand to coordinate and assist media on campus and take phone calls from media, concerned parents, staff, faculty, students and members of the public concerning relief efforts on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. Read full announcement >>

The following numbers will be answered by LSU public affairs representatives 24 hours a day:

Toll-free outside of the LSU/Baton Rouge area 1-800-516-6444
LSU/Baton Rouge residents please call 225-578-8654 or 225-578-4636
Information will also be updated on LSU's Hurricane Recovery & Relief Information Web site.

Information for LSU Students, Faculty and Staff

!LSU students are encouraged to contact their families
Academic Matters Related to Hurricane Katrina
LSU cancels classes until Sept. 6

The*Empress

September 2, 2005 10:10 AM

An open letter to UNO students, faculty, and staff:

We have all suffered a tremendous loss in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Almost all have lost property; many have lost homes; some have lost loved ones. On behalf of the University of New Orleans, I offer my deepest sympathy for your losses and my heartfelt encouragement for the hard work ahead of you.

UNO has suffered similar losses, and like so many of you, we are just beginning to locate our family, assess our situation, and plan for rebuilding our lives.

Aerial views indicate that approximately two-thirds of our lakefront campus remained above water, and we hope to have a more accurate estimate of our damages within the next couple of weeks. We will keep you updated on our progress via this web page. We plan to make electronic classes available in October, and we will open the main and satellite campuses as soon as possible.

UNO and New Orleans will survive this terrible disaster. But we must all help each other. Now, more than ever, we need to support each other and to remember who we are and where we came from. The spirit that made UNO and New Orleans such great places lives within each of us. That spirit not only has survived, it makes us stronger.

Sincerely,
Tim Ryan
Chancellor, University of New Orleans

Liebling:-)))

Yeah, I can understand what you mean.

We dont have train in area where I live but every 30 minutes bus connection. If I want to get train that I has to go to town which it´üs 3 miles from my area. We dont have metro in town but train.

__________________

Liebling:-)))

Well, it´s not really.

I compare Gemany & Euro countries with England & Paris and would say that there´re more close metro, trains and bus in England & Paris than any Euro countries.

__________________

Liebling:-)))

Yeah, I can understand what you mean. Your condition is similar to me...

If I want to get bus for go to work then it mean that I has to get up 4am to get bus to town and then wait for other 1 hour then get other bus to work... It´s stress that´s why I has to choose car which it´s only 15 to 20 minutes away drive to work place from my area which work time began 7.30am.

I thought about trains when you mentioned that you drive long miles to work place. I understand now. I would choose car instead of train because of save time.

__________________

kuifje75

Reba seemed to be referring to Europe as whole, not individual countries. There is a country that spans two continents and many time zones, and that is called Russia. We also have China and Australia which are quite vast.

The super highway network was invented in Europe alongside with railroad networks. Germany has the Autobahn before US even had anything concrete to compare to as a super highway. Germans now could drive fast to other cities. Germans always had the luxury of BMWs and Mercedes at their disposition. The US just was able to make a cheap automobile model (Ford T model?) that more people could afford, but they could not really cross the country due to the lack of the super highway networks.

Even with no speed limit with the Autobahn, Berlin is still 5 hours from Mittelbayern (Central Bavaria). I don't think that Europe is as small as one might mistake it to be. I took a train from Western Germany to Paris, and it still needed an overnight train (6 to 8 hours) to arrive there. From London to the city of Preston was still over 4 hours. Imagine trying to drive from Dover, England to Inverness, Scotland! Probably would take more than 15 hours

You are right about one thing though; Europeans are no commuters. Sure, some people would live within the outside limits of major cities and commute by train to work and so on. The train network is quite excellent in Europe that it makes more sense to commute by train, subway or streetcars. I think that if the prices keep increasing here in the US, we might see a return of trains and streetcars in the US. We used to have them everywhere, but they died out in the 1940s and 1950s when the oil and rubber industries lobbied with the government to subsidise highways and cars.

I don't think that a country has been impacted by the rise of gas prices more than other countries. I think the impact is more or less equal everywhere. I remember 3 or 4 years ago when Europe was shocked with the rise of oil prices, that some of the governments decided to drop taxes to lower the prices and so on.

Liebling:-)))

Interesting, I as European see different than you. We feel that Americans make "luxury" themselves with the help from month payments, credit cards etc.

Europeans are not shape of luxury cars but house pride. All what they care of is enviornment-friendly, families and traveller. They don´t like waste of money and senseless. We don´t beleive to drive to where it´s only few minutes to WALK. Why can´t they WALK instead of drive the car which it´s only FEW minutes to WALK...? We (europeans) use bikes, walking.... we only need car for necassary.

Honestly, it´s hard for Europeans to understand why Americans prefer luxury cars to houses. We have many Americans around here in Germany. All what we saw is they use everything at once with the help from month payment and also use many credit cards, too to make themselves to be "luxury". We (Europeans) dont beleive to pay everything with month payment like Americans do. We do is save up to buy the car, furniture etc with cash, not use credit cards, month payments. Alot of German stores love to have business with Americans because they make them richer...

I remember some of Americans´s word: "Why should we save for long years to buy car, furniture?" or "I can have it what I want instead of save up for years" or "I like to feel comfortable to drive beautiful car". Most Americans love to drive German cars. They are upset to let German cars go because they can´t afford to ship German cars back to America after end of 2 years stationed in Germany.

I must say what I know from Americans for years where I work for US Army caserne that they could be senseless with money. I handle the invoices to pay utilities used where soliders & familes lives. My boss often told them to learn how budge the utilities because they used utilities higher than us (europeans). They open the windows to fresh air while the heaters are still on. They turn the water on then left to get something and let the water running for long. One of my workers who repair the electricity for their apartment and notice the water still running for long 5 minutes. He thought she forget to turn water tap off so he turned water tap off for her. Guess what? She complaint to Major how rude my co-worker is. My boss support my co-worker and show the major the higher bills. Is my co-worker rude?

Honestly, it has nothing do with "luxury" but mentaliy. I getting used it because I work with Americans for almost 20 years. I know their mentaliy as they know ours, too.

Remember, everyone have different mentality.

__________________

sequoias

In the United States, it's all about sprawl and long commutes, they depend lot on cars and some people depend on bus and metro (heavy rail electric trains).
There's no stopping sprawl because generally it's cheaper to live outside the city and lot of families need room to play. Living in downtown or very dense areas are usually expensive than living out in the sprawling suburbs. Lot of people in the US don't like living in condos or highrise buildings with no room for kids or animals. Atlanta has one of the worst sprawl as far u can see, that includes Los Angeles and other metros around the US. They commute forever getting to work and back to home with their cars. That's typical american dream for most familes in the United States. Not much we can do about it and live on.

Liebling:-)))

K75, your description over Europe is so prefect because you know the comparison between America and Europe.

I can´t compare anything because I never touch America in my life. I would say something if I know.

Yes, that´s right. I began notice that there´re more of Germans use "mini" BMWs, Mercedes, Audi, VW now.

__________________

Vance

Well, they can built the railroad, bus routes, etc etc... in your location. I get this feeling that some Americans don't want to give up their energy-wasting lifestyle. I think some Americans have a hard time understanding the rich opportunity of technology that USA had.

But again, there was some tax cuts time to time, I don't see how they can built the railroads, bus routes, etc etc.. In other words, gas problem will be always hover around many Americans' heads for years untiil either way, they finally destroy themselves with their irresponsibility of not preserving energy & waste and environment to get in order to rebuilt the society or competent Admin to take a action and clean up these mess.

I believe that 'former' is more likely to be occur. However there are some ways to make this incompetent Admin to take a action by having people to pool their resources & energy and send this current Admin several tons of complaints and such to require them to do something about it. In some ways, sometimes it takes millions of people to make some changes.

Frankly, I don't understand why some people like to complain or making some excuses instead of taking some actions *shrugs*

You have a point but there is one thing that Europeans don't have. The luxury of opportunity to learn their errors. Americans do. Europe is right there for any Americans to study and change their lifestyle or develop the technology to provide the better access & transportation system for people. But seem that oil corporations have the voice to change or not while common people don't. Or people allow oil corporations to neuter them either way.

History repeatedly shows that 'local' system always work, never ever fail in any situation.

diehardbiker

Well, I once like VW, but not anymore. Their quality has been degraded considerable since 1998 (After they outsurcing jobs to Mexico!). Anyway, these cars are designed very well with speed though curves! But would I buy it again? I don't think so!

I am now sticking to Motorcycles and PU trucks. (Oh never mind about the gas! I know it all along )

__________________
J-MAC's quote: "People who try and fail are more superior than people who don't try at all"

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny."
Thomas Jefferson (1778)

Avatar picture is Cape Hatteras light house in OBX.

Liebling:-)))

*nodding agreement* Yes, you has a good point... I´m agree that it´s meanfuling to build more railroads, buses, etc. I was surprised after read some of posts here that they don´t have any trains, metros, buses enough because I never visit America in my life... until you made your post here... Yes, it´s logical...

__________________

Vance

I forget to add one more thing:

Not true. Come over with me to Sweden and I'd love to show you around to see how Swedes did with their social life. Transportation system in Sweden is quite excellent and as I mentioned in one of topics that Swedes had ridiculed me for making a suggestion that they need cars to make their life easier.

However I do plan to buy a swedish car once I move to Sweden.. since I still do have this 'American' culture that digged a deep root inside me

Liebling:-)))

Yeah, it´s not just Sweden but many countries in Europe, too. I can understand about your experience in Sweden how you compare with America lifestyle.

__________________

Vance

Yeah, I agree that countries in Europe do have that opportunity as well as Sweden do. But I cannot compare since I never visit anywhere in Europe beside Sweden and Denmark however someday I will

Edited: Added Denmark to the list.

Reba

Have you ever been to the Lowcountry? No? Then how do you know they can build a railroad here? You don't know anything about the geography of this area, the population, etc.

Even if there was a system, some people have jobs that don't allow them to hop a train or bus. Even as a terp, I am on call, my schedule can change in a minute, and I sometimes have to "live" in my car (eat, sleep, make phone calls, bring a change of clothes, etc.). I work in three different counties. My Hubby has a business that he operates from his van (also throughout three counties). He can't use a bus. My son-in-law works nights, and uses a trailer to haul his equipment; he can't use a bus. People who work for FEDEX, UPS, and other delivery companies can't use a bus. Landscapers, exterminators, house painters, etc., can't do their work with a bus.

We have a railroad here that connects to other cities and states, but it doesn't make local stops.

Vance

I quoted my previous post as reference:

With our current technology level, there is ALWAYS a way and you already know that, Reba. Or Tony Robbins said it best: "There's always a way - if you're committed." Speaking of "I-know-my-location-and-you-don't-know-mine" crap. It is quite odd for you to say that to me when you said in your another post:Indeedy...

My point is that USA do have higher level of technology or so they claimed and why not they just combine their brains & technologies to solve it instead of kissing oil corporations and their asses? Or simply move to other location with friendly transportation system. Have you ever think about that one? Well?

For several months (before Sweden trip), Nas and I had been thinking to move out of southern California to Davis, California but we realized that transportation system in Davis is not exactly good so we choose to stay here and deal with gas prices. Actually I was planning to exchange my jeep for gas-conserving cars like Honda Accord but Sweden trip changed everything.

I'm not talking about 'only bus'. I was talking about any kind of vehicle that we invented/created or we will invent/create in the future. You see, in the late 20th and 21th century, America has been ignoring or neglecting the biggest & important structure of any kind of socities -- Local. Local is the key to solve the whole of this mess. Local farms to cut down the unnecessary transportation (trucks, freights, heavy duty airplanes, etc). Usage of gas/oil will drop in significant range. That is just one local system. Imagine if we do that with clothes, materials, essentials, etc etc. Usage of gas/oil will drop in incalculable range. We lost nothing but gain lots of new jobs, boost economy, list go and go on.

With Karina crisis, groceries are getting expensive because of gas/oil due to massive non-local transportation system. But with local farms that I usually bought the foods from didn't change the prices at all.

Now, back to your previous post that I'd like to point out:

Honestly, they set themselves up for that mess. It is highly probable that they don't know what they were doing but right now they know the solutions that has been laying on the table for few years. It is no excuse for them to ignore anymore but unfortunately they just did.

Local system is the fastest and easiest solution to solve this gas problem. Being blind to that solution or take a action is entirely up to Americans. How we buy control their decisions & economy. If we stop buying, they will change their lifestyle or methods fast. If anyone keeps complaining and buying their fuels or didn't do anything about it then they set themselves up for that mess like our previous generations did. We people are the power. Corporation or Government isn't.

I probably will be flamed for this and no offense to everyone but making some excuses are so passé. Taking a action isn't.

cady75

[QUOTE=diehardbiker65]Not really, America is the oldest industrial country. Sure England, Europe, Even china is much older than us, but we were first in many things, especially automobile. We started trains, airplane, motorcycle, etc. etc. etc right here in America, other countries copied from us, learned mistakes from us. Believe it or not, NYC has the world first subway! On other hand the culture, your right America is one of the youngest country on culture and lifestyle.

Exactly!

We had the first cars, etc: so we just laid it out on our really wide acreage and made a really wide grid and everything and went from there. Back then, we had nothing, so we built around the roads, trains, etc:.

In Europe, everything was already set up so they build the new infrastrucure about what was already there. So, the transportation infrastructure there are built for local usage.

And yes, we need to change things in america, but even if trains and all that were much better connected and public transportation were much more widely used, we could never give up cars. America is just TOO big. I remember visiting HOlland and people ther ewre so shocked to find out that I would have to drive three days from where I lived to where I grew up just to see my family. To them, it was unbelievalbe anybody would have to drive for three days to get somewhere, unless they wanted to go to another country in another region in the world.

That is the point. America ciovers several regions in several parts of the world!

Tousi

Yeah, I agree; we are a highly mobile society, especially here out West. I don't think its fair to compare this issue with Europe. We are who we are and, although, I think we can change a few things here and there, I think we will stay pretty much the way we are.

Some of the arguments offered here and in other topics have irritating, socialistic-leaning overtones that are odoriferous. Dang,Alex, where's the "horse-poopy" smilie?