Comments on: The Black Budget http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/02/03/the-black-budget/ Just another WordPress weblog Mon, 21 May 2012 18:16:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: David Hembrow http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/02/03/the-black-budget/#comment-5794 David Hembrow Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:11:55 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=575#comment-5794 Oh, and the figure for trips per day is 1.4 in Groningen, 1.2 here in Assen where we live (i.e. both more than the car figures). The equivalent figure for the entire country is around 0.8. Oh, and the figure for trips per day is 1.4 in Groningen, 1.2 here in Assen where we live (i.e. both more than the car figures). The equivalent figure for the entire country is around 0.8.

]]> By: David Hembrow http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/02/03/the-black-budget/#comment-5793 David Hembrow Thu, 05 Feb 2009 07:10:18 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=575#comment-5793 Remember of course, that Amsterdam's cycling rate is only around average for the Netherlands. Groningen passed the mark of more cycle journeys than car journeys a long time ago. Nearly 60% of journeys in that city are by bicycle. Easily the highest rate in the world. And yes, it is "futuristic". Not "electric cars and monorails" pretend future style, but what is really needed. What's more, the social policies that go along with (and are inextricably linked with) the transport policies have resulted in a very high level of contentedness within society. Rates of drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and all types of crime are amongst the lowest. Only a small percentage of the population is in prison. Rather than having a national debt, the country is in credit. And children are <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6360517.stm" rel="nofollow">the happiest in the world</a>. Since moving here some time ago I've still not found a downside. Remember of course, that Amsterdam’s cycling rate is only around average for the Netherlands. Groningen passed the mark of more cycle journeys than car journeys a long time ago. Nearly 60% of journeys in that city are by bicycle. Easily the highest rate in the world.

And yes, it is “futuristic”. Not “electric cars and monorails” pretend future style, but what is really needed. What’s more, the social policies that go along with (and are inextricably linked with) the transport policies have resulted in a very high level of contentedness within society. Rates of drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and all types of crime are amongst the lowest. Only a small percentage of the population is in prison. Rather than having a national debt, the country is in credit. And children are the happiest in the world.

Since moving here some time ago I’ve still not found a downside.

]]> By: Jack http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/02/03/the-black-budget/#comment-5783 Jack Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:39:23 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=575#comment-5783 Dan is right in his prescription for change. In too many communities across the US, highways through urban cores are expanded to serve the loud and dangerous semis which dominate our rush to subsidize delivery time. Our quality of life suffers dramatically (as we waste more fuel so our air can be more polluted) while other countries continue to improve life for their citizens. Dan is right in his prescription for change. In too many communities across the US, highways through urban cores are expanded to serve the loud and dangerous semis which dominate our rush to subsidize delivery time. Our quality of life suffers dramatically (as we waste more fuel so our air can be more polluted) while other countries continue to improve life for their citizens.

]]> By: Daniel http://www.howwedrive.com/2009/02/03/the-black-budget/#comment-5781 Daniel Wed, 04 Feb 2009 13:31:46 +0000 http://www.howwedrive.com/?p=575#comment-5781 But wait, there's more! The highway expenditures barely represent enough to finance urgent repairs to bridges (a la Minneapolis). I live in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where all truck traffic must be rerouted through dense city to avoid an unsafe bridge on Interstate 95, the major corridor from New York to Boston. That's not unusual right now. I hate to sound like an "it's always better in Europe" guy, but Sarkozy is heading a French stimulus package that spends buckets on rail, ports, and universities, plenty on needed road work, and little on the self-serving social programming that our US stimulus is going to wind up featuring. We need freight revivals, we need prioritization of transit in metro areas, we need prioritization of bicycle transit (as opposed to goofy recreational "rails to trails" projects). But wait, there’s more! The highway expenditures barely represent enough to finance urgent repairs to bridges (a la Minneapolis). I live in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, where all truck traffic must be rerouted through dense city to avoid an unsafe bridge on Interstate 95, the major corridor from New York to Boston. That’s not unusual right now. I hate to sound like an “it’s always better in Europe” guy, but Sarkozy is heading a French stimulus package that spends buckets on rail, ports, and universities, plenty on needed road work, and little on the self-serving social programming that our US stimulus is going to wind up featuring. We need freight revivals, we need prioritization of transit in metro areas, we need prioritization of bicycle transit (as opposed to goofy recreational “rails to trails” projects).

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