Re: [AUS] Radio forum on public transport

[gibson@prairienet.org (Mark Gibson)]

Michael (mk@netstra.com.au) wrote:
>14km in 10 minutes. Lets see, that makes your average trip speed 84kph. I
>certainly hope for the sake of you not getting a speeding ticket that
>there is a freeway from your front door to your office/workplace. 
>
>I would love to see an average person ride a bicycle 14km in 20 minutes.
>That is 42kph on *average*. Once again include stop start times, and you
>would have to be going bloody fast. 
>
>Train to travel 14km, lets see, it takes me 55 minutes, giving TWO train
>services with a 10 minute wait between connecting services. The train is
>also going around the very long way, i.e. Broadmeadows to City, then City
>to Ivanhoe, including a full circle around the City loop. 
>
>A car driving *direct* (i.e. Pascoe Vale Road, then Bell Street, then
>Waiora Road) takes close to 30-40 minutes when there is average traffic
>on the roads. 
>
>A car will also cost me at least $30 per week in petrol, $1000 per year
>in insurance, (because i am under 25), $500 per year in registration and
>a further $500+ per year in maintenance. That equals a grand total of
>$3560 per year to own a car and take it to/from work every day. 
>
>The train costs me a grand total of $993.20 per year.
>
>And yes, i DO live in MELBOURNE.
>
>Where did you get your figures from?

I drive a sports car. I pay just over $300 a year in insurance, about $50
per year in registration fees (although that is going up to about $100
next year, I think), and maybe $20/week for gasoline.  I figure I spend
another $1200 per year on maintenance.  So next year I expect to spend
less than $2700 or so on getting around via my own car.

That beats the hell out of wasting money on transit.  I come and go as
I please, when I please, and I go from door to door--I don't have to worry
about when and where the buses and trains are running.  If I wake up at
3am and want a bite to eat, I hop in my car and drive directly to a
restaurant that is open 24 hours a day.  Losers who depend on transit
just have to starve...

Regards,
Mark

-- 

 "Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; 
  like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master.
  Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action." 
    -- George Washington, speech of January 7, 1790