this post was submitted on 11 Apr 2025
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Who cares what Americans think?
Mate I would love for more Americans to be asking why they don't have better public transport, they're one of the world's most polluting countries and reducing their car dependency would do a lot to fix improve that. If France being good at making trains just happens to also get it into American political discourse, great
American here. I'd love it but train plans often fail because most US cities have garbage tier options after you get off the train. We need busses that run on time, protected bike lines (not just paint on a 55mph road), and many other alternatives to help make trains more viable. Places where you see trains and light rail in the US often have good alternatives for connecting citizens to those train routes other than cars.
I used to reverse commute in Chicago to my car in the burbs. I still needed the car because ordering Uber and being on time for work every day was not a good alternative and it would have been a 10 MI bike ride after an hour long train ride every day.
My body is ready for trains. I hate airports. However, most people don't want them until they have one. LA is the most recent example I can think of this.
What most Americans get is transit for people who after 5 DWIs can't get their friends to drive them anymore. What we need is transit that gets you from where you are to where you want to be, when you want to be there, in a reasonable amount of time, for a reasonable price. Miss any of those and a car is better - sure cars are expensive, but it still meets all of the above (including a perceived reasonable price) That of course leaves out anyone who cannot drive.
I'm British myself, so unfortunately I'm right there with you in the "early adopters of rail that are bad at it now" camp. Trains are absolutely my favourite way to travel if it's an option, but they are slow and prohibitively expensive here. Fortunately most of our bigger cities have decent bus situations or similar alternatives, so before and after the train is alright
Ok yeah, fair point