Investing in mass transit pays off for everyone, yet we’re stuck with outdated priorities.
RealBadCorps on
He’s not wrong though.
Swirlyflurry on
Comparing the entire nation of the US to one specific city. Definitely a facepalm.
cruelvenussummer on
New York’s old shitty system achieves the same
Nintendo1964 on
Call me a spoiled American, but I love my car. I love leaving when I want to. I don’t have to walk to a platform, I don’t have to wait, once I get to my destination I don’t have to worry about the remaining commute, and I don’t have to pay a toll. I just get in my car and go where I want, when I want. Yes I pay for gas and insurance, but for the cost of near absolute travel freedom? I’ll use my car, thanks.
PerspectiveTimely319 on
I lived in Steglitz district of Berlin and worked in Zehlendorf and it was pretty amazing for €70 at the time (2006).
The U and S Bahns do stop around 2am though and I found this out drunk in Kreuzberg. I don’t remember how I got home.
TyrannoNerdusRex on
Germans complain when the train is 2 minutes late. In America our trains are 30 years late.
wes7946 on
Few folks also bother owning a house in Germany because, even though homes are available, most banks require one to have a rather high income, a stable job and a minimum down payment of 20% — such restrictions American banks don’t require even in desirable areas.
Betdebt on
Do you have any idea how big the US is and what oil riches can do to a mfer?
ParticularAd8919 on
As an American who has spent a lot of time living and traveling outside of the US, this is one of best examples of something people Stateside could greatly benefit from but which so many people here have such a hard time wrapping their head around. When I tell people in the US how easy it is to get around in other parts of the world using public transportation there’s a decent chunk of the time where they either don’t comprehend that such a thing is possible or they try to make excuses (none of which are good) for why the US can’t have good trains, buses, metros all over the place not just in big cities etc. One of the possible signs of our decline is so many of us are unwilling to fundamentally change even our mindset or imagination when it comes to what’s possible for us. There is no reason why a country the size of the US, with it’s economy and skilled labor shouldn’t be able to have high speed rail connecting every city in the country. It’s purely because as a country we’re choosing not to.
Elderberry4ever on
That’s great and all, but what if I don’t want to go to prison, the ballet, or back east?
Wide_Performance1115 on
By design. Public transportation has been suppressed and hamstrung for 100 years in the U.S
PiranhaPiedo on
The real facepalm is comparing a country with avg. population density of 233/km to one with 36/km.
ALSO:
Germany is known to People and Statistics, as a country with extremely unreliable trains. I’ve never been to germany without being 1.5 hours late. Even in Berlin train regularely were 15 min late. Polititians are concerned and trying to find solution because much poorer countries have more reliable trains than them.
dacreativeguy on
Germany has been running uber efficient trains since 1940. 🙁
sometimesifeellikemu on
All of the amazing things you’ve heard about the German train system are true. Double goes for Japan. It’s “easily” possible.
SunknLiner on
>every 10 minutes
…and yet the train to Spandau is 24 minutes out.
Fed0raBoy on
No Facepalm here, it’s simply the truth.
jonatton______yeah on
The Germans are well known for transporting people over long distances via train.
Footinthecrease on
I’ve been fucked by trains in both Belgium and Germany. Don’t get me wrong, I live in one of the only parts of the US that has a normal train system… And the European infrastructure is much better overall but I’ve also had terrible experiences with it. So it’s not perfect.
Kern4lMustard on
Germany is significantly smaller than America. We should still have better public transport, but the size of this country is something I think many people don’t consider
fejobelo on
Germany is about 28 times smaller than the US and has 243 people per square kilometer whereas the US has 38 people per square kilometer.
Not saying that the US should not have better public transportation, it should. I am saying that the comparison is not a good one because the countries are not comparable.
The cost of laying a KM of tracks versus the revenue expected is way better in a smaller, more densely populated country.
I lived in NYC for three years and never had a car either. There are trains, buses and a subway system because it makes sense for the city.
I love trains, but recognize that in the US cars are many times the better alternative.
hellbilly69101 on
True
flux_capacitor3 on
We don’t have trains in most of America, because America is big af. I would love mass transit like that, if it wasn’t filled with homeless. Which has been my experience, especially in Portland.
Adam-Happyman on
Isn’t America, you know, a little bigger?
ShamusMcfly69 on
Verdammte Liebe Berlin
BlueLightSpecial83 on
If I have to go long distances in the US, I just get into this strange contraption that goes waaaayyy up in the sky and goes reeeaaaally fast.
HuskyBLZKN on
I hate America, we’re so damn far behind the rest of the world in terms of like everything ;-;
Yeah but then how do you move a dead body without anyone knowing?
LeviathanLX on
Why are they comparing Berlin to “most American cities?”
syzzrp on
The standard is Swiss rail. Or Japanese.
beavis617 on
If anyone in America dares criticize the way we do things here the MAGA cult members start screaming…you don’t like it here? Leave!
Why don’t we try to improve life here in America. If we offer any opinion that differs from the MAGA cult we get slammed as being
Marxist, Communist, Socialist, traitor scum who should be kicked out of the country. I am so sick and tired of these people. 🤨
Silist on
While I agree with the general point of this, it’s still comparing a general America to a major city like Berlin. In NYC train travel like this is possible every day
LeeroyJNCOs on
Helps that Germany is smaller than the state of Montana, and we have 49 more of those to contend with.
gitGudBud416 on
If it could make money, private companies would do it. If it is going to be a permanent suck on taxpayers dollars, the gov will do it. Murica. Even when the project is complete the fuckers will still keep sucking the money up.
that_guy_Elbs on
Living rent free
stingray56funk on
IDGAF 🇺🇸
SkiMaskItUp on
Yes, I was just finally forced to get my license and a car at 28. I would have actually preferred to not have to do this. I use public transit, but I also was forced to spend a lot on Uber especially for work or many errands.
Not having a car is a real handicap. It makes getting a lot of jobs harder or impossible.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly excited to finally get a car. And I’m less insecure about myself now and feel more normal. And everyone talks about the ‘freedom’ a car gives you, but that’s just because there’s no real alternative. Unless you’re very rich.
But it’s just very wasteful and unsustainable for everyone to have a car. Also to have most logistics done by truck over train.
If we actually all switch to EVs that would be great, but that’s going to take a long time and is no guarantee. EVs already starting to struggle growth wise.
Proper_Razzmatazz_36 on
While I agree that America does need to update its public transportation, it does face a pretty big issue of America being a few big cities, and a lot of nothing so it would be very expensive to install it
Spy_v_Spy_Freakshow on
I seem to remember a time in history where people justified voting for someone who would make the trains run on time in Germany. I forgot forgot how that ended
42 Comments
Investing in mass transit pays off for everyone, yet we’re stuck with outdated priorities.
He’s not wrong though.
Comparing the entire nation of the US to one specific city. Definitely a facepalm.
New York’s old shitty system achieves the same
Call me a spoiled American, but I love my car. I love leaving when I want to. I don’t have to walk to a platform, I don’t have to wait, once I get to my destination I don’t have to worry about the remaining commute, and I don’t have to pay a toll. I just get in my car and go where I want, when I want. Yes I pay for gas and insurance, but for the cost of near absolute travel freedom? I’ll use my car, thanks.
I lived in Steglitz district of Berlin and worked in Zehlendorf and it was pretty amazing for €70 at the time (2006).
The U and S Bahns do stop around 2am though and I found this out drunk in Kreuzberg. I don’t remember how I got home.
Germans complain when the train is 2 minutes late. In America our trains are 30 years late.
Few folks also bother owning a house in Germany because, even though homes are available, most banks require one to have a rather high income, a stable job and a minimum down payment of 20% — such restrictions American banks don’t require even in desirable areas.
Do you have any idea how big the US is and what oil riches can do to a mfer?
As an American who has spent a lot of time living and traveling outside of the US, this is one of best examples of something people Stateside could greatly benefit from but which so many people here have such a hard time wrapping their head around. When I tell people in the US how easy it is to get around in other parts of the world using public transportation there’s a decent chunk of the time where they either don’t comprehend that such a thing is possible or they try to make excuses (none of which are good) for why the US can’t have good trains, buses, metros all over the place not just in big cities etc. One of the possible signs of our decline is so many of us are unwilling to fundamentally change even our mindset or imagination when it comes to what’s possible for us. There is no reason why a country the size of the US, with it’s economy and skilled labor shouldn’t be able to have high speed rail connecting every city in the country. It’s purely because as a country we’re choosing not to.
That’s great and all, but what if I don’t want to go to prison, the ballet, or back east?
By design. Public transportation has been suppressed and hamstrung for 100 years in the U.S
The real facepalm is comparing a country with avg. population density of 233/km to one with 36/km.
ALSO:
Germany is known to People and Statistics, as a country with extremely unreliable trains. I’ve never been to germany without being 1.5 hours late. Even in Berlin train regularely were 15 min late. Polititians are concerned and trying to find solution because much poorer countries have more reliable trains than them.
Germany has been running uber efficient trains since 1940. 🙁
All of the amazing things you’ve heard about the German train system are true. Double goes for Japan. It’s “easily” possible.
>every 10 minutes
…and yet the train to Spandau is 24 minutes out.
No Facepalm here, it’s simply the truth.
The Germans are well known for transporting people over long distances via train.
I’ve been fucked by trains in both Belgium and Germany. Don’t get me wrong, I live in one of the only parts of the US that has a normal train system… And the European infrastructure is much better overall but I’ve also had terrible experiences with it. So it’s not perfect.
Germany is significantly smaller than America. We should still have better public transport, but the size of this country is something I think many people don’t consider
Germany is about 28 times smaller than the US and has 243 people per square kilometer whereas the US has 38 people per square kilometer.
Not saying that the US should not have better public transportation, it should. I am saying that the comparison is not a good one because the countries are not comparable.
The cost of laying a KM of tracks versus the revenue expected is way better in a smaller, more densely populated country.
I lived in NYC for three years and never had a car either. There are trains, buses and a subway system because it makes sense for the city.
I love trains, but recognize that in the US cars are many times the better alternative.
True
We don’t have trains in most of America, because America is big af. I would love mass transit like that, if it wasn’t filled with homeless. Which has been my experience, especially in Portland.
Isn’t America, you know, a little bigger?
Verdammte Liebe Berlin
If I have to go long distances in the US, I just get into this strange contraption that goes waaaayyy up in the sky and goes reeeaaaally fast.
I hate America, we’re so damn far behind the rest of the world in terms of like everything ;-;
[Interesting](https://youtu.be/TNpoplfLT1w?si=ExEPGBqR2QcwEPcv)
Just rub it in why don’t you.
Well, because communism or something
Yeah but then how do you move a dead body without anyone knowing?
Why are they comparing Berlin to “most American cities?”
The standard is Swiss rail. Or Japanese.
If anyone in America dares criticize the way we do things here the MAGA cult members start screaming…you don’t like it here? Leave!
Why don’t we try to improve life here in America. If we offer any opinion that differs from the MAGA cult we get slammed as being
Marxist, Communist, Socialist, traitor scum who should be kicked out of the country. I am so sick and tired of these people. 🤨
While I agree with the general point of this, it’s still comparing a general America to a major city like Berlin. In NYC train travel like this is possible every day
Helps that Germany is smaller than the state of Montana, and we have 49 more of those to contend with.
If it could make money, private companies would do it. If it is going to be a permanent suck on taxpayers dollars, the gov will do it. Murica. Even when the project is complete the fuckers will still keep sucking the money up.
Living rent free
IDGAF 🇺🇸
Yes, I was just finally forced to get my license and a car at 28. I would have actually preferred to not have to do this. I use public transit, but I also was forced to spend a lot on Uber especially for work or many errands.
Not having a car is a real handicap. It makes getting a lot of jobs harder or impossible.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m incredibly excited to finally get a car. And I’m less insecure about myself now and feel more normal. And everyone talks about the ‘freedom’ a car gives you, but that’s just because there’s no real alternative. Unless you’re very rich.
But it’s just very wasteful and unsustainable for everyone to have a car. Also to have most logistics done by truck over train.
If we actually all switch to EVs that would be great, but that’s going to take a long time and is no guarantee. EVs already starting to struggle growth wise.
While I agree that America does need to update its public transportation, it does face a pretty big issue of America being a few big cities, and a lot of nothing so it would be very expensive to install it
I seem to remember a time in history where people justified voting for someone who would make the trains run on time in Germany. I forgot forgot how that ended