Everything you said about the misallocation of resources (more highways, less mass transit) is true for schools, too
Local funding of local transit and local schools with national funding of highways is a recipe for a big country filled with long roads driven by itinerant illiterates.
Fares are simply taxes—incredibly regressive taxes, just like the sales taxes that New York City residents suffer to fund our own transit while suburban New Yorkers bitch about the prospect of being charged to clog our streets with their cars
Yeah, and we do that because if you think subway fares are ridiculous, look at LIRR or Metro North fares once in a while. And then look up how fast they've risen over the past few years.
You guys in the city really don't know how good you've got it.
You think $100 a month is a lot to pay for a monthly ticket? Try doubling it. For traveling the same distance in the same amount of time. And how about a 23% increase over the last 3 years?
@badasscat: seriously, the LIRR charges something like $8, one way, for destinations in the five boroughs - forget actual Long Island. How can anyone afford that on a daily basis?
Pareene, I thought you were totally wrong about Bloomberg (and you are). But you are absolutely correct about the MTA.
Can we also outsource all labor within the MTA to a non-union shop. The TWU has stood in the way of implementing new technology (they fought automated announcements in favor giving unintelligible conductors something to do), has made it impossible to fire workers for anything short of murder, and has hopefully featherbedded the system with way too much labor. And did we mention the sweetheart pension and benefit deals. In other municipal news, did anyone notice as part of the news about Bloomberg's city staff cuts that the benefits to salary ratio of city employees is 37% (in the private sector, it's less than 25% typically). Just goes to show that unions are bleeding the taxpayer dry.
Thank you for this, Pareene. This is my favorite post you've ever written.
Also, MTA: everyone knows you are full of shit when you stall at the same stations every day for five minutes at a time and claim there is train traffic ahead.
@Mike Byhoff: Well, I take the 6 express to the Bronx, and they pull this crap all the time. They stop at Parkchester, where the 6 local stops across the platform. If a 6 local pulls in at the same time or just after the express, they'll hold the express there for the NEXT local, so they can also transfer. They tell us there is train traffic ahead, but it is clearly bullshit, as they're suddenly able to move as soon as the passengers board from the following local. It is infuriating.
@Unsolicited Advice: You're right! No one on earth has ever figured out how to competently manage a massive public transit system! Especially no one in Paris, or Tokyo, or London, where they had to cancel all the subways because there were no "civil servants" :(
@Pareene: Last time I was in London, I got stranded at Euston at like 10 or 11pm with a pile of tarty, tacky MILFs - literally, hundreds of them - screaming out the lyrics to "Angels". Then I had to take a gypsy cab back, in which I found a cell phone, so I did the right thing and got in touch with the last person dialed to get the phone back to this person and they wouldn't leave for hours after coming to get their phone at a terrible barbeque restaurant, as if British people even understand the very concept of a barbeque! FUCK London's transit system.
It's so weird to sit in a smelly shitty subway station in Milan and yet look up and see a digital board telling me the next Linea A train is 2:01 away. I don't understand why NYC can't just strike a deal with SONY or Mitsubishi and let them brand some dumb monitors and get 'em down there already -- the technology exists, wtf.
@lobstr: Because that would mean actually investing in the network. As much as I hate London and it's Underground, you'll always know when the next train is due, and be able to phone someone to let them know you will be late.
I feel sorry for those living outside of Manhattan on the weekends.
Pataki slashed state funding for the MTA in his first budget, in order to give tax cuts to corporations. So, yeah - go to hell workers: no wage increases despite higher productivity, the stock market and housing that were supposed to increase your wealth are just scams, and your formerly 24-7 transit system is about 6 to 10, Monday to Friday.
@daveyjonesisdead: Oh: and to keep up appearances while Pataki was Gov, they borrowed like hell to support construction and maintenance. Much of their present problem is because the payments on that have come due.
Yep. Just found out today they just aren't running the N,W trains in Astoria during the day this weekend...at...all. Track work. Suuuuure. Would they ever pull that shit in Manhattan? There's no 4,5,6 train from 86th to 14th. People would lose their minds.
@SpicyMeatball: They do it all the time on the 1 north of 168th street. Can't tell you how many times I had to take shuttle buses when I was living in Inwood.
Of course, that's terrain the MTA could give a toss about.
That's one reason I'm so parochial. The only time I would have to leave Manhattan is on the weekends and I'm afraid I'd get lost and never return. Trying to figure out what's running is a complete joke.
Even in Manhattan, I've had terrible experiences in the last couple of years. Say, when the train decided to go Express with no announcement and I was left on a deserted platform in creepy neighborhood at three in morning. Wonderful.
@SpicyMeatball: FYI - They fuck with the 4,5,6 line almost every weekend. Remember ... Your enemy is the MTA .... not the people dealing with the same shit service problems as you.
@uptown: I lived on the 4,5,6 line in Manhattan for 7 years. There is no comparison. Not even close. Believe me. That said, I fully agree that the MTA is the enemy.
Maybe if they're really FOR MARRIAGE they should devote their energies to keeping people IN marriage or incompatible people out of marriage (which is approximately FIFTY PERCENT of all who get married).
Instead of worrying about the sexual orientation of who gets married, how about worrying about the fact that practically no one knows how to stay married.
In my experience, most crazy people say they are sane. Kinda like a lot of people say, "It's cool, my drinking isn't a problem," or, "We have our ups and downs, just like any other couple," two days after you get a call for help.
My point is this: trumpeting your sanity or someone else's isn't a a selling point. It's a warning sign.
@booge: Since his whole stance on gay marriage (at least the one he is openly expressing) is a lie, his claim to sanity might be, too.
He is just lying through his teeth when he says he thinks gay marriage should be illegal because of history. He thinks gay marriage should be illegal because of his religion, and his religion tells him homosexuality is a sin. Of course, he knows there are all kinds of First Amendment issues with that position, so he has to use this "history" excuse. It's complete and total bullshit.
@Rose_Selavy_pppffth: Yeah, what was up with that? I kept checking the url to make sure I was reading the Washington Post and not the Washington Times. It read more like an editorial than an objective article.
What I find most offensive in the article is the sickening subtext of their perfect, sane marriage. they have the perfect, wholesome, american dream marriage so they can serve as guardians (dictators) of marriage for the rest of us.
11/22/09
Local funding of local transit and local schools with national funding of highways is a recipe for a big country filled with long roads driven by itinerant illiterates.
11/21/09
Yeah, and we do that because if you think subway fares are ridiculous, look at LIRR or Metro North fares once in a while. And then look up how fast they've risen over the past few years.
You guys in the city really don't know how good you've got it.
You think $100 a month is a lot to pay for a monthly ticket? Try doubling it. For traveling the same distance in the same amount of time. And how about a 23% increase over the last 3 years?
And you wonder why we want to drive?
11/22/09
Pareene, I thought you were totally wrong about Bloomberg (and you are). But you are absolutely correct about the MTA.
11/21/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
Also, MTA: everyone knows you are full of shit when you stall at the same stations every day for five minutes at a time and claim there is train traffic ahead.
11/20/09
WHICH ONE IS IT!?
11/20/09
11/21/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
I'd come up there and argue, but I think Septa's on strike again.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
I feel sorry for those living outside of Manhattan on the weekends.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/20/09
Of course, that's terrain the MTA could give a toss about.
11/20/09
That's one reason I'm so parochial. The only time I would have to leave Manhattan is on the weekends and I'm afraid I'd get lost and never return. Trying to figure out what's running is a complete joke.
Even in Manhattan, I've had terrible experiences in the last couple of years. Say, when the train decided to go Express with no announcement and I was left on a deserted platform in creepy neighborhood at three in morning. Wonderful.
11/20/09
11/20/09
#tips
08/29/09
08/29/09
Instead of worrying about the sexual orientation of who gets married, how about worrying about the fact that practically no one knows how to stay married.
08/28/09
My point is this: trumpeting your sanity or someone else's isn't a a selling point. It's a warning sign.
08/28/09
He is just lying through his teeth when he says he thinks gay marriage should be illegal because of history. He thinks gay marriage should be illegal because of his religion, and his religion tells him homosexuality is a sin. Of course, he knows there are all kinds of First Amendment issues with that position, so he has to use this "history" excuse. It's complete and total bullshit.
08/28/09
08/28/09
After the reading that drooling "cheerful" profile, I think he’s doing the reporter.
08/28/09
08/28/09