Comment 39913

By mikeonthemountain (registered) | Posted April 16, 2010 at 16:38:17

"The vocal minorities on the fringes need to cool the rhetoric and move to the middle… that's where the majority of people are sitting and waiting for real solutions to be presented."

One challenge is, that actually being in the middle is interpreted as extreme due to the spectrum being incredibly shifted off balance.

Consider:

  • Adding a bike lane to a road is met with much of the same anger as though the road was being closed to cars completely.

  • Many billions for unending widening of highways and overpasses (which are usually just as crowded afterward as before) are okay, while a relatively few billion for transit projects which would move them forward massively are being cut.

  • People who ARE trying to intelligently articulate a MIDDLE ground position are being shouted down as fascist extremists who want to take us back to the horse and buggy and outlaw motorized personal conveyance.

Consider:

  • One GO train full of people can potentially displace 2000 cars. It's astounding to see the QEW packed solid both ways during times when no trains run out of Hamilton. They sure look good sitting there parked on the tracks. Our motivation into improving this is pitiful at best. Thus people "never ride transit because it takes all day to get somewhere" and the self-fulfilling feedback loop continues.

  • Many cities have balanced modes of transport much better. The astute observer will notice that Communists did not take away everyone's car. You can still drive if you want or need to. But there are alternatives that are facilitated, hence safer, healthier, and convenient.

Weird phase of civilization this is! Trying to shift BACK toward some balance is seen as extremism. /headstillasploding!

Comment edited by mikeonthemountain on 2010-04-16 15:40:39

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