Well, towns can be more city-like, or more village-like if you prefer, without needing the vast amounts of people in cities. Eg, they can be built around walkable centres rather than around car parks, the open sewers of 20th century transportation. As for your other points, they are all certainly reasons that people drive cars, but they don't have much to do with efficiency, which is the point I was taking issue with.
Give me utilitiy or give me something slightly better!
I think it is more efficient. I dont have much time these days and I would have several hours less in a day if I used public transportation. A train always requires a connector, whether bus, etc and they have stops for each passenger. I used to dread catching the train from Central to the Hawkesbury during the day as you would get stuck on one that did every stop between Redfern and Blacktown - twenty something stops. Took forever. Was faster to drive.
Unless life slows down cars offer people the most efficient form of transport in terms of time IMO.
'Sworn to no party, and of no sect am I.' Frederick Vosper's republican motto.
But look at the choices you made when you chose where to live, and when the city expanded out to the place where you live, and when the company you work for chose where to put it's office. If Phoenix is anything like Brisbane the assumptions were that the car was and always would be the best way to get anywhere. If you live in a public transport black hole of course driving is more efficient.
It's not even true of Bris anymore depending on where you chose to live - if you choose to live near a train line and work in town it is cheaper and quicker not to drive and park. Or live in town itself for that matter and walk to work.
Similarly when I chose my current flat I knew it had to be on a train line, with no changes, because I hate changes and I hate being stuck in traffic in a car or bus. It's 40 minutes door to desk because I chose to live a bit further out. This is easily quicker than driving through peak hour traffic and parking from this distance. I hate looking for parking, I would rather park five minutes away than spend five minutes looking for parking.
It's not going to be true of everyone but when a network is in place, and you are near it, it is far quicker and cheaper than driving.
Again though - and I guess after that spiel it is obvious I'm not the biggest car fan - none of this changes the legitimacy of your lifestyle choice to live in a particular location and choose the trade-offs associated with that.
Give me utilitiy or give me something slightly better!
That is only true when public transportation is 'mass'. My example of the Richmond Rattlers in Sydney is a good example of how quickly it becomes inefficient for the user once it ceases to be mass transport.
There are just too many people doing too many things for mass transit to be efficient all the time. Phoenix is a car city. There is bugger all mass transit here. A light rail has gone in between Tempe and downtown Phoenix but that is about all. I probably wouldnt use it unless it dumped me right by my office, and even then I probably wouldnt.
The company I am with is moving near to the airport for production/shipping reasons away from the 101. So the transportation desires of its workers don't even rate.
'Sworn to no party, and of no sect am I.' Frederick Vosper's republican motto.
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