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Old Posted Jan 6, 2013, 11:13 AM
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Nouvellecosse Nouvellecosse is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Nova Scotia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chinook Arch View Post
I've always heard people refer to the LRT system, and other city's LRT systems as rapid transit even if they don't have the complete right of way for the entire system.

Who cares what definition is used most often outside of North America.....we live in North America. Yes, if someone wants to get down to the nitty gitty and split hairs in order to feel good, you could say that technically Calgary's system isn't a rapid transit system, Like I say though, who cares? For all intents and purposes it is.
But that's the thing though. For some intents and purposes it is, and for some intents and purposes it isn't. Hence the distinction. With all the words we have in the English language, it's very common to have distinct terms to denote things with subtle differences. It seems to me that the people who are trying to lump everything under the same term are the ones who are doing so to "feel good." Otherwise, there would be no real reason for it, and they would just use the correct terms and stop dwelling on it.