Quote:
Originally Posted by pesto
You realize you are doing the same as what you are criticizing? Do you understand the difference between Europe and California? Start with differences in urban centralization, density, car ownership, gas prices, disposable income level, distance between cities, parking availability, air alternatives, etc.
All things consdered, HSR makes a lot of sense in the 3rd world, much of Europe and in the Northeast US but much less in California.
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What makes you an expert on urban and/or regional land economics? Unless you have some qualifications and experience to lend credence to those terms that you occasionally throw around to make it seem like you value facts (when in reality you are just another Libertarian-esque noisemaker), put a sock in it.
I would argue that California is not so different than France or Germany or Spain in terms of geographical size, population and density to warrant the dismissal of transportation modes that work well in those countries. Many of those other "differences" you cited are a consequence of our government (in its current heavily corporate influenced state) subsidizing some forms of transportation and land development over others.
Part of the idea of laying the infrastructure for HSR now, is to accommodate future growth and increases in population density, congestion, etc.
I'm not sure what kind of philosophy you are trying to promote by insinuating that HSR and other public rail infrastructure projects are meant to work in 3rd world countries, but not here.