Some people in Silicon Valley like to complain that Europe can't innovate. Yesterday I took a 190 mile per hour train underwater from London to Brussels in less than two hours. That inability to innovate would be welcome in California's transport system anytime.
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Anyone who claims with a straight face that European rail is financially viable, and that the current system is what would result if a market system reigned (by contrast with the US, where rail is minimally subsidized), doesn't know WTF they're talking about (as you seem not to).
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Perhaps higj quality rail can only exist with subsidy? Perhaps Europeans have chosen to have decent trains, and maybe the European model works for Europe. Who knows? You seem irked by this.
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And Europeans don't seem to realize the original tweet and linked storm wasn't addressed to them, but to Americans. The point is that many Americans fetishize the European lifestyle. I know, I was one of them. Then I got an EU passport, lived there (again) for a while....
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There's much to be said for the European lifestyle. Also, there are some real drawbacks. The Americans who spend all of three days and like the trains never realize that. Because of course they never move there. That's what this thread is about.
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What about the european lifestyle did you dislike?
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Nothing, it's fabulous. On average, higher than in the US. Of course, that's not true for the 10% (better in the US). More like the place felt like a museum. Sorry to say, but Europe is somnolent. The US is nuts, but it's also dynamic. The action is here right now.
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So... you didn't go out to restaurants, didn't work in anything remotely interesting. Your idea of dynamic remits to violence and ephemeral shit which just *might* not be that interesting in societies with centuries of actual high culture? Just a thought
End of conversation
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I’m claiming that your statement, that Eurostar lose money, is factually incorrect. Which it was. You’ve now gone on a big whataboutery train about European rail in general. Facts matter.
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Um... car travel is massively subsidised. Road maintenance, for example. And I'd rather be subsidising something for the common good than for individual gain. I think *that* is the fundamental difference between European and US mindsets.
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You do know, though, that streets are built and maintained by the state too, which amounts to a subsidy for drivers (and one with massive negative externalities too). That it's not companies receiving that money doesn't mean it's not a massive distortion & inefficient (it is).
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you think ALL of your friends who visit Europe and agree w/ public transit are wrong? maybe they're on to something? Also, a public transit cost of billions translates into a huge windfall for the public good. less time/$ wasted for individuals, less land wasted for sleeping cars
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Do you realise that transport by car is also subsidised by the fact cars don’t pay for the roads they use? Why train users should fund 100% of the cost and not car users?
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That money are from our taxes, and we don't complain because train are affordable for all the people.
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Moving the goal posts much?
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Looking at that list I would say it's cheap! Take my country, Netherlands, for every 2.5 euros spent, there were 17km travelled. That is 14 cents / km. Even though I don't take the train that much, I don't mind the subsidy for when I do. And it means less traffic for me!
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I’ve been living abroad in Italy and the transportation for the most part stinks here. The train strikes as we speak are totally screwing up my travel plans today to get to Rome. Europe still has a long way to go in modernizing the South. North is a lot better though I will say.
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Do you mean rail subsidy is bad? Just curious as transportation equity is an important as well.
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