All-Star Csp Tweet: No More Travelling For Cea Teams.

[dawgshow]

*raises hand* Yep, I'm one of those Americans who loves her car and often drives environmentally irresponsibly. I don't complain about the cost of gas, though.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

That would be so much fun, taking a cross country train trip.

Europeans, I envy you.

I'd even do quick weekend trips to the surrounding cities to sightsee or go visit friends more often. It'd be cool to even see it go into Canada. But I doubt this will ever happen. I just cannot imagine all the adventurous opportunities Europeans have with their trains.

 

[Belinda]

I'm not saying this in a rude way or anything but from what I read, Americans sound so spoiled when it comes to transportation. I'm astounded. The fact that some people have never even been on a train or a bus? I went to Gothenburg a week ago, and it's about 4-5 hours drive, I took the train home, and even went 1 hour bus ride north of where I live(so 5-6 hours drive), it took 2 hours by train. I realise US is big, and it would be expensive to put railway all over. But it's not un-doable, Europe is big, yet I could probably make it from Sweden to Italy in a day if I didn't have to change trains.

Something that's always wowed me too is how young people are when they get their first car, and from what I've seen it's not the cheapest cars around, and a lot of the kids don't even pay for them themselves. It's crazy how it can be so different, at least in Sweden you normally don't get your own car until you get a job, and even then it would be like a $600 car.... Oh and btw, does people drive shift stick in the us?

 

[dawgshow]

I'm not saying this in a rude way or anything but from what I read, Americans sound so spoiled when it comes to transportation.

.... Oh and btw, does people drive shift stick in the us?

We absolutely are spoiled. Stick shifts exist in the US, but most cars are probably automatic transmissions. I miss my stick shift car. It was much more fun to drive than my automatic mom-mobile.

I don't know that $600 cars even exist here that run. The cheapest that I've seen around here that don't need a lot of work to run easily are around $2000.

 

[Ashley]

I'm not saying this in a rude way or anything but from what I read, Americans sound so spoiled when it comes to transportation. I'm astounded. The fact that some people have never even been on a train or a bus? I went to Gothenburg a week ago, and it's about 4-5 hours drive, I took the train home, and even went 1 hour bus ride north of where I live(so 5-6 hours drive), it took 2 hours by train. I realise US is big, and it would be expensive to put railway all over. But it's not un-doable, Europe is big, yet I could probably make it from Sweden to Italy in a day if I didn't have to change trains.

Something that's always wowed me too is how young people are when they get their first car, and from what I've seen it's not the cheapest cars around, and a lot of the kids don't even pay for them themselves. It's crazy how it can be so different, at least in Sweden you normally don't get your own car until you get a job, and even then it would be like a $600 car.... Oh and btw, does people drive shift stick in the us?

Europe is much more densely populated. We do have trains up and down the East Coast, but much of the US is sparsely populated and the ROI for building a railway through that just isn't there. It would be exorbitantly expensive. Don't forget the saying "Europeans think 100 miles is a long distance, Americans think 100 years is a long time." You generally need a car unless you live in a city, and once you have a car, it's usually just easier to drive than take public transportation.

Yes, we have stick shift. My husband's car is a manual, but I don't know how to drive it.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

I'm not saying this in a rude way or anything but from what I read, Americans sound so spoiled when it comes to transportation. I'm astounded. The fact that some people have never even been on a train or a bus? I went to Gothenburg a week ago, and it's about 4-5 hours drive, I took the train home, and even went 1 hour bus ride north of where I live(so 5-6 hours drive), it took 2 hours by train. I realise US is big, and it would be expensive to put railway all over. But it's not un-doable, Europe is big, yet I could probably make it from Sweden to Italy in a day if I didn't have to change trains.

Something that's always wowed me too is how young people are when they get their first car, and from what I've seen it's not the cheapest cars around, and a lot of the kids don't even pay for them themselves. It's crazy how it can be so different, at least in Sweden you normally don't get your own car until you get a job, and even then it would be like a $600 car.... Oh and btw, does people drive shift stick in the us?

It's just a different way of living in the U.S. I don't think people say "I'm going on a trip, let's check the bus/train schedule" as it is not the norm here to take those things long distance as it is for you across the pond. Our options are also limited to where we can get in a short time. Trains can go fast but busses do not.

It's also a lot cheaper, nine times out of ten, to take your car than it is to take public transportation for long trips. Example: let's say I wanted to go home for the weekend. My car can get get there and back (600 miles round trip) on a tad less than 2 tanks of gas. It would cost me $70ish round trip to drive myself. A bus ride through Greyhound costs me $130 round trip. A train would cost $90 and I'm not even going to look up a plane. That's probably $300 round trip on the cheap side. So sometimes it's not the issue of us not wanting to take it, it's the issue that public transportation is not that affordable. Which is really counter productive.

 

[Belinda]

We absolutely are spoiled. Stick shifts exist in the US, but most cars are probably automatic transmissions. I miss my stick shift car. It was much more fun to drive than my automatic mom-mobile.

I don't know that $600 cars even exist here that run. The cheapest that I've seen around here that don't need a lot of work to run easily are around $2000.

Wow, I kinda feel sorry for you, I could never buy a $2000 car right now, and I'm even 21, so I've had my license for over 3 years.. Although, in Sweden there's a large culture to fix up your old cars, people seriously drive around in cars that are almost 100 years old..

Europe is much more densely populated. We do have trains up and down the East Coast, but much of the US is sparsely populated and the ROI for building a railway through that just isn't there. It would be exorbitantly expensive. Don't forget the saying "Europeans think 100 miles is a long distance, Americans think 100 years is a long time." You generally need a car unless you live in a city, and once you have a car, it's usually just easier to drive than take public transportation.

Yes, we have stick shift. My husband's car is a manual, but I don't know how to drive it.

I never hear that expression, and actually had to google 100 miles as we use km, but tbh 100 miles to me is far haha! And 100 years is nothing, as the town I live in have had findings from 2000 B.C, and we have the remains of a castle from the end of 12th century. Crazy how it can be so vastly different!

 

[Ashley]

I never hear that expression, and actually had to google 100 miles as we use km, but tbh 100 miles to me is far haha! And 100 years is nothing, as the town I live in have had findings from 2000 B.C, and we have the remains of a castle from the end of 12th century. Crazy how it can be so vastly different!

I almost converted miles to kilometers when I posted that :)

My university was about 100 miles from my parent's house and while I didn't usually drive there any back in the same day, it really wasn't a big deal (2 hours one way) and I had to do it during winter break to cheer at basketball games.

We have a competition every year that's 100 miles away or so and I usually get a hotel for Saturday night, but I know people who don't and just drive there and back each day for it.

 

[Jessicaa]

I think the train, where it's actually available, is great in the US. I've taken the amtrak both on the east coast and in California and I love it.

However, something funny I noticed when living in Los Angeles was the face of horror whenever I told someone I take the bus everywhere. Majority of times It doesn't even take that much longer due to the heavy traffic, and it's cheaper!

 

[SL&AM]

I understand your point but not everyone is fortunate enough to live in an area where there is public transportation they can fully rely on and a car is the only option for them. They can't not consume "so much gas". If America as a whole had a better public transportation system maybe that could change. But you can only find those in metropolises.

As for people buying gas guzzling SUVs, sometimes they are a necessity for people and sometimes they are a luxury.

The thing I find the most interesting is that if we could mirror a system similar to those in Europe, I still don't think our country would give up on the luxury of driving. Part of that I think has to do with the automobile industry and it's history in this country and the other part is we're control freaks who don't give it up easily.

That being said, if we did actually mirror a public transit system like overseas, cars wouldn't be as necessary. Most of European people don't live in metro areas or big cities; but yet they walk and utilize public transportation.

Realistically, I could walk to my local grocery store. I won't do it because the time it takes to get there versus what I buy isn't effective. When I lived in Germany, it was not unusual for me to climb large hills daily just to get to the post office to check my PO box or go out the walking gate to grab a bakery item for dinner. It's a completely different way of life; American's, sadly imo, don't have that same mentality. And I am just as guilty now that I'm back in the states.

 

[SL&AM]

I'm not saying this in a rude way or anything but from what I read, Americans sound so spoiled when it comes to transportation. I'm astounded. The fact that some people have never even been on a train or a bus? I went to Gothenburg a week ago, and it's about 4-5 hours drive, I took the train home, and even went 1 hour bus ride north of where I live(so 5-6 hours drive), it took 2 hours by train. I realise US is big, and it would be expensive to put railway all over. But it's not un-doable, Europe is big, yet I could probably make it from Sweden to Italy in a day if I didn't have to change trains.

Something that's always wowed me too is how young people are when they get their first car, and from what I've seen it's not the cheapest cars around, and a lot of the kids don't even pay for them themselves. It's crazy how it can be so different, at least in Sweden you normally don't get your own car until you get a job, and even then it would be like a $600 car.... Oh and btw, does people drive shift stick in the us?

I learned to drive in a manual vehicle; thankfully I knew how because every time we rented a vehicle in Germany it was stick or nothing.
Though I agree with you on the beater car issue; most soldiers we knew shipped their nice vehicle for their families and grabbed a $500-$750 beater to use for 3 years and resell to the next guy coming in.
Another big difference is some states don't require inspections, which was HUGE in Germany. Some states do, where I live now doesn't, and some of the vehicles on the road scare me.

ETA: At our station in Missouri, legit if I wanted to drive to a mall it was a little over 100 miles away @Belinda...100 miles is nothing!

 

[omgitssydthekid]

The thing I find the most interesting is that if we could mirror a system similar to those in Europe, I still don't think our country would give up on the luxury of driving. Part of that I think has to do with the automobile industry and it's history in this country and the other part is we're control freaks who don't give it up easily.

That being said, if we did actually mirror a public transit system like overseas, cars wouldn't be as necessary. Most of European people don't live in metro areas or big cities; but yet they walk and utilize public transportation.

Realistically, I could walk to my local grocery store. I won't do it because the time it takes to get there versus what I buy isn't effective. When I lived in Germany, it was not unusual for me to climb large hills daily just to get to the post office to check my PO box or go out the walking gate to grab a bakery item for dinner. It's a completely different way of life; American's, sadly imo, don't have that same mentality. And I am just as guilty now that I'm back in the states.

I could walk to the target by my apartment, but I don't want to have to carry everything back to my apartment is the problem haha.


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[SL&AM]

I could walk to the target by my apartment, but I don't want to have to carry everything back to my apartment is the problem haha.


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Bwahahahaha! That is definitely a Target issue. I will say, I shopped very differently overseas than I do locally. It was not unusual for me to leave at noon and walk to the baker/corner store/butcher to buy for that day; if a storm was coming, maybe I stocked up for a week. Living here now, I shop in bulk once or twice a month, meal plan 30 days ahead of time, and stop in when I need milk, fresh foods, or perishables.

 

[Eyes On The Prize]

The thing I find the most interesting is that if we could mirror a system similar to those in Europe, I still don't think our country would give up on the luxury of driving. Part of that I think has to do with the automobile industry and it's history in this country and the other part is we're control freaks who don't give it up easily.

That being said, if we did actually mirror a public transit system like overseas, cars wouldn't be as necessary. Most of European people don't live in metro areas or big cities; but yet they walk and utilize public transportation.

Realistically, I could walk to my local grocery store. I won't do it because the time it takes to get there versus what I buy isn't effective. When I lived in Germany, it was not unusual for me to climb large hills daily just to get to the post office to check my PO box or go out the walking gate to grab a bakery item for dinner. It's a completely different way of life; American's, sadly imo, don't have that same mentality. And I am just as guilty now that I'm back in the states.

I can only speak for myself but if America had a fast, efficient, and cheap public transportation system, then I wouldn't use my car as often as I do. But we don't. The town I'm in doesn't even have train station to Boston. You have to travel upwards of 15 minutes by car to get to the nearest station. Not walkable. It doesn't even have any form of public transportation within the town to get to the grocery store or a pharmacy. There aren't even sidewalks for me to walk on to get to those places so in the winter I'd be walking in the road since there are snow banks where you'd walk. In college, we relied heavily on our bus system to get from point A to point B. Even if you had a car. Any sort of shopping, going out, getting to the library, going to dinner, everything. You mainly walked or took a bus.

Many times, to live in places that have these systems is not cheap. So of course people are going to take public transportation if it's readily available to get rid of the expenses of keeping a car. If you don't need to pay for gas, upkeep, parking, etc then why would you?

I also think it's unfair to say that Americans don't have the same mentality. Millions of people in the U.S. live that lifestyle everyday. But it isn't realistic for many parts of the country like it is in the bigger cities. Or even Europe. You're not even comparing apples to oranges, more like apples to tomatoes. Both are fruits but I wouldn't put tomatoes in my fruit salad or apples in my spaghetti sauce.

If the U.S. actually had a better transportation system, I think you'd be surprised how many people would adopt that lifestyle. Maybe not the older generations but probably the younger ones.

 

[astaley22]

Can't stop giggling about how the thread got derailed from a conversation about trains.