Originally it was going to be “over the last twenty years” but I decided to be more flexible.
A lot of discussions about how society has changed or how the world is different always circle around to smartphones, social media, “no one talks to each other in person, they’re on their phones always” and the like.
Outside of those topics, what else has changed, by your perception?
i got fed up enough that i decided i’m never flying again. if i can’t get there in time by driving, so sorry, i won’t be able to attend
Domestic flights should basically not be a thing. Trains should be the default option if you don’t have to cross an ocean.
Uhh, I’m gonna disagree with this. My family is 1700 miles away, without high speed rail I’m not doing that trip if there aren’t flights. It’s still a long ass trip by high speed rail. I might be willing to do that trip on regular rail if corporations didn’t fuck it up for passengers and if it was direct, very few stops, and activities were available on board. That’s a long ass time to be travelling on the ground.
For the Europeans out there, that’s like going from Paris to Kyiv, and I’m not even crossing the whole country.
I do agree that there should be rail between large cities, distances under 400 miles should be able to be done by rail.
Completely agree. The state of the US passenger train system is absolutely pitiful, and useless for any of the trips I needed to take.
I would gladly take the Texas Eagle to Chicago on a regular basis to see family if it didn’t cost $1,800 for a very small room in the sleeper car. I prefer the train to flying or driving. It’s just a LOT cheaper to load up the minivan and drive 12 hours instead.
I feel lucky living in the Northeast: Acela works. It’s not actual high speed rail by world standards, but it is convenient enough, fast enough, cheap enough to be the most desirable option to travel between major cities. But we don’t have this anywhere else.
How can we get this level of service between cities everywhere?
Ahh yes, trade 6 hours for a 3 day, $400 train ride to NYC.
Lmfao what a shit suggestion
With the current level of train infrastructure and service, I agree with you. That is why domestics flights are a thing. But trains would be a much better choice if rail wasn’t actively defunded and sabotaged for the last 70 years or so.
Its this lack of imagination of what could be (and already exists around the world) that makes everyone laugh at Americans.
Even with high speed rail you’re looking at 30+ hours from Seattle to NYC. And that’s optimistic, ignoring the numerous alpine mountains. No thanks.
Yes, all domestic flights in North America are Seattle to NYC.
Why do people always go here?
We don’t need to argue about it not being absolute,if you can recognized the predominant needs
It’s 14 hours by bullet train. Spend 8 of it sleeping and save the planet
Taking a night train is one of the best things I do in Europe
The American train system isn’t normal.
I’m close. I only fly to see family and drive everywhere else. If I can’t complete the vacation without driving I’m just not doing it.
It’s weird because flights are cheaper but then I don’t have a vehicle where I land and most of the places I want to go I need a vehicle. I’m not much of a city boy.