Last week’s column about NYC’s congestion pricing experiment seems to have struck a nerve, generating a huge number of comments.
Yes, friends, I do read all
your emails and I try to reply, valuing your feedback… though not always
agreeing with you. But I thought some of
the comments posted below were worth sharing.
David wrote: “ Some
people maintain that tolls aren't taxes, but really anytime government takes
money out of citizens' pockets, it's a tax. Adding one more arrow to Hartford's
already full quiver of ways to shake money out of CT residents and those
passing through is a bad idea.”
A train rider turned driver
noted: “For many years I rode the train
5 days per week. Back then the cost savings of a monthly train pass made it a
no-brainer. (The train) was great and I couldn’t fathom driving. I last
rode the train about 6 months ago and it was slow and expensive. It also rocked
back and forth for 20 minutes continuously — a freak occurrence that
got me dizzy and motion sick for the first time ever on a train. The
trains have gone downhill since before covid. Less train cars, less express
trains, slower speeds, more time between scheduled trains and more stops on
each train. What was once an hour-ish ride is now over 90 minutes. They
are in disrepair. The mechanicals underneath squeak and vibrate. The door-to-door when driving in is quicker
than the train, even with some traffic.”
But Tony Sheridan of the
Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT wrote: “ A good article. Count this
chamber in on any plan that focuses on modernizing our transportation
infrastructure. Happy New Year.”
But responding to my enthusiasm
for taking the train vs driving, Anthony said: “You did forget the other advantages of
public transit in NYC: getting macheted to death, stabbed in the
neck, sitting next to a person that smells like feces, pushed in front of a
moving train and my favorite, while taking that nap you talked about getting
lit on fire and burning to death. There is also the frequent mugging.
I’ll drive, pay the toll and save me and my family from having to suffer the
above.”
And from Charlie, who moved
from the Bronx to Connecticut: “I
suggest you spend a year living in New York City under current conditions,
grappling with the realities of rising crime, persistent delays in public
transportation, and the day-to-day challenges faced by working-class residents.
It’s easy to advocate for policies like
congestion pricing from the comfort of Connecticut, commuting on Metro-North
and enjoying a degree of detachment. But true insight comes from experiencing
the daily struggles firsthand.
I find it telling when
articles like this are written by those who seem to prioritize the concerns of
the wealthy under the guise of doing good, all while ignoring an entire social
class that’s left to bear the brunt of these decisions.”
What are your thoughts? We welcome your comments and story ideas at TalkingTransportationCT@gmail.com
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