maybe Americans should see public transportation in europe! it is great!
the subway network in berlin is awesome and here drove the first subway in the world. I often prefer subway because it is faster, less stress and no search for parking lot. in urban centers parking cost upto 1 �/h ----- Original Message ----- From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Wizard of OS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2002 3:33 PM Subject: Re: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > 2002-07-07 > > Americans are very dependant on their cars. Public transportation is very > limited, and is used mostly by the poor. As for myself, I can not imagine > using it. By any method other than my car, to go to places like, work, the > gym and shopping, would take me hours. > > I have two cars. It is needed because if one breaks down and is in need of > service, I have the other to use. I use both on a rotating basis so they > are both "exercised" regularly. They both consume about 15 $ (15 �) per > week. If we paid world prices, it would cost me 3 times more. But, I would > have to pay it and could not restrict my movements. > > I guess the government feels it would be an unnecessary burden on consumers > to make them pay so much for fuel. It would weaken the economy > tremendously. Many could not afford it. > > For the government or others to expand the public transportation system > would be considered a joke. No one would accept such a solution. People > feel there is a freedom in having one's own vehicle with cheap fuel. > > The US may not need to charge world prices for fuel, but they should charge > enough to build good roads and maintain the ones they have without having > the DOTs (Departments of transportation) in the red, meaning in debt. > > John > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Wizard of OS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, 2002-07-07 07:43 > Subject: Re: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > > > > this price is just too low! > > > > it just invites the people to waste energy! > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2002 4:27 AM > > Subject: Re: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > 2002-07-06 > > > > > > In Ohio, the amount varies with the gas station, but the average cost of > > low > > > grade is about 0.35 �, about 0.37 � for mid-grade and 0.40 � for high > > grade. > > > I know that in Europe the cost is over 1 �/L > > > > > > > > > I don't know what Diesel costs, as it isn't available at every station. > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Wizard of OS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Saturday, 2002-07-06 21:05 > > > Subject: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > > > > how much is a liter benzin? > > > > > > > > the US is the biggest energy waster! > > > > > > > > they have to increase taxes on bezin in order to make the people > realize > > > how > > > > to save energy! > > > > > > > > those money could be used for metrication! > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2002 7:06 PM > > > > Subject: [USMA:20853] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > > > > > > > 2002-07-06 > > > > > > > > > > This is a strange American attitude, that goes beyond metrication. > No > > > one > > > > > ever looks at the long term savings, just the initial start-up > costs. > > > > > > > > > > As an example: road construction and repair. Instead of charging > more > > > for > > > > > gasoline with a higher tax, the gas price is kept low. The revenue > > > > > collected for road work is insufficient to pay for constructing a > > decent > > > > > road. The government thinks they are getting off cheap with low > bids, > > > but > > > > > those low bids translate into roads that don't last through the > > winters. > > > > > So, the following summer, the same road built or repaired the summer > > > > before > > > > > now is in need of repair because it is full of pot holes. > > > > > > > > > > If you add the cost of the yearly maintenance to the original cost, > it > > > > > actually costs more, not only in money but in aggravation to the > user > > of > > > > the > > > > > road. The state road authorities usually don't have the money to > pay > > > for > > > > > all of this repair and in some cases they must constantly borrow in > > > other > > > > > cases the road is not repaired. Borrowed money must be paid back > > with > > > > > interest, the result being even less money for road repair, which in > > > turn > > > > > requires more borrowing. The cycle never ending. > > > > > > > > > > The post office is in the same mess. They are virtually bankrupt > > > because > > > > > they don't want to raise the price of postage to the same levels of > > > other > > > > > countries. For years they bragged that the American Postal system > was > > > the > > > > > best in the world because you could mail a letter across the country > > at > > > > half > > > > > the cost other countries charge to mail letters. > > > > > > > > > > It's almost as if the only reason not to raise the prices of gas and > > > > postage > > > > > is so the US can brag to the world that we can do it cheaper, thus > we > > > are > > > > > better. But, we do get what we pay for. > > > > > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > > Sent: Saturday, 2002-07-06 07:02 > > > > > Subject: [USMA:20847] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Of Pat Naughtin > > > > > > > > > > > > Whether it is true or false, it is a variation of common arguments > > put > > > > > > up against change. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >'1) cost plus on government contracts is going > > > > > > >to be a much bigger PLUS > > > > > > > > > > > > "Change costs money" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >'2) it'll hurt US manufacturing by making it easier for those > > > > > > >foreigners to sell their products here (without conversion > > > > > > >to US measurements)' > > > > > > > > > > > > "Those who have already changed will have an advantage" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > Terry Simpson > > > > > > Human Factors Consultant > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > www.connected-systems.com > > > > > > Phone: +44 7850 511794 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
