Why shouldn’t people say that? We have a long list of other examples of bad transport investments, transport projects that cost for more than they will benefit society and so on. Show that this investment isn’t a waste of money and I might be interested, but all I see is people who see transit as a way to shovel money their union and consultant donors. Clean up the our side of politics first.
“WHY SHOULD I BE PAYING TAXES FOR STUFF THAT I DONT USE”.
I’m on a citizen’s advisory committee for a county’s planning and development board… this can be answered rather easily in a way most posing the question haven’t even considered. Approach the person like this:
“So, you’ll never use this thing, you like driving, but I’ll bet you don’t like traffic… every single solitary person riding on that new bus/light rail line, cycling on those new bike lanes, and walking on those new sidewalks is another car you’re not going to be stuck behind in traffic. You personally come out ahead in this as well!”
Usually, they’ve never considered that traffic calming and alternative transport modes actually IS infrastructure from which motorists benefit. It’s true that private vehicles aren’t efficient as a means of mass transit, but they are convenient… it’s the convenience factor where you can get car-brained folks to have a change of heart. The more you can emphasize that these improvements to other modes can make driving even slightly more convenient, the more they’ll get on board with spending on them. Remember, these folks are already used to telling each other “I don’t mind all the construction, that extra lane on that highway is needed.” Half the time, this line of reasoning gets them on board or, at the very least, to stop outright opposing improvements.
Wouldn’t it be nice if this was people attitude and not “WHY SHOULD I BE PAYING TAXES FOR STUFF THAT I DONT USE”.
Why shouldn’t people say that? We have a long list of other examples of bad transport investments, transport projects that cost for more than they will benefit society and so on. Show that this investment isn’t a waste of money and I might be interested, but all I see is people who see transit as a way to shovel money their union and consultant donors. Clean up the our side of politics first.
I’m on a citizen’s advisory committee for a county’s planning and development board… this can be answered rather easily in a way most posing the question haven’t even considered. Approach the person like this: “So, you’ll never use this thing, you like driving, but I’ll bet you don’t like traffic… every single solitary person riding on that new bus/light rail line, cycling on those new bike lanes, and walking on those new sidewalks is another car you’re not going to be stuck behind in traffic. You personally come out ahead in this as well!”
Usually, they’ve never considered that traffic calming and alternative transport modes actually IS infrastructure from which motorists benefit. It’s true that private vehicles aren’t efficient as a means of mass transit, but they are convenient… it’s the convenience factor where you can get car-brained folks to have a change of heart. The more you can emphasize that these improvements to other modes can make driving even slightly more convenient, the more they’ll get on board with spending on them. Remember, these folks are already used to telling each other “I don’t mind all the construction, that extra lane on that highway is needed.” Half the time, this line of reasoning gets them on board or, at the very least, to stop outright opposing improvements.
America, the land of “i got mine”