In article >,
The Real Bev > wrote:
>Bob Ward wrote:
>>
>> The Real Bev > wrote:
>>
>> >Gary V wrote:
>> >
>> >> As far as mass transit, that generally costs more to provide than
>> >> automobiles. It also doesn't necessarily go where you need to go -
>> >> ever try to bring home a dozen 2x4's from Home Depot on the bus? or 15
>> >> bags of groceries? If mass transit suddenly gained millions of riders,
>> >> there would be even less money raised through gas or mile taxes - so
>> >> now how you gonna pay for it? (Remember, fares *don't* cover
>> >> expenses.)
>> >
>> >Some fares don't even cover the cost of their collection. If that's
>> >true, doesn't it make more sense to make such transit totally free?
>>
>> No, because you would find yourself providing a hell of a lot more of
>> it.
>
>Supposedly that's a civic good -- getting people out of their cars and
>into public transportation. If that's what we as a society want, then
>we should be willing to pay for it.

If we as a society really wanted it, we'd be doing it. Instead,
self-appointed guardians of the civic good claim "we as a society"
want it, while the rest of us continue to drive and most of those
forced by circumstance or economics to ride the bus wish they had a
car.