<story><title>Open Letter to a Car-Addicted City (2014)</title><url>http://www.planetizen.com/node/72068/open-letter-car-addicted-city</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>bgirard</author><text>I recall in ~2009 my university (UWaterloo) had a referendum to increase tuition by $50&amp;#x2F;term (now $80&amp;#x2F;term) to increase city bus routes to the university and provide free service to students using your student card. I voted against it because I could easily carpool and was against another mandatory fee.&lt;p&gt;The vote was fairly controversial and passed by a narrow margin. But since the service was improved to every 15 minutes and I was already paying for it I started using the service and shortly stopped driving to school altogether.&lt;p&gt;By the time I graduated I really loved the system since it really improved my commute and really regretted voting against it. I just checked and now the approval is at 94% for the UPass.</text></comment>
<story><title>Open Letter to a Car-Addicted City (2014)</title><url>http://www.planetizen.com/node/72068/open-letter-car-addicted-city</url></story><parent_chain></parent_chain><comment><author>wildmusings</author><text>A car gives you privacy and freedom that trains and buses cannot. It&amp;#x27;s your space that you control; you&amp;#x27;re not forced to share it with strangers. You control the music, the temperature, and the route you take. You talk on the phone about whatever you want without worrying about being overheard. You can fill your trunk with a cart-full of groceries and drive it home. When you want to get somewhere, you can immediately get on your way. No train schedules, and no late buses. You drive home every day to your reasonably priced house, an appreciating asset that you own and that comfortably fits you, your spouse, and children.&lt;p&gt;There&amp;#x27;s a reason why even in dense cities with great public transit and walkable neighborhoods, the rich choose to be driven everywhere.</text></comment>