Back from a weekend in LA seeing my tax guy and my LA son. Accompanied by by 20 year old son who has a new perspective about life (as an adult) in LA. We hit Castaic at about 5:00 PM Thursday night where we found rain and LA rush hour traffic. Three hours later we reached the motel in Torrance. It's been ten years since I did the daily rush hour commute but I remembered the drill and accepted the ordeal. My 20 year old said with amazement. "These people will be on the freeway 3 hours to get home and that is just one way. I sure don't want to live in LA."
This started me thinking. Why do people put up with this? There hasn't been a freeway built or improved in LA county since the Century started in the 70's under Governor Brown 2 and finally completed in the 80's. Meanwhile, how much money has been thrown at public transit? Why are we ashamed to drive our automobiles and to demand that a decent amount of the gas tax money actually be spent on roads? Why do we let the politicians tell us what we need and should have?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Ralph,
Next time you visit LA, please let me know. You come to my house and we will tip a few.
Re roads, it is amazing how disfunctional LA is. Mass transit will never work here. Best approach is decentralized business with neighboring residential areas. Plus good roads. LA is the world's biggest exurb.
When I first came to LA in the 70's, the great idea was that LA needed a downtown. Thirty years later - still no downtown but a great bottleneck neverthless. I will keep your invitation in mind next time I get to LA.
RC-
I wouldn't leave permanently for any sum of capital. I was born in LA, and, I'll die here.
I've been all over the nation, and still I yearn to come home to the 91 and 405. It may be confused, mis-managed, and congested; but it's not the east coast.
I'm satisfied. Happy driving two hours to move eight miles. It's LA. Deal with it.
Postscript. By living in Los Angeles County, you, financially speaking, can live anywhere in the nation.
Think positive.
NC
Hey NC. You are one sick puppy -- and I ought to know.
Seriously NC. What I am saying is that there is no reason why LA has to be so congested. Instead of divertina the road money to public transportation, actually spend if on increasing the capacity of the freeways. Why isn't there a revolt of the taxpayers regarding freeway congestion. Instead people accept the gradual degradation as inevitable.
Post a Comment