Re: Daytime running light popularity

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> writes:

On 11/9/2024 2:38 PM, Roger Merriman wrote:

Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

There is zero passenger train service here. We once took Amtrak
home
from Oregon. At that time, we were able to get off in the center of
Youngstown, but that's not been true for many, many years.
Interestingly, our bikes couldn't be unloaded here. We had to later
drive to Pittsburgh to fetch them.

I’m guessing bikes in a guard van or something?

>
At that time (at least) Amtrak required fitting the bikes into boxes,
which involved a bit of work, given that we had full camping
loads. And yes, they were in a separate baggage car that we couldn't
access when we departed the train.

I used Amtrak for one leg of bike trip in 2021.  We put the bikes in a
dedicated area of a car at the rear of the train.  I think they might
have hung from hooks, but can't really remember.

We were able to get to them when underway, to stash or retrieve stuff.
We had been warned that if too many people showed up and wanted to move
bicycles that there might not be room, there was no reservation or extra
charge for bicycles.

In the event the train was close to empty, with plenty of space for
bicycles.  The covid excitement was still a factor, I don't know how
big.

Most of the suburban rail
and even intercity rail are places one can put a bike, one down to Wales is
remarkably awkward with hooks to hang the bike off! But it’s definitely an
outlier!

>
We've used bikes plus trains many times in Europe, with bikes hanging
on hooks. But this is the U.S.
>

Here, nothing but car use makes sense, unless trips are very short or a
person is very dedicated to another choice. Essentially the entire
nation is that way.
>
Wishing and talking about "political will" won't change that in the
foreseeable future.
>

None of these things are fixed, after all one of the things about
urban/suburban areas is the fairly dramatic changes that can happen, ie
homes get rebuilt or even entire areas.
It absolutely can be changed and is some changes in American cities
with
freeway removals, into other uses.

>
Sure, the very foundation of American culture _can_ be changed...
>
I'd love to see your strategy, with timelines.

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