9 years ago
8
The Tiny Town Where Almost No One Owns a Car and Everyone Takes Taxis
Private automobiles are prohibitively expensive in Bethel, Alaska, and so is gas. Public transit is nonexistent.
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http://www.theatlantic.com
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This is madness. I want to move to Alaska but this is a scary thought. Though I know the towns I want to live in are nothing like this. Just shows how different things are for Alaskans though. Its like a whole different world up there sometimes.
WHY do they not develop a proper public transport system?! Fear of socialism or something? It's like everyone is hellbent on not sharing, so they all pay through the nose for taxis instead.
I'm Canadian, and (to be quite honest) that's exactly what "the American way" appears to be sometimes.
Many Americans also seem okay with things like skyrocketing healthcare costs because the alternative of a tax-funded, single-payer system would mean that their deadbeat neighbor would be guaranteed the same basic inclusive coverage that they have. The same mentality seems to apply here - why would those that can pay be subsidizing those that can't?
If the infrastructure can support that many cabs, then it can support people owning their own cars as well. Sure they will be more expensive, but that's the price you pay for living in the middle of the freaking tundra. Just save up what you get from your APF check and get a car.
Odd they didn't mention bikes in the article. Even with the rough roads, biking would be perfect for this are. Might even make sense to grade out bike paths along side roads. Since they would do less damage than a car, they would last far longer.
Winter.
I understand Winter, but it's not Winter all year round. There's plenty of summer as well. Hell, Alaska was hotter than Arizona this year. Bikes are a perfectly valid means for transportation- especially since cars cost so much.
Of course bikes probably wouldn't be a great idea for winter months, but there are other vehicles (3-wheelers, snowboards, etc) which may be better suited.
There are winter bikes.
Riding a bike in the Alaskan winter would be pretty damn hardcore. I'm not surprised people aren't choosing that as their primary mode of transportation.