Comments on: The D Train Murder: Why Crimes on Mass Transit Scare Us So Much

By: Transit: uniter or divider? » wrkng

Transit: uniter or divider? » wrkng — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:53:19 +0000

[...] of the commenters on the Infrastructurist post put it well: I think the necessity of sharing space with strangers is what makes cities the diverse, creative, [...]

By: Deacon

Deacon — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:54:26 +0000

Travelling is a risk, no matter what form you happen to choose. It’s just that these kinds of unfortunate events on public transit, garner way more publicity because they are a dime a dozen. The press has a way of blowing things up even more with their sensationalizing reporting. Its unfortunate but how about in the same story putting up some comparative numbers concerning deaths by other means of travel.

You hardly hear anything about car wrecks other than on the traffic reports on the radio and tv. They happen so often, that covering them as they did this, would result in it pretty much being the only news you hear of all day.

People I’ve spoken to here in Dallas have a problem with public transport because there isn’t a personal space bubble for everybody on a train, unlike on the road where everybody has a steel cage, on a train 200 people share one. They also mention the areas they might have to go through whilst on the train that might see some criminals/crazies/homeless board the train. Those are the two most common reasons I’ve heard as a possible deterrent for them using Public transport.

This won’t deter a lot of people from taking public transit. A lot of people don’t have any other means either by choice or by circumstance.

By: Patrick

Patrick — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:16:06 +0000

I think the necessity of sharing space with strangers is what makes cities the diverse, creative, wealth-producing places that they are. Far from being a necessary evil, it is the most distinctive feature of urban life. The elimination of this feature was one aspect of modernist city planning, but we reject that now. So we want mass transit for the type of civic interaction it creates, not just for sustainability and practicality.

And really, you can die anywhere. Subway murderers are terrifying, but they are far more rare than deadly car accidents (as you mentioned).

By: Christopher Parker

Christopher Parker — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:48:22 +0000

There is something deep rooted and important here that is a particular phenomenon in the United States.

Just yesterday someone e-mailed me asking what were the chances that a sleeper car could be put on a particular Amtrak day train she likes to ride. Not to sleep, but so that a private room would be available with it’s own toilet. She said that riding in business class compromised her needs for privacy.

Truth is, I’ve run across the same thing in regards to shared living situations. There are some people who don’t want to share a bathroom, even at home. And don’t want someone else around at home.

There’s a divide here in living styles and I think it’s reflected in politics and land-use planning as well. It’s the nature of living together that you have to take each other into account and compromise (wear headphones). A lot of people object to that - in living as well as politics.