https://www.newsweek.com/congress-tells-automakers-find-way-prevent-dui-deaths-around-10000-every-year-1647574

I guess since this involves cars it's infrastructure?  A congressional mandate to force automakers to have a means of disabling the vehicle if a person is attempting to drive drunk....by as early as 2026.

Are you kidding me?  A deadline 5 years from now and they don't even know what the technology is to be used or exactly how it should work?

A regulation that automakers figure out how to stop drunk driving.  Mindblowing, but I guess we shouldn't be surprised.

Would you support this technology if it worked flawlessly and effortlessly?

Hey, it could actually save lives!  But then I realized this is just inviting Big Brother into your car, and forces you off the road when it decides you're too tired or thinks you're texting.

Horrible idea.  Who knows what other kind of BS is in that bill.

The way to end drunk driving is for minimum sentences that result in jail time after offense #1. 

Will this stop people who have never been caught from killing someone the first time an accident happens? No. And it wont stop people who have been driving home from dinner or the bar their whole lives without issue. But it will DRASTICALLY reduce the number of repeat offenders that we have and probably scare a decent chunk away from ever doing it from the jump. 

It’s stupid and a waste of money. 

Title is ironic since the person in it acts like he's drunk 24/7.

It’d be easier to just increase the punishment for it right? Seems we’re not really interested in ending it.  

This is less about reducing drunk driving, and more about just discouraging Americans from driving.  I suspect it's part of a federal initiative to "re-imagine" transportation, which is another way of saying "we're gonna make you wish you took your bicycle or the city bus to work today".

I read where one of the big banks has a large corporate center in Columbus with something like 2000 employees and maybe 500 parking spaces - some really disparate number.  They said it was planned deliberately to strongly encourage employees to not drive their car to work, and that they will be good citizens for doing so

posted by Zunardo

This is less about reducing drunk driving, and more about just discouraging Americans from driving.

That thought crossed my mind when you consider all the other climate change initiatives.

Everyone is going to be paying a lot more for electric vehicles, and given the direction of energy prices those won't be cheaper to "fill up" than you gas guzzler today.

The other thing from the infrasugar package that stood out is $66B for Amtrak!!!!  Why not just give that money to Greyhound, instead, for electric buses?  That's what you would do, if you didn't envision a future with a lot less cars on the road (and maybe less airplanes).

posted by kizer permanente

It’d be easier to just increase the punishment for it right?  

That really is simpler and makes more sense... 

Too simple and logical for govt - that's where you guys got fooled!

Well he’s doing a good job because there currently is nowhere to get gas in Highland, Brown or Adams county 👏👏👏

posted by gut

That thought crossed my mind when you consider all the other climate change initiatives.

Everyone is going to be paying a lot more for electric vehicles, and given the direction of energy prices those won't be cheaper to "fill up" than you gas guzzler today.

The other thing from the infrasugar package that stood out is $66B for Amtrak!!!!  Why not just give that money to Greyhound, instead, for electric buses?  That's what you would do, if you didn't envision a future with a lot less cars on the road (and maybe less airplanes).

I’m all for giving money to get our train system set up like Europe. But not sure it will be used that way lol

posted by Laley23

I’m all for giving money to get our train system set up like Europe. But not sure it will be used that way lol

0% chance and most European countries have more than one option when booking trains.  Amtrak is a pile of shit. They can’t even figure out how to allow travelers to reserve their seats or have their trains leave/arrive in time. Let’s take baby steps first.

posted by gut

That thought crossed my mind when you consider all the other climate change initiatives.

Everyone is going to be paying a lot more for electric vehicles, and given the direction of energy prices those won't be cheaper to "fill up" than you gas guzzler today.

The other thing from the infrasugar package that stood out is $66B for Amtrak!!!!  Why not just give that money to Greyhound, instead, for electric buses?  That's what you would do, if you didn't envision a future with a lot less cars on the road (and maybe less airplanes).

A lot of the Amtrak funding is going to replace aging tunnels and bridges. I was at an event on Monday where the B&P tunnel in Baltimore was mentioned, a civil war era tunnel that limits the speed of trains that can move up the corridor. Replacing the tunnel is close to a billion dollar. Without replacing it, there remains a bottleneck in the corridor. 

The funds will help on the Hudson Tunnel up in NY, as well as other aging bridges that are approaching 100 years in age. 

https://www.amtrak.com/bptunnel

https://nec.amtrak.com/nec-projects-stations/

I'll also note funds in the bill are going for the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore to increase double stacking capability for CSX trains that come to and from the Port of Baltimore. The port of Baltimore is the number 1 auto port on the east coast. 

how do you ask a yes or no question in the poll, then have 3 options that are all opinion? are we all affected with MSM wet brain where we can't follow the constructs of the bullshit we are trying to spew?

posted by ptown_trojans_1

A lot of the Amtrak funding is going to replace aging tunnels and bridges. I was at an event on Monday where the B&P tunnel in Baltimore was mentioned, a civil war era tunnel that limits the speed of trains that can move up the corridor. Replacing the tunnel is close to a billion dollar. Without replacing it, there remains a bottleneck in the corridor. 

The funds will help on the Hudson Tunnel up in NY, as well as other aging bridges that are approaching 100 years in age. 

https://www.amtrak.com/bptunnel

https://nec.amtrak.com/nec-projects-stations/

I'll also note funds in the bill are going for the Howard Street Tunnel in Baltimore to increase double stacking capability for CSX trains that come to and from the Port of Baltimore. The port of Baltimore is the number 1 auto port on the east coast. 

How about a station that is actually directly in the BWI airport, instead of resorting to taking a shuttle? 

posted by ptown_trojans_1

A lot of the Amtrak funding is going to replace aging tunnels and bridges. .

None of this answers WHY we are pouring billions into dated technology and failing companies.  If the money isn't spent mothballing the crap, it's a waste.  An investment in yesterday.

Transportation of goods in the US via rail has been flat for at least 20 years.  It's something like 10% of total freight.

I'll ask again: Why are we investing in this when electric and automated trucking is the future?  The actual answer is because frickin' Amtrak is a sacred cow, like the USPS.

posted by like_that

0% chance and most European countries have more than one option when booking trains.  Amtrak is a pile of shit. They can’t even figure out how to allow travelers to reserve their seats or have their trains leave/arrive in time. Let’s take baby steps first.

Given the direction of education in the US today, I'm confident those Amtrak trains are going to be humming on time long into the future!

posted by like_that

How about a station that is actually directly in the BWI airport, instead of resorting to taking a shuttle? 

LOL. I wish. I did that once way back in the day and was like, this is a bitch to do. 

posted by gut

None of this answers WHY we are pouring billions into dated technology and failing companies.  If the money isn't spent mothballing the crap, it's a waste.  An investment in yesterday.

Transportation of goods in the US via rail has been flat for at least 20 years.  It's something like 10% of total freight.

I'll ask again: Why are we investing in this when electric and automated trucking is the future?  The actual answer is because frickin' Amtrak is a sacred cow, like the USPS.

You are mixing passenger rail and movement of goods from companies like CSX and Norfolk Southern. It is two separate things. Also, I'm, not sure we should be mothballing any of the services. If anything, we need them all. 

Amtrak has nothing to do with electric and automated trucking. You have no idea what you are talking about. So, your question is dumb. 

posted by ptown_trojans_1

You are mixing passenger rail and movement of goods from companies like CSX and Norfolk Southern. It is two separate things. Also, I'm, not sure we should be mothballing any of the services. If anything, we need them all. 

Amtrak has nothing to do with electric and automated trucking. You have no idea what you are talking about. So, your question is dumb. 

No, I knew exactly what I was doing.  The passenger argument is DOA, I was just shooting down your inevitable pivot to freight.  Because you don't appear to realize that freight and passenger trains share a lot of the same rails, so the question wasn't dumb but perhaps the reader was.  The point is EV and automated trucking will easily absorb the 10% of freight handled by trains in the future.  You really need to try thinking before you shit post.

To further illustrate how uninformed you are, Amtrak began hauling parcels decades ago to boost profitability. Do you ever bother to google before you start talking about something you have no clue on?  And, no, parcels are not separate from freight they are considered "freight"

Amtrak had 32M passengers in 2019, and with expansion for this estimate another 20M by 2035 or something.  So that's 52M passengers.

Airlines already serve over 1 billion passengers = 20X Amtrak.  I believe buses serve a similar number as Amtrak (if we exclude intercity/commute).  And I'm not going to waste my time with how many travel by car.

Like I said, this is a total waste of money in a dying mode of transportation.  Can you tell me what $66B is divided by 50M?

posted by gut

No, I knew exactly what I was doing.  The passenger argument is DOA, I was just shooting down your inevitable pivot to freight.  Because you don't appear to realize that freight and passenger trains share a lot of the same rails, so the question wasn't dumb but perhaps the reader was.  The point is EV and automated trucking will easily absorb the 10% of freight handled by trains in the future.  You really need to try thinking before you shit post.

To further illustrate how uninformed you are, Amtrak began hauling parcels decades ago to boost profitability. Do you ever bother to google before you start talking about something you have no clue on?  And, no, parcels are not separate from freight they are considered "freight"

Amtrak had 32M passengers in 2019, and with expansion for this estimate another 20M by 2035 or something.  So that's 52M passengers.

Airlines already serve over 1 billion passengers = 20X Amtrak.  I believe buses serve a similar number as Amtrak (if we exclude intercity/commute).  And I'm not going to waste my time with how many travel by car.

Like I said, this is a total waste of money in a dying mode of transportation.  Can you tell me what $66B is divided by 50M?

That is a very short sighted view of transportation. Any actual look at projecting future modes of travel and movement includes rail. To ignore it is simply limiting our own options. Look at any future DOT planning document along the east coast. 

Some of the other options you mentioned, increasing bus or trucks, in some areas, makes little sense. The roadways simply cannot handle more trucks or buses. 

Virginia did a study a few years that any additional improvements along I-95 corridor would only increase traffic flow by a few percentage points while investing that money in increasing passenger rail and improving that would increase movement even more. It makes more sense to spend money on rail in that area than buses or trucks. 

http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/projects/major_projects/i-95_study.asp

I know that does not apply to all areas, but in areas where the infrastructure is needed. along the east coast, it does. 

I admit that Amtrak does not work in many areas outside the east coast, and that money should be spent on other modes like buses and trucks as you stated/. 

how much do sponsors pay These are one of the most searched for false eyelashes, and you can discover them in the product of your choice. This kind of eyelash is extremely flexible, and you can suffice to fit your eyelid fully. To position them, you will require eyelash glue as well as an eyelash applicator, although if it is more comfy, you can utilize your fingers.

Yes

posted by Tyanchou666

how much do sponsors pay These are one of the most searched for false eyelashes, and you can discover them in the product of your choice. This kind of eyelash is extremely flexible, and you can suffice to fit your eyelid fully. To position them, you will require eyelash glue as well as an eyelash applicator, although if it is more comfy, you can utilize your fingers.

This could be the technology the automakers need.