[geoff's two cents]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

It really doesn't take that much money to own and operate a car. I'm still in school, live on my own, and can easily do so without parental subsidy. The amount of use I get out isn't particularly high, but operating costs over the coarse of a year are in line with what some people I know spend on restaurants and alcohol.

Point taken, and good for you. However, I still have issues with people polluting the air unnecessarily. But then, I suppose that makes me a hippie.

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

Now here's a wasteful extravagance... what kind of a toll would you charge people to go 3 blocks? $.50 ?

I'd charge the same that the GEB charges. Again, this would actually be more reasonable than the toll GEB travelers currently pay, given the fact that there are so many options for commuters heading into downtown Vancouver.

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

Could it be a lack of financial realism holding is your personal economic status back?

No, it's because I'm an academic.

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

Similarly motorcycles and scooters aren't such a ridiculous item far out of reach of the downtrodden proletariat. A new cheap motorcycle can be had for under $5K, and insured and fueled for LESS than the cost of monthly bus pass.

Wasteful extravagance is bit of an overstatement.

Don't forget repairs.

While I admit there are exceptions to every rule, I would suggest counting how many 5K and under cars you see going over the viaducts to employment centres in the CBD. My hunch is that the number of people riding motorcycles is much lower than even that.