“or McDonnell’s plan to take $500 million from state education aid and further shift the education burden to county real estate taxes.”

Can you direct me to the part of McDonnell’s plan that takes money from education and give to transportation? I have searched and the only references seem to come from the Deeds campaign and friends. So please let me know where it is in Bob McDonnell’s plan?

OK Harry, it’s called planning, and that’s wonderful, however, how about some “short-term planning” as well, e.g., for the next 20 - 30 years while we’re waiting on that metro planning to materialize, if it ever does.

We just can’t seem to build/expand roads fast enough…and for the short-term, it seems to me that as Rich Anderson has proposed, expanded and improved VRE service, as well as expanded bus service would be an excellent step.

I know that Paul Nichols favors metro…and that may work in the long term but it won’t do squat for us in the short term.

Oh, and Harry, I wouldn’t rely on Gerry Connolly, Nov 2010 will be here before you know it…he simply doesn’t have enough time left to work the metro deal!

I admire you for befriending a Democrat. Everyone should try.

Off thread, more of the usual.

I’ve known many people who biked 40 miles R/T to and from work, almost all year long. If the infrastructure supported it, there would be many more. Not everyone in the work force is a lard ass or has burnt out their lungs on cancer sticks.

I can’t believe we beat Obama to the punch with that one. ACORN could have registered millions with a platform like that.

Actually computer driven cars were demonstrated in Italy back in 1994.

The technology isn’t the problem. (And don’t worry about the infrastructure changes — any viable system must be able to operate without infrastructure changes. No guide ways, transponders etc.)

The problem is liability. If a vehicle crashes who is to blame? The computer? The owner?

The manufacturer needs indemnification against lawsuits before computer driven vehicles will move forward.

I won’t address the rest of your post as you’ve headed off into the weeds of wishful thinking.

Do you work from home? Do you use your bicycle year around as your primary form of transportation (or use it to eliminate trips in your car, ie non recreational use?)

I suspect you do neither.

Actually, we should start planning for the demise of cars and transportation as we know it today. Computer driven vehicles are an interesting solution; however, I suspect they are a ways off. The infrastructure changes to support such a concept are probably in the 20-30 (or longer) year range. Frankly, I would rather see a migration to simpler, environmentally friendly solutions. With the population’s recognition of climate issues, diminishing resources, the rising price of feul, and more folks on the highway, I would suggest the bike idea is both fiscally and practically quite achievable in a very short period.

Why, with today’s communications technology, do we have to all drive to the same place to do our jobs? This town isn’t about building things, it’s about ideas. Re-engineering our approach to work to do away with the need to collect in one place is a more practical solution. I’m guessing that it will take Generation “Y” to pull that off (as cultural issues tend to get in the way for boomers and Generation “X” is already history.)

That’s not the best part! Here it is …….. the illegal who hired the other illegals also got them security clearances!
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=325512

Denying reality and wishing for unicorns isn’t going to usher in any sort of useful future.

The best bet we have for solving transportation issues is technology and, surprisingly, legislation.

Converting freeways over to limited access roads for computer driven vehicles will allow much denser traffic and higher speeds. This can only happen if legislation is passed to deal with the attendant liability issues.

I own cars, a motorcycle, a scooter and a few bicycles. The general public does not wish to make the lifestyle changes necessary to permit use of powered or unpowered bikes in a non-recreational setting. At best you may be able to social engineer a few of them into it, but our civil planning and current infrastructure reinforce the cultural status of the automobile.