Month: February 2017

A girl on a mostly empty subway – looking no older than 12 at most – put a packet of tissues on a seat next to each sitting passenger, with a photocopied note: “I have no father. I have two brothers and my mother is sick. Please help.”

Then she walked around the car and collected them back into her crumpled plastic bag. No one gave her anything.

I couldn’t help it but think of the case of 60+ deaf-mute Mexicans I read about some time ago who were living in horrendous crowded conditions in Queens, and whose “masters” would force them to do the same exact thing, selling trinkets on subway, not letting them back unless they collected $100 that day.

I caught up with the girl in the doors and gave her a dollar as I was leaving the train on the next stop and wished her good luck. She said “thank you” in a small American-accented voice. I kept having all kinds of horrible abusive scenarios running through my head for the rest of the day. I hope they are all wrong.

All 14,000 NYC Taxis Could Be Replaced with 3,000 Rideshare Cars

realcleverscience:

Pros:
~3 min wait time
Pollution cut 300%
Traffic cut 300%

Cons:
You might have to share a ride
It might take an extra minute en route for other passengers
11,000 taxi drivers will be out of a job.

But considering that autonomous cars are already on their way, this might well be a glimpse into the future of public transit in urban areas.

More than 11,000, if one were to count those who service these cabs as well as medallion owners.

This is exactly the example of capitalism’s “creative destruction”.

Variables not counted here: less traffic and cheaper rides would lead to more people would forgo mass transit, meaning – more traffic, and the need for more of these autonomous cars, obviating the pros above. Whoever owns and operates them will get ever richer. Meaning, more inequality.

Furthermore, with more efficient way to reach areas currently poorly served by mass transit, there will be gentrification of areas that are currently “safe” from it.
But here, self driving cars would have to compete with licensed and unlicensed “dollar vans” which may yet remain cheaper and more efficient.

And the time to prepare for all that is now.

All 14,000 NYC Taxis Could Be Replaced with 3,000 Rideshare Cars

Just learned that my last remaining Japanese friend is moving back to Japan, along with her husband. I know they were happy here, so this was probably not their original plan.

it feels like they are simply following through with their exit strategy before the sh.t really hits the fan here.