Los Angele-‘No’s
‘The train is now approaching, please beware of the closing doors.’
Beep. Beep. Beep.
A breeze of cool air flows through your navy blue suit, giving a slight hint of reassurance that you won't melt before you leave the station.
Left…
Right...
Mind the gap...
And squeeze into that cramped, hollow tube we call a subway.
That sounds pretty awful doesn’t it? You waste 10 minutes waiting for a train in a poorly ventilated underground station. Then you squeeze into a metal tube that will hopefully transport you to the right destination and will usually not be pleasant.
If you’re an Angelino, there’s a good chance you either hate every aspect of that description or love it. I happen to be one of those unusual people who would prefer a longer commute to work if I do not have to be engaged in driving.
I like to think that it’s about time that we as a people put pressure on our lawmakers, as well as ourselves to make better choices for the long term. The United States doesn’t even make the cut for top 10 nationwide infrastructures. Yet, we are the biggest economy and arguably the most advanced country in the world.
If we really want to say ‘No’ to Carmageddon twice a day, we have to be ready to sacrifice. That might mean carpooling (or UberPooling) more often and sacrificing some lanes on the freeway to cleaner public transport (which is slowly starting to happen). It might make traffic slightly worse for a few years, but greatness rarely comes without sacrifice.
“Save me Oprah.. Help me, Jesus! Help me, Jewish God! Help me, Allah! Aah! Help me, Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise, use your witchcraft on me.”
Wise words from a decent man...
Ricky Bobby may not have been the brightest man, but he sure as hell knew that we needed some saving. He always talked about “go[ing] fast,” which is something most Americans can relate to (McKay & Ferrell, 2008). Everything we do nowadays has to be faster, of higher quality, and generally better.
Movies take 30 minutes to download? Delivery isn’t here in twenty minutes? Waiting more than five minutes for that Uber. Unacceptable.
Isn’t that Funny?
Twenty years ago we would have been happy to have cell service in the few places that mattered most. We were content waiting longer for mail and other general services.
You might be thinking ‘I could literally care less, that was like forever ago.’ While that’s true, I’m glad that Americans expect so much as consumers. It prompts people like Tony Stark, I mean Elon Musk, to think of solutions that speak to the Ricky Bobby in each of us.
“I wanna go fast.” LA to SF in 45 minutes? That’s what Elon Musk’s theoretical Hyperloop could do. Now, after some engineers and scientists gave some feedback, the max speed probably hovers closer to 500 mph. The fastest bullet train is in use in China and reaches just over 302 mph. That would still mean LA to SF in an hour and LA to NY in about 5 and some change. It could be as quick or quicker than flight, while also being much cleaner and much more affordable.
The Pluses
The reason Hyperloop is truly such a big deal is that it would allow for more fluid transportation within the United States. If Hyperloop were able to save people money and time (if you include all the processing time at airports), we would theoretically be adding more value to the economy. People would be willing to travel more (granted, if the fare was affordable). We would have a better-traveled population and a more efficient and clean form of transport for: people, goods, and natural resources.
I forgot to mention that Hyperloop has the potential to be emission free. Solar panels covering the top of the tracks would power the train and help us cut down emissions as a nation.
If it isn’t bad enough that we have the worst traffic in the country (Gorzelani, 2015), Los Angeles also has the most air pollution in the country (State of the Air). That being said, 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions result from transportation (Greenhouse Gas Emissions).
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA ranked:
· #1 in Ozone levels
· #3 in Year Round Particle Pollution
· #4 in Short-Term Particle Pollution
If you want change, you have to be the change. Even if you are a total pessimist and have a lack of faith in people or society, we are on the cusp of the change. The only ingredient missing is the people who are demanding a more rapid change. We, the people, are not here to watch. We are here to play ball with the big boys. Lets start a campaign to create and invest in US infrastructure. Hell, we did it for gay marriage and civil rights.
Don’t Believe Me Just Watch
Some design firms already have ideas for what the Hyperloop would look like. Check out Argo Design’s take on Hyperloop. What’s most important is that most of the regulation prohibiting the construction and implementation of innovative technologies stem from an incompetent bureaucracy. Let’s rally the troops, and be more involved.
Don’t believe me? Take it from an urban design legend, Charles Montgomery:
“Aside from the financial burden, people who endure long drives tend to experience higher blood pressure and more headaches than those with short commutes. They get frustrated more easily and tend to be grumpier when they get to their destination.”
– Charles Montgomery, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design
Investing in infrastructure isn’t only about our happiness on the road. It’s about our overall happiness and the happiness of our society. Some people spend upwards of 10% (2.4 hours) of their day LOST on the road, which seems crazy to me. Lets make that 2.4 hours GAINED on a bus or train that has fewer emissions. Catch up on TV (or sleep), Facetime with family, or get some work done while a personal (sort-of) driver takes you to your destination. So get ready, learn a little bit more, and be prepared to help prioritize policy by electing officials who plan for the long term and passing resolutions that do the same.
References
Columbia Pictures., McKay, A., Ferrell, W., Bibb, L., Baron Cohen, S., Reilly, J. C., . . . Mosaic Media Group (Firm). (2008). Talladega nights: The ballad of Ricky Bobby (Widescreen ed.). Culver City, Calif.: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Gorzelany, J. (2015, March 31). Cities With the Worst Rush-Hour Traffic. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2015/03/31/cities-with-the-worst-rush-hour-traffic/
Hyperloop: Concept Design for Elon Musk’s Hyperloop. (n.d.). Retrieved from: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/3788438/argodesign/HyperLoop/argoHyperloop_cw10.pdf
Most Polluted Cities - State of the Air 2014. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.stateoftheair.org/2014/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/?referrer=http://www.stateoftheair.org/2014/city-rankings/most-polluted-cities.html
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