The ugly truth (for public transit zealots like the parent poster) is that there is no amount of investment that can make a person with the ability to afford a car willingly choose public transit, unless they live and work in a place with extremely high population density.
They keep ranting about how cars are a luxury, and they are right, but basically want to change human nature to suit their preferences IMO.
I know plenty of people who choose transit even though they own a car.
My in-laws live in Rotterdam, and cycle and transit for most day to day stuff. But they also own and use a car, when appropriate (they do have big box stores and suburbs in - gasp - bike crazy Rotterdam).
People will use transit if it is pleasant, fast, and affordable. When I lived in Vancouver, you would be nuts to commute by car if there was a train line near you. It was cheaper and faster to take transit, especially during the working hours.
But as you stated, most people who can afford a car do end up with one, even if it isn't their primary mode of transit.
I don't think so, but partially because the person I responded to is off the charts in the anti-car direction.
> I know plenty of people who choose transit even though they own a car.
Most people choose what makes sense for them, myself included. I drive most of the time, but have no problem taking public transit when it makes sense.
> People will use transit if it is pleasant, fast, and affordable. When I lived in Vancouver, you would be nuts to commute by car if there was a train line near you. It was cheaper and faster to take transit, especially during the working hours.
The issue is that there are very few places where it's cheaper and faster to take public transit.
The solutions most transit advocates come up with involve kneecapping car usage so public transit can compete or insisting people live at density levels most find unacceptable, neither of which are practically feasible.
But also:
> Most people choose what makes sense for them, myself included. I drive most of the time, but have no problem taking public transit when it makes sense.
I apologize for taking your word as literal. The first quote is what I was really responding to.
There is a middle ground, it just sounded like you didn't know it existed.