Comments on: What costs travelers $87 billion a year and is basically unavoidable? http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-costs-travelers-87-billion-a-year-and-is-basically-unavoidable/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: AspenDew http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-costs-travelers-87-billion-a-year-and-is-basically-unavoidable/comment-page-1/#comment-21754 AspenDew Fri, 24 Jul 2009 14:43:42 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7371#comment-21754 Jasper: "In short: everybody wants more infrastructure, but nobody wants it in their neighborhood, nor does anybody want to pay." Hammer, meet the nail's head. Jasper: “In short: everybody wants more infrastructure, but nobody wants it in their neighborhood, nor does anybody want to pay.”

Hammer, meet the nail’s head.

]]> By: Jasper http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-costs-travelers-87-billion-a-year-and-is-basically-unavoidable/comment-page-1/#comment-21541 Jasper Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:25:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7371#comment-21541 I am not sure what there is to talk. The solution is clear: a lot more infrastructure, preferably transit and redevelopment of a lot of sprawl, much like in Tyson's Corner just outside of Washington, DC. The problem is that * many DOTs still think everything can be solved with more roads and only more roads; * politicians are unwilling to raise taxes to pay for the infrastructure, while ignoring the hidden waste of traffic jams; * citizens that keep re-electing previsouly mentioned politicians; and * neighborhoods that go NIMBY. In short: everybody wants more infrastructure, but nobody wants it in their neighborhood, nor does anybody want to pay. I am not sure what there is to talk. The solution is clear: a lot more infrastructure, preferably transit and redevelopment of a lot of sprawl, much like in Tyson’s Corner just outside of Washington, DC.

The problem is that
* many DOTs still think everything can be solved with more roads and only more roads;
* politicians are unwilling to raise taxes to pay for the infrastructure, while ignoring the hidden waste of traffic jams;
* citizens that keep re-electing previsouly mentioned politicians; and
* neighborhoods that go NIMBY.

In short: everybody wants more infrastructure, but nobody wants it in their neighborhood, nor does anybody want to pay.

]]> By: Bob Murphy http://www.elliott.org/blog/what-costs-travelers-87-billion-a-year-and-is-basically-unavoidable/comment-page-1/#comment-21531 Bob Murphy Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:04:53 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=7371#comment-21531 Actually, I think about this every time I encounter a major artery that's backed up because of construction during commute or business hours. I'm sure the government entities involved don't want to do the construction at night to avoid paying for lighting or shift differentials to the workers. But I would imagine the cost to society is many, many times that, when you consider wasting the time of hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of people, wasted fuel, extra wear and tear on vehicles, and extra accidents in stop-and-go traffic. This kind of cost-shifting is a common problem in modern society. The attitude of "I'm going to save money at your expense" plays out in countless ways - for instance, airlines downsizing call centers to save money, which shifts the cost to the customers by making them wait on hold. Actually, I think about this every time I encounter a major artery that’s backed up because of construction during commute or business hours.

I’m sure the government entities involved don’t want to do the construction at night to avoid paying for lighting or shift differentials to the workers. But I would imagine the cost to society is many, many times that, when you consider wasting the time of hundreds or thousands or tens of thousands of people, wasted fuel, extra wear and tear on vehicles, and extra accidents in stop-and-go traffic.

This kind of cost-shifting is a common problem in modern society. The attitude of “I’m going to save money at your expense” plays out in countless ways – for instance, airlines downsizing call centers to save money, which shifts the cost to the customers by making them wait on hold.

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