Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with transportation

Cost of a car

josher71 — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:51:07 -0800

How do I calculate if getting a car is worth it? Moving from NYC, I haven't had a car in many years. However, now that I'm in Baltimore it seems that many jobs are out in places where you need a car to reach. Having never, bought, leased, cared for, or had anything to do with a car ever in my life, how much money should I expect this to cost me yearly if I go the lowest cost route possible? Currently, I've got about 200 dollars a month to put towards anything car related.

I'm trying to figure out when comparing salaries what makes sense. For example I might only be able to find a job that pays 30k in the city, but there is job for 35k somewhere I could drive to. However, having a car costs 7k a year so I'd actually be losing money taking the job.

Who or what killed the railroad?

birdwatcher — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:20:50 -0800

Why don't we have a great railroad system in this country? Watching the National Park series on PBS reminded me that the railroad barons of the late 19th and early 20th century had a firm grip on the economic reins in this country. Enough hold to push the railroads into all the major national parks and cities in North America. Enough hold to influence legislation that was attempting to protect the natural treasures. It would seem given the headstart the railroads enjoyed and the incredible power they once wielded that America should have a better railroad infrastructure than it has now. Obviously, the automobile became America's mode of transportation but what killed the railroads? Was it simply Americans choosing cars over trains? Or the auto industry out-lobbying the railroads? Point me to some answers or recommend a good book on this subject. Thanks.

moving my mac

cazoo — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:18:26 -0800

Carrying solutions for an imac? I need to bring my 24" imac into the Apple store for a repair. I live in NYC and the Apple store is in walking distance of only a few blocks. What would be the best means of transporting my computer?

I've seen a few nylon carry cases online specifically made for the imac but at a pretty steep price. (over $150)

Does anyone have a more cost efficient and safer idea of transport? Would a luggage cart be a good option? They seem liable to tip over.

The fast and/or the easy.

Goofyy — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 00:22:09 -0800

TransitFilter: Lewes, UK (by Brighton) to Heathrow Terminal 5. Arrival 6pm tonight (Friday). Options? NationalRail's website says take the train to Victoria Station, then tubes to Paddington, then the Heathrow Express, total 2hrs ~20minutes. The other half hates taking luggage on the tubes, especially during rush hour. Taxi from Victoria to Paddington sounds stupid at that hour.

Options available include car. Question is, what's the perfect balance between comfort/ease and travel time? Occurs to me that it might be best to go some place like Woking, for example, then catch the bus (40 minutes from there to Heathrow).

Concern is that traffic will be heavy and slow, maybe worse than usual, as the weekend is looking pleasant. Sadly, National Rail doesn't seem to have a map showing intersecting lines, so figuring out clever combinations seems impossible without the knowledge of what goes where. Car all the way is possible. Thanks!

What kind of zippy bike to get?

readymade — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:58:29 -0800

What bike to get? Indulge me, oh mighty bike warriors. Road, cyclocross, touring, zippy. I've done my best to make a responsible bike purchase, one that recognized my needs/desires/limitations. I wanted slow and steady, reliable, reasonable, maybe even cute. I'm tiny: 4'11" which has been a huge hurdle in finding a good bike as well: still no bike after patient searching over the last year-and-a-half.

Tired of whinging I went to a bike shop two days ago and tried the polar opposite of these bikes to mix it up:Trek 1.5. And I hauled ass up this hill that would have murdered me on any of my Dutch-commuter-hybrid tests. I was shocked, liberated. Wowed. All of the sudden hills didn't seem like something to avoid, they seemed like mere pimples I was empowered to leap. I wanted one.

I can afford one too, not fancy, but good: $1500. But I know it's not practical to use a road bike in the city for a daily bike. I still want an awesome bike, but one with fenders (light ones--gotta keep the speed!) and a small rack (I'm a realist after all). I tested the Surly Long Haul Trucker and have been dreaming about the Buena Vista Soma Mixte but maybe there are some good options I don't know about? (Remember, little person here--difficult to fit). Custom? Jamis?

I want to go fast. But I need just a wee tad of practicality too.

What's a stranded girl to do?

miss_scarlett — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 08:44:06 -0800

Albertan, in Ontario for a family get together in Durham- I long to visit friends for a day in Toronto - So far I have a way INTO To., early Wednesday morning...getting BACK to Durham is the problem. The other hitch is, I will be getting into To. at around 5am...what on earth can I do to pass the time between then and say...brunch with friends at a reasonable hour? So, my question is two fold:

a) Any suggestions on Transportation from toronto, ontario to Durham, Ontario on a Wednesday afternoon/evening

and

b) Any suggestions on way to pass the time on a Wednesday, in Toronto, from 5am until say...10am?

Thanks MeFites!

If only I could bike at my desk...

Inspector.Gadget — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:52:59 -0800

Where can I pick up strenuous physical labor in DC on an occasional, volunteer, or (extremely) part-time basis? The academic year is about to pick up again and I know by the second week of class I'm going to feel like a slug. The last two weeks or so I've been hobbling around on several broken toes and unable to run or bike seriously, so the cabin fever is starting even earlier than usual. I'm looking for something I can do a few hours a week on an inconsistent schedule, with emphasis on weekends: if it's paid, great, but I'd also be interested in work for a suitable nonprofit. I don't think I can commit enough time to do Habitat for Humanity. Here's the sort of stuff I'm looking for, and it'd be even better if this was stuff I was doing by myself:

Splitting wood
Stacking/moving heavy things
Load truck with heavy stuff, drive 15 mins to place, unload truck
Break down pallets or similar wood frames
Help a bricklayer
Warehouse work
etc.

Thanks in advance. N.B.: I am not interested in anything that has me within 50 feet of stuffing envelopes or any other sort of office work.

Please help me find the make/model I want, so I can focus on the next steps. Thanks!

iamkimiam — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:56:05 -0800

I need to buy a new, used or certified used car real quickly. I could use some help deciding on a make and model that meets some specific criteria. I have ~$4000 I could put down on either a brand new or certified used car (not to exceed $25k). I could manage about $6000 for a direct-from-seller used car.

I want something fuel efficient and/or hybrid, but I am not currently not keen on buying a hybrid from a individual seller (hybrids are more expensive and if I am going to invest in one for environmental and economic reasons, I would prefer the extra up-front cost to count toward the public financial record of support of this type of innovation – an individual seller has already paid for the car and I might as well buy a fuel-efficient used car for less from them).
It'd be great if I could put >$4k down on a car that is also less than ~$12k. That's a most comfortable loan amount for me.
The newer the better.
I would prefer a hybrid.
Must be able to transport bikes and surfboards (shortboards inside with seats folded down) and longboards (at least three) up top. Cars like Prius's are NOT designed for this...curved roof and significant drag make it not practical.
The smaller the better. I like finding parking and not being a big bohemoth on the road.
Good track record, reliable. I tend to sell cars when I suspect they are going to start causing problems a year or two down the road, and so I don't want to take on something with a short life span, known problems, or high repair cost.

I currently have a Mazda Protege5 wagon, which is a pretty great all around car, minus the fact that mine is almost done for, its no longer made, and the gas mileage is 'meh'. I used to have a Mini Cooper, but that thing was too small.

Any suggestions, both car-wise and perspective-wise?

How do I get from Paris to Innsbruck?

iguanapolitico — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 07:54:58 -0800

How do I get from Paris to Innsbruck? Traveling to France and Austria later this month. We need to get from Paris to Innsbruck on a Thursday. My traveling companion and I are having trouble finding airfare that even approaches "reasonably priced" ($1100 one-way, $450 round-trip). She has made this trip before and didn't pay those kinds of fares, but the dollar *is* in the toilet.

So we're looking at rail. We're kind of having trouble finding a definitive answer on whether we need to book this now or if we can get a ticket on our day of travel. Some MeFites must be familiar with European rail travel, hopefully specifically from Paris to Innsbruck. Any specific advice you can offer? Thanks.

Surprise?

aclevername — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:06:57 -0800

How can I get my mother from Pearson (Toronto) airport area to Barrie, Ontario on a Saturday? Two catches -- neither of us drives, and she's not actually flying in or out of the airport. I'm trying to plan a surprise for my mother. It involves us both going to see a show in Mississauga, near the airport area. I could fly myself there, rent us both a hotel, get tickets, etc. Getting her there is straight forward too. Greyhound seems to have a bus that goes from Barrie to Pearson on the Friday, but no bus in the other direction to go home on the Saturday.

I know there's an airport shuttle service from Pearson to Barrie, but she's not actually flying, and they require a flight number and arrival time, so I don't think that would work.

Any ideas?

good research materials on the subject of electric cars, 3d modeling and/or entrepreneurship?

groovinkim — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:40:29 -0800

good research materials on the subject of electric cars, 3d modeling and/or entrepreneurship? my boyfriend is the son of a mechanic and dreams of starting his own electric car company (not for the everyday consumer, more like higher end sports cars). he does a lot of online research. he's very intelligent and relatively knowledgeable about cars, engineering, etc. when he gets that dreamy look in his eye and starts rambling about the technical specifics i usually don't understand a word he says. his feelings were hurt initially because i was skeptical about the project. he has viable ideas, but he's more of an archetype of a creative genius/professor than a pragmatic businessman. but i do think that his business has potential.

his birthday's coming up relatively soon, and i'd like to help him by getting him some books and magazines on related subjects.

some things i can think of that i could possibly get him reading materials about:

- electric cars in general. manufacturing processes, the market overall, engineering of them, etc.

- 3d modeling. he's mentioned that he plans on acquiring dual lcd monitors, a 3d scanner and whatever else he needs to make clay models. i don't want to buy him any of that stuff (not that i could afford it anyway) because i'm sure he's very specific in what he wants/doesn't want and probably already has his software of choice picked out. but if there are good books or magazines for a beginner, that could be useful.

i'd much rather have him rent or share a workstation somewhere here in seattle than invest a bunch of money in equipment, but he's weirdly paranoid about using public workstations and the slight possibility of his designs getting disseminated without his knowledge. i really doubt that would happen but haven't been able to successfully talk him out of his paranoia. i'd really like to find local people doing it that would be willing to talk to him about it so he doesn't accidentally buy something crappy, but if there's a consumer reports type magazine that covers related products that could potentially help.

- starting a business, specifically the economic aspects (licensing, getting funding, attracting investors, patent laws and copyright laws, etc.) i do sales/marketing for a voip company currently. although it's not my passion in life and i plan on switching careers, i think i can help advise him on marketing, networking and related topics. but i know nothing about starting a business... i've always worked for other people's small/midsize companies.

also, if anyone happens to know about related college or non-credit programs in seattle, that'd be of interest too. he's currently a programmer making a good living but he never finished his bachelor's. he preferred teaching himself. although he's generally good at self-education, i really feel like it'd be helpful for him to get hands-on experience with 3d modelling, advice from someone knowledgeable on the subject etc. while i don't think you need a degree in business to start one, i've also seen several friends start small businesses that were great ideas that failed miserably. my outside opinion is that they failed in part due to lack of sufficent research/knowledge.

i also feel the need to include a rambling offtopic paragraph about how i <3 metafilter. i work full time and go to school full time so i don't have much time to spend here, but it inspires me that there are still little pockets online where intelligent people communicate in a usually-respectful way. i'm sad that there was no seattle meetup and i didn't have time to organize one myself.

two stroke or 4

kanemano — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 17:55:15 -0800

I m looking to buy a used scooter, I've looked all over and have not found a definite answer, which is better, 4 stroke or 2?

Visiting the City by the Bay

wintermute2_0 — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:05:49 -0800

Where should I stay in San Francisco and how well can I get around without a car? I'm travelling to San Francisco in late September and I'm wondering if anyone has tips on reasonably nice hotels that are close to a BART station in a centrally located portion of SF. I use a wheelchair and won't have access to a car (unless I use a taxi). My budget is about $200/night.

I was in SF about 12 years ago and saw a bit of the Wharf, Golden Gate Park, and Haight-Ashbury. Will I be able to see other parts of the city using public transportation? Can I get to places like Marin County?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

15 cars and 15 restless riders

nayrb5 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 21:19:40 -0800

[Chicagofilter] Is it possible to search for businesses near an entire El line, rather than just an individual stop?

Concert, but no car...

puckish — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:42:18 -0800

Quick and dirty ways to get from Ithaca to Watkins Glen? Any secret bus routes we don't know of? Local carshare websites? (We tried the Cornell site with no luck). At this point, all internet options seem to be largely exhausted. Any great ideas for how to make the last leg of this trip?

Magic Bus or not so much?

Freedomboy — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 08:26:17 -0800

How easy or hard is it to travel from London to Edinburgh on either train or bus when compared to a quick flight as an option? Is the experience worth the time and how does the cost versus hassle play out?

Marin Car Rentals Accessible Via San Francisco Public Transport

justcorbly — Wed, 20 May 2009 12:55:12 -0800

I'm thinking of flying into San Francisco (SFO), renting a car, driving up the coast, and flying home from Portland. I'll spend a few days in the city before heading north. I want to avoid renting the car either at the airport or in the city. (This is a fun trip. Driving in San Francisco is never fun for me.) I've rented before from a small Hertz shop within walking distance of the ferry landing in Sausalito. Are there other rental car shops within equally easy reach from public transportation or a cab from the city into Marin?

Would a tire that is losing pressure rapidly be safer on the front or back of the car?

Malice — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:10:33 -0800

I have a tire that keeps losing pressure rapidly. In a car with front wheel drive, would it be safer to have the tire on the front, or the back? At least until the tire can be replaced. How would this effect (or not effect) the car?

San Diego-filter

answergrape — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:37:42 -0800

We're setting sail from San Diego on May 25 for a cruise, but we have two days in San Diego beforehand. How can we work the transportation to Sea World and the wild animal park before our cruise while not being stuck going all the way back to the airport for a rental car? Is there a better area to stay or a better way to arrange transportation to support this?

I've got no car, but it's not breaking my heart

TheSecretDecoderRing — Sun, 10 May 2009 20:16:30 -0800

Non-drivers of the world, unite... by foot, bus, or bike. I'm not proud of being a non-driver at my age, but I've never really felt the need to learn, and do fine with walking and public transportation... and the whole environmental trend is a bonus. But does anyone else get a lot of grief for being a grown non-driver? And how do you manage to get by (literally and figuratively)? Do you plan on learning anytime soon? What are your reasons for not doing so (Laziness? Lack of necessity? Fear of traffic?) And I find that as scary as some drivers can be while I'm walking around, I can't imagine driving among them. Plus there's all the headache of getting a car, and insurance. And I guess there's a difference between knowing how to drive and not driving, and just not knowing.

I have to admit I felt better about this when I heard that even Neal Conan (of NPR's Talk of the Nation) pointed that that he and a guest were non-drivers. So... Anyone else?

Please help us get to longwood to visit friends!

Nanukthedog — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:42:57 -0800

Anyone have any tips on taking public transportation with an infant? Bonus for Boston-centric and the T-based green line? Do we strap in the car seat? Do we just hold it or set it down? Should we go for any special seats? Tips tips tips?

How to get a chihuahua from point A to point B?

msali — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:20:20 -0800

What experiences do you have with having a pet shipped/transported? This question specifically concerns an eight pound chihuahua who will be traveling on her own. I need to have a chihuahua shipped from Madison, WI to Chapel Hill, NC, and I am not sure how to make this happen.
My sister's beloved pup currently resides in Madison, while my sister is living with me in NC. She misses her dog something fierce, and really wants to bring her here. I posted a query on craigslist to see if anyone happened to be roadtripping, and would be willing to bring her down in her pet carrier, but so far, no bites.
Does anyone here have any experience with any of the myriad pet shipment/transportation services? Some of them seem shady, which ones are legitimate? What sort of costs are we looking at?
Thanks so much in advance.

In what percentage of large passenger jet crashes are there any survivors? And on those occasions, what is the average survival rate?

Joe Beese — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 18:03:49 -0800

In what percentage of large passenger jet crashes are there any survivors? And on those occasions, what is the average survival rate?

alternatives to twice a day taxi rides for medical care?

dpx.mfx — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:17:20 -0800

A family member currently needs intravenous shots twice a day. Her insurance company won't pay for a nurse to come give her the shots. Are there other services that will do this? She has a pic line; apparently she can't just give herself the medication. She's been told that she does not have home health care coverage and that it would be $120/day to have a nurse come from the doctor's office to do it. She's retired, and has Aetna health insurance and Medicare.

Right now, the family is setting up a rotation and getting her there twice a day, seven days a week. But is there some other kind of service that would be able to do this? A non profit? A private nurse who might do it for $200/week? (I gather it's a very quick procedure -- a shot, not a big bag of stuff.) She can't drive -- what do people do who can't drive and don't have families who can provide for this??

Employees are like Rail-cars... if you don't replace us as 3% a year, you'll be screwed down the line...

Seeba — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:11:08 -0800

JobSearchFilter: How do I explain years of non-documented interest and knowledge in an interview, and where can I look to search for shipping industry employment? For full disclosure, I'll put a shorted version of my CV/circumstances at the top here:

I graduated from a US University with a BS in Political Science (yes, yes, would you like fries with that?), and a minor in Naval Science. The minor was necessitated by a military ROTC program which I had to leave immediately prior to commissioning due to medical problems (having to do with tendon swelling during long distance running-- doesn't affect civilian employers unless I'm running more than 5 miles a day.).

Since then I spent six months overseas mastering my command of the German language (I learned pidgin German at home in the US when I was young as my dad was learning English at the same time), then arrived back in the States for the worst job market of my lifetime. Hooray.

I am trying to get into the shipping/transportation industry. (Carriers, Freight forwarding, Customs Brokering, that milieu)

The good news: I'm in Houston, TX where, while the economy is catching up to the rest of the country, low cost of living, a steady housing market, and city-wide diversification since the bust of the 80's has kept us relatively shielded from some of the nasty effects of the current recession. (You know. 1 000 applicants per job instead of 10 000...)

I have a double-passport (US/Germany), so I can work anywhere in the US, EU or Switzerland. I have previously (so in theory, could attain again relatively easily) attained a US mil. security clearance.

The Marine Corps was pretty good about teaching me to size up a situation very quickly and make decisions, and gave me the management experience of a year or so dealing with my 40ish compatriots. (Everything from creating long-range company plans to managing briefings, planning and executing operations, etc.) (Yes, I realize that the military offers opportunities to both lead and manage peers at a much younger age. While I feel that the training and experience I received there is very useful, I recognize that in a civilian environment I won't be in a position to do the same sort of job for 10-15 years.)

Industry specific good news: I've spent 20 years reading/analyzing/researching the practice of ocean freight shipping because at the dinner table. I know how to read maritime survey reports, house/master bills, import/export declarations, etc.

I am having difficulty with interviews, and the problems are two-fold:

One: I don't know how to start answering the question "Are you looking for a job, or are you looking for this job?"

I've had a few interviews and at the bluntest (and least confusing to me... I admit, I usually am curious at interviewers who tip-toe around problems/questions. ... I'm not made of glass and won't crack if you ask a real question... ... but I digress.), the question that's come up is "You look like someone who studied to be a military officer... then, failing that, said "I need a job." ... how do we know you're interested in our business/industry?"

My internal answer is pretty simple: I am in a lucky position where, due to saving and planning, I am able to apply for jobs that I want instead of anything-to-pay-the-bills. Also, this industry is something that I've learned more or less my entire life. Complexity and a high pressure environment is good.

My audible answer is usually some form of "You're absolutely right. But the training I've received in complex operational thinking is exactly what's applicable to your business. Also, in addition to being a quick learner, I am already cursorily familiar with your industry. I have a world map in my head. I know the logistical demands and constraints of supply chains in Europe, Asia, and the US."

That answer rings hollow to me, and, judging with the (lack of) success I've had in interviews, to the employers as well. The same (refreshingly) blunt employer went on at one point to note "You've given me all the right answers, but you also seem like you'd realize what those answers are. Of course, you wouldn't tell me you didn't want this job. That's why you're here."

I know that I'll have to start at the bottom. The US, to my knowledge, doesn't really have the same apprenticeship programs that European countries do (especially regarding carriers-- my particular interest), and so I've taken University courses in Materials Management/Logistics to put something on paper. (I enjoy the courses, but often end up getting the "That's a bit beyond the scope of what we're looking at with the time we have" from professors-- most of my questions are analytical and trying to encourage expansion on the difference between the theoretical teaching of the material and practice.)
The nature of the industry--- well, I understand that any employer has to look at me as taking on an 8 month to 1 year drain-on-resources, because I don't pay for myself until then. Because of my previous knowledge/experience, I know that it'll be shorter than that--- but not nearly equivalent to hiring someone who's been in the industry for 5 years. (That is, I'll learn the details of the company's operating procedures in 6 months as opposed to a year, because you don't have to start from scratch with your explanation "Ship X can't go routing Y because it's above PanaMax", etc.)

The second, and much more basic problem:
I don't know where to look to find openings. I know that the industry pretty much hasn't hired (to capacity) in 15 years... which is creating a vacuum in regards to the necessary young-to-middleaged workers. Also, as a whole, the industry doesn't advertise.

Suggestions/ideas/thwacks-with-a-2x4?