“Talking Transportation”
By Jim Cameron
President, CAMERON COMMUNICATIONS INC
Author: “Off The Record: Confessions of a Media Consultant”
All Opinion pieces and Letters to the Editor reflect ONLY the thoughts of the writer, and not those of the Stratford Crier or its Editorial Board.
Last week’s column about NYC’s congestion pricing experiment seems to have struck a nerve, generating a huge number of comments.
Yes, friends, I do read all your emails and I try to reply, valuing your feedback… though not always agreeing with you. But I thought some of the comments posted below were worth sharing.
David wrote: “Some people maintain that tolls aren’t taxes, but really anytime government takes money out of citizens’ pockets, it’s a tax. Adding one more arrow to Hartford’s already full quiver of ways to shake money out of CT residents and those passing through is a bad idea.”
A train rider turned driver noted: “For many years I rode the train 5 days per week. Back then, the cost savings of a monthly train pass made it a no-brainer. (The train) was great and I could not fathom driving. I last rode the train about 6 months ago and it was slow and expensive. It also rocked back and forth for 20 minutes continuously — a freak occurrence that got me dizzy and motion sick for the first time ever on a train. The trains have gone downhill since before covid. Less train cars, less express trains, slower speeds, more time between scheduled trains and more stops on each train. What was once an hour-ish ride is now over 90 minutes. They are in disrepair. The mechanicals underneath squeak and vibrate. The door-to-door when driving in is quicker than the train, even with some traffic.”
But Tony Sheridan of the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern CT wrote: “A good article. Count this chamber in on any plan that focuses on modernizing our transportation infrastructure. Happy New Year.”
But responding to my enthusiasm for taking the train vs driving, Anthony said: “You did forget the other advantages of public transit in NYC: getting macheted to death, stabbed in the neck, sitting next to a person that smells like feces, pushed in front of a moving train and my favorite, while taking that nap you talked about getting lit on fire and burning to death. There is also the frequent mugging. I’ll drive, pay the toll and save me and my family from having to suffer the above.”
And from Charlie, who moved from the Bronx to Connecticut: “I suggest you spend a year living in New York City under current conditions, grappling with the realities of rising crime, persistent delays in public transportation, and the day-to-day challenges faced by working-class residents. It’s easy to advocate for policies like congestion pricing from the comfort of Connecticut, commuting on Metro-North and enjoying a degree of detachment. But true insight comes from experiencing the daily struggles firsthand. I find it telling when articles like this are written by those who seem to prioritize the concerns of the wealthy under the guise of doing good, all while ignoring an entire social class that’s left to bear the brunt of these decisions.”
What are your thoughts? We welcome your comments and story ideas at TalkingTransportationCT@gmail.com
Jim Cameron is founder of the Commuter Action Group and advocates for Connecticut rail riders. His weekly column “Talking Transportation” is archived here. You can contact Jim at CommuterActionGroup@gmail.com.
