From: mrbrklyn@panix.com   
      
   Peter T. Daniels  wrote:   
   >   
   > The only time I have driven into the city (from Jersey City)   
   > since the toll was raised from $6 was when I had a weekend   
   > conference at St. John's University, which cannot be accessed   
   > in a finite amount of time by public transportation -- and the   
   > hotel was about two miles from the campus, necessitating   
   > a car while there.   
   >   
   > The Holland Tunnel was not a problem. Canal Street to   
   > Delancey to the Manhattan Bridge was hellish. The BQE   
   > to the LIE was hellish. The LIE was hellish. And this was   
   > early on a Thursday afternoon.   
   >   
      
   What are you talking about?  Have you ever been stuck on 17 when driving   
   down from upstate NY to Brooklyn.  I was working in the Catskills and   
   would get stuck for HOURS on 17 during the rush hour.   
      
      
   > Returning early Sunday afternoon was also hellish.   
   >   
   > Cars do not belong in cities.   
      
   Wrong - Cities are not possible without cars.  I can   
   t live in NYC or anywhere else and raise a family without a car.  It is   
   not for some quack to make such and insane declaration.  Cities, as a   
   matter of fact, are only possible with cars.  Without cars, they would   
   die, especialy the outring, like Brooklyn and Queens.   
      
   What you did that day is the type of driving I have to do EVERY DAY.   
   This is not extradenary.  It is normal life.   
   >   
   > My question regarding congestion pricing concerns   
   > crossing Manhattan to the Island.   
      
   There is no issue of the pricing.  the issue is that ALL transportaiton   
   in the City is now taxed by the MTA.  You are not allowed to go anywhere   
   any longer without paying that one monopoly.  It is inherently corrupt.   
      
   The solution is to strip the MTA of all its taxes, and fees and to sell   
   it off.  If it can survive as a private business without subsidies,   
   fine.  If not, it should fail.   
      
   Right now it is a big fat pork barrel for MTA bueracrats and NYS   
   politicians.   
      
      
   > They keep threatening   
   > to toll the four East River bridges. Even so, are we supposed   
   > to drive all the way around the bottom of Manhattan to get   
   > there?   
      
   > I drove to my friend's mother's funeral in Bristol, CT.   
   > I used the Tappan Zee. It was $5. If there had been   
   > time I would have used the gorgeous Bear Mountain   
   > Bridge, which was either $1 or by then $1.25 (but US-6   
   > isn't built for speed).   
      
      
   Or traffic.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)