Tolling works in Europe, because European countries have robust rail systems which grant mobility options to citizens who cannot afford steep toll fees. The notion that tolling come before we have an effective high capacity transit system here is wishful thinking. Unless your goal is to keep the working poor, working class and middle class from accessing their jobs.

So true, I should have mentioned that point about Europe. Well said. Reuven.

The surface transport system in Europe is worth study.

According to the European Union Transport & Energy in Figures Statistical Pocketbook, 2009 edition, the robust rail and high capacity transit systems of that continent are not growing their customer base as fast as automobile and airline travel.

In the past dozen years (1995-2007), the intercity rail share of travel has dropped from 6.6 to 6.1 percent, while airline travel has grown from 6.3 to 8.8 percent market share measured in passenger-miles. The private automobile share has barely moved from its dominant position, from 73.0 to 72.4 percent of all surface travel within Europe, lately trending downward slightly.

Recently when I visited Germany and needed to make a quick 100 mile trip from Frankfurt to Solingen and return, it was much less expensive to rent a car for 24 hours than to travel on the high speed rail that was my first choice.

Of course there are differences between countries. You can find the reference I cited easily via Google or Bing and find much more data to supplement your impressions.

VMT tracking is the epitome of Big Brother tactics, masked as political correctness and quite possibly unconstitutional. Although I rarely drive more than 7,000 miles per year, I would gladly join any movement that's opposed to a VMT tracking and payment system. The privacy concerns associated with such a system are very real.

At the same time we're being told to get out of our cars we are losing bus service all over the county. Case in point: the new "rapid transit" bus that will travel down 15th Ave W. will also make the #18 downtown a piece of history.
"But you just have to transfer from the #18 to the #15!" the policy makers say. Unfortunately, reality proves again and again that bus riders resist (and resent) having to transfer. But no one in transportation planning pays attention to that salient fact.

Ah well. Rather than wasting precious time getting off one bus to stand and wait for a second one, and rather than navigating the slalom of downtown construction zones that have cut off access to both streets and parking places, I will simply bypass downtown altogether, preferring to shop, dine, hear music and see movies in North Seattle.

When will politicians and policy makers ever learn? Punishing citizens into desired behaviors does not work. Only encouragements and incentives do. No matter. I'm sure the bigwigs will make it their mission to track our movements and charge us fees for every step we take. It's the Washington State -- or maybe just the Nanny State -- way.

Yeah. I'm sure that's what The Older Woman said. :D :D :D

No, go on. Just invent quotes that are so transparently made up but we won't bother to say "you're full of dookey" because we want to agree with the invented quote.

Dood, you gotta get out more. And quit fudging the truth.

Well, believe it or not, that's how I remember it. For what it's worth, she did mention she was a retired city planner. I wouldn't have written it otherwise.

Have a great weekend.

Reuven.