Should roads be privitized?

[A18]

Here's a question: what exactly is so wrong about our roads that needs fixing? It seems to me that we're attempting to fix something that isn't broken.

There's a difference between fixing something that isn't broken and improving something that isn't broken.

Different companies could have different speed limits, fees, qualifications for driving, etc.

[ilikeverin]

Some how, privitization will fix this.

Different companies could have different speed limits, fees, qualifications for driving, etc.

And this is good why?

[2952-0-0]

Here's a question: what exactly is so wrong about our roads that needs fixing? It seems to me that we're attempting to fix something that isn't broken.

There's a difference between fixing something that isn't broken and improving something that isn't broken.

Different companies could have different speed limits, fees, qualifications for driving, etc.

Do we have five different roads sticking into my driveway and five different roads I can drive on to get to work/school/shopping/wherever?

[Jake]

Some how, privitization will fix this.

sarcasm Verin

Dean: You've said you don't drive anyway

[2952-0-0]

Some how, privitization will fix this.

sarcasm Verin

Dean: You've said you don't drive anyway

I can't, because I'm too young.

[Gabu]

Different companies could have different speed limits, fees, qualifications for driving, etc.

Are you somehow trying to claim that this is a good thing?  It would make things ridiculously complicated if roads kept changing speed limits imposed, tolls charged, qualifications for driving required, and what have you over and over as you drove through a city.

Plus, where would people pay the tolls?  Would we have a toll booth on every single strip of road in existence?  Do you have any idea how much it would slow down traffic to have every single driver have to stop and pay a toll every time he drives a block?

[A18]

Dean demonstrates his inability to follow a conversation again. I stated earlier that I oppose this idea for the very reason you bring up:

The problem is there isn't enough land to put all these competing roads. Otherwise I would strongly favor the idea.

Gabu was asking about why we would want to do this anyway. I answered him.

[ilikeverin]

Some how, privitization will fix this.

sarcasm Verin

Sorry, my advanced years seem to have affected my ability to know sarcasm from psychosis

[A18]

Are you somehow trying to claim that this is a good thing? It would make things ridiculously complicated if roads kept changing speed limits imposed, tolls charged, qualifications for driving required, and what have you over and over as you drove through a city.

Plus, where would people pay the tolls? Would we have a toll booth on every single strip of road in existence? Do you have any idea how much it would slow down traffic to have every single driver have to stop and pay a toll every time he drives a block?

I was thinking there would be some big name companies (the Microsoft and Time Warner's of the road industry) that would own roads throughout the country, so you could follow a constant course.

We use private roads on occasion here. It uses Smart Tag technology, so you can just drive right through.

[2952-0-0]

Competition improves quality.

If there is no competition it shouldn't be privatized.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

So says some high-school dropout who spends 8 hours a day on this forum and was banned twice.

[Gabu]

I was thinking there would be some big name companies (the Microsoft and Time Warner's of the road industry) that would own roads throughout the country, so you could follow a constant course.

Why would it be a good thing to have large monopolies on the road systems?  Given that it's, uh, kind of difficult to create competition when it comes to roads, it seems to me that having a large corporation owning all the roads in a city would be very bad for the citizens of that city, because the corporation could charge whatever the heck it wanted since the people's choice would be either to pay the toll or to not go anywhere.

We use private roads on occasion here. It uses Smart Tag technology, so you can just drive right through.

Yes, but they're easily avoidable as it currently is.

You didn't answer my question with regards to the payment of tolls, as well.

[© tweed]

To his credit, though, he's a hell of a lot smarter than you, in that at least he can read properly, and note that we were talking about competing roads. But I shouldn't be so harsh; if my IQ was as low as yours, I might have trouble understanding basic English too.

In any case, you're back to lying about me again. Either that or you're a delusional idiot. Probably both.

What the hell ever made you so bitter?  I mean, really, you insult EVERYBODY.  Lighten up

[A18]

Gabu,

I'm not saying they'd be monopolies. I'm saying there's be a couple big name companies competing.

You subscribe and get a SmartTag. Alternately, you go the iTunes route and just have it charge you right there, though some might not like that idea.

[Gabu]

Gabu,

I'm not saying they'd be monopolies. I'm saying there's be a couple big name companies competing.

How do you "compete" when it comes to roads?  Either you have the situation I described before where you're constantly changing fees charged, speed limits opposed, qualifications required, etc., or you have a situation where the roads in a city are divided up into chunks, with each corporation owning large chunks of roads in a city, and then the citizens are still screwed because all of the roads in their neighborhood are owned by the same corporation.

Plus, couldn't one larger company just buy out the other companies that own the rest of the roads in a city?  It would be essentially impossible for new competition to arise if that happened, given that you can't exactly create a startup company in the road business.

You subscribe and get a SmartTag. Alternately, you go the iTunes route and just have it charge you right there, though some might not like that idea.

I'm not really familiar with how this works, so I can't comment on it.

[© tweed]

To his credit, though, he's a hell of a lot smarter than you, in that at least he can read properly, and note that we were talking about competing roads. But I shouldn't be so harsh; if my IQ was as low as yours, I might have trouble understanding basic English too.

In any case, you're back to lying about me again. Either that or you're a delusional idiot. Probably both.

What the hell ever made you so bitter? I mean, really, you insult EVERYBODY. Lighten up

I was attacking the ignorant fool "from" Wiconsin, not Gabu.

That's hardly the point.  You insult everybody. You call everyone ignorant and stupid.

[A18]

How do you "compete" when it comes to roads? Either you have the situation I described before where you're constantly changing fees charged, speed limits opposed, qualifications required, etc., or you have a situation where the roads in a city are divided up into chunks, with each corporation owning large chunks of roads in a city, and the citizens are still screwed because all of the roads in their neighborhood are owned by the same corporation.

Plus, couldn't one larger company just buy out the other companies that own the rest of the roads in a city? It would be essentially impossible for new competition to arise if that happened, given that you can't exactly create a startup company in the road business.

Well, like I said, the problem with this is that there isn't enough room to have competing roads going the same route. However, I'm just defending the theory.

[Everett]

Well, I wouldn't mind buying the street that my house sits on just so that I can use it to block traffic and give everyone a hard time. People can always take another street, even if it adds an additional ten minutes onto their travel time. I mean, it's just like a board game! Annoying people is fun!!!

[/sarcasm]

[A18]

To his credit, though, he's a hell of a lot smarter than you, in that at least he can read properly, and note that we were talking about competing roads. But I shouldn't be so harsh; if my IQ was as low as yours, I might have trouble understanding basic English too.

In any case, you're back to lying about me again. Either that or you're a delusional idiot. Probably both.

What the hell ever made you so bitter? I mean, really, you insult EVERYBODY. Lighten up

I was attacking the ignorant fool "from" Wiconsin, not Gabu.

That's hardly the point. You insult everybody. You call everyone ignorant and stupid.

Give me a list of people I've insulted recently. I don't remember many.

[© tweed]

To his credit, though, he's a hell of a lot smarter than you, in that at least he can read properly, and note that we were talking about competing roads. But I shouldn't be so harsh; if my IQ was as low as yours, I might have trouble understanding basic English too.

In any case, you're back to lying about me again. Either that or you're a delusional idiot. Probably both.

What the hell ever made you so bitter? I mean, really, you insult EVERYBODY. Lighten up

I was attacking the ignorant fool "from" Wiconsin, not Gabu.

That's hardly the point. You insult everybody. You call everyone ignorant and stupid.

Give me a list of people I've insulted recently. I don't remember many.

Scoonie
Ilikeverin
Joe Republic
NewFederalist

Also Opebo and BRTD, but those two might not count.

[Joe Republic]

I actually count ten people in the last 24 hours.

[© tweed]

I actually count ten people in the last 24 hours.

Post them up then.  I'd love to know who I missed.

[Joe Republic]

Dean
Ilikeverin
Myself
Scoonie
Boss Tweed
Bono
New Federalist
Al
Max Power

Turns out I counted Scoonie twice, so he's actually personally insulted nine people in the last 24 hours.  What a bitter and angry little boy.

Anyway, I guess we should try and get back on topic.

[© tweed]

Dean
Ilikeverin
Myself
Scoonie
Boss Tweed
Bono
New Federalist
Al
Max Power

Turns out I counted Scoonie twice, so he's actually personally insulted nine people in the last 24 hours.  What a bitter and angry little boy.

Anyway, I guess we should try and get back on topic.

Yes, lets get back on topic.  I think we proved our point(s).

[A18]

Show me where I insulted Bono or Boss Tweed?

Joke Republic and Scoonie both make asses out of themselves by being hyperpartisans. Al's reponse to everything is "No..." and "You don't understand." He never takes any time at all to explain what he means, or back up his points. I have seriously had better conversations with four year olds, so calling him one should be taken as a compliment.

New Federalist and Ilikeverin are both trolls who have insulted me several times in the past.

[Joe Republic]

Admittedly the comment where I thought you insulted Boss Tweed was actually an attack on Smash instead ("If Smash had posted that I would have thought you were serious"), and the comment against Bono ("you Austrian types") was just an inaccurate piece of nonsense.

Okay your turn.  How am I "hyperpartisan"?