China Bullet Train Derails

[justjoe86]

You seriously need to bone up your knowledge of the US and of petrol prices. Maybe you need to be a little less eurocentric and realize it's a big world out there. The US gas price is far from being the cheapest in the world. Most petrol producing countries are far lower than the US...

I'll tell you one thing. It doesn't take a lot of fuel to make you angry!

Not sure where you get this eurocentric rubbish from since I haven't mentioned Europe but only America.

I only mentioned fuel prices being cheap because *you* said they're cheap and used that as a reason for there being no decent train system in the USA... (the FIRST mention of American petrol prices)...

Trains don't really make a lot of sense in the US. Petrol is cheap, distances too great and many people have cars.

So for you to now backtrack and say they're only cheap compared to Europe (when I didn't mention europe) is odd.

The difference is I'm responding to your actual posts, while you're inventing some pro-European stereotype version of me and turn replying to him. If I thought Europe was so superior I wouldn't have emigrated to Hong Kong now would I...

now maybe you can invent some more of my opinions and respond to them.

[Freetrader]

So for you to now backtrack and say they're only cheap compared to Europe (when I didn't mention europe) is odd.

Given your numerous backtracking and denials of your previous comments, I'm actually finding it very difficult to find any consistent point of view in your posts, other than an apparent general desire to assert the superiority of some (other, unnamed) system over that of the US...

[justjoe86]

Given your numerous backtracking and denials of your previous comments, I'm actually finding it very difficult to find any consistent point of view in your posts, other than an apparent general desire to assert the superiority of some (other, unnamed) system over that of the US...

Isn't it possible to criticise the US on one issue (fuel prices and their affect on public transport) without it being a comparison or a claim that somewhere else is superior?

Some people seem over protective on here. I'm happy to criticise Europe, Asia, the US, anywhere you want, on varying issues, and it doesn't mean I'm making some kind of brash claim of superiority.

[Freetrader]

Isn't it possible to criticise the US on one issue (fuel prices and their affect on public transport) without it being a comparison or a claim that somewhere else is superior?

Some people seem over protective on here. I'm happy to criticise Europe, Asia, the US, anywhere you want, on varying issues, and it doesn't mean I'm making some kind of brash claim of superiority.

Criticise away. But all of your points seem to have been based on misinformation/lack of understanding of the facts. If you want to argue that public transport is morally superior to individual transport, that is fine, but don't try to argue that there is some sort of conspiracy to artifically keep gas prices low in order to keep people off the buses. Are you trying to advocate for a policy of increasingly high gasoline taxes in order to curb individual consumption in order to achieve some public good (presumably, reduced auto usage)? That's fine, but you will have to explain who you are comparing the US to and why that 'system' is better, and why that system is better than the system mandating lower emissions standards and increasing percentages of 'green' cars, which the direction the US is heading in. All of these arguments can be made, simply slapping a "US Sux" label on something because it happens to differ from some other country is not a very compelling argument. You are hardly the worst offender in the simplistic American bashing game, but if you want to convince anyone (as contrasted with, say, simply reveling in your imagined superiority a la Moving07) some context and nuance is required.

[gilleshk]

I'll tell you one thing. It doesn't take a lot of fuel to make you angry!

Not sure where you get this eurocentric rubbish from since I haven't mentioned Europe but only America.

I only mentioned fuel prices being cheap because *you* said they're cheap and used that as a reason for there being no decent train system in the USA... (the FIRST mention of American petrol prices)...



So for you to now backtrack and say they're only cheap compared to Europe (when I didn't mention europe) is odd.

The difference is I'm responding to your actual posts, while you're inventing some pro-European stereotype version of me and turn replying to him. If I thought Europe was so superior I wouldn't have emigrated to Hong Kong now would I...

now maybe you can invent some more of my opinions and respond to them.

Let us know when you actually have a point to make... Mine is simple, trains currently don't make much sense in most parts of the US(and Canada or Australia) and no ridiculous artificial measures will change that. Gas there is relatively inexpensive though unlike you, I know not to say it's the cheapest in the world nor do I need to say stupid things like the americans care more about gas and fast food than anything else. That only demonstrates ignorance or some kind of bias/superiority complex towards the US. Granted there are many who have questionable judgment since Bush was elected and Palin received some support but I guess that can be said of people in many countries.

There are also plenty of europeans(and other expats) with delusion of superiority coming to collect a paycheck in HK. Just start a thread on how rude chinese are or how poor the English standard is in HK and watch them crawl out of the woodwork...

I always find it amusing since many people back in their country often refer to expats coming to HK as those who couldn't hack it at home... Guess lots of people like to point fingers at others in order to try to validate themselves.

[MovingIn07]

Let is know when you actually have a point to make... and there are plenty of europeans(and other expats) with delusion of superiority coming to collect a paycheck in HK. Just start a thread on how rude chinese are or how poor the English standard is in HK and watch them crawl out of the woodwork...

I always find it amusing since many people back in their country often refer to expats coming to HK as those who couldn't hack it at home... Guess lots of people like to point fingers at others in order to try to validate themselves.

Whereas others like yourself are just plain rude on internet forums.

[justjoe86]

Wow it's amazing how many words have been put in my mouth. Now I'm accused of conspiracy theories.

To make it clear, the only reason I suggested for politicians not raising fuel taxes is fear that there would be protests (pretty much fear of losing an election) Indeed, there were mass protests in UK regarding fuel prices so it's understandable.

Freetrader and Gilles seem determined to group me with other people who may have claimed the European rail network is superior or that cars/ Americans are bad.

I merely responded to Gilles' claim (that low fuel prices mean no demand for trains) by suggesting that these low fuel prices may be subject to debate. And it *may* be worth asking if it would be sensible for them to rise. I then gave my opinion that perhaps the government would prefer not to piss off the public in this way.

You're welcome to disagree with me on these points but don't start labelling me pro European, anti American, or some kind of crazed conspiracy theorist.

[gilleshk]

Whereas others like yourself are just plain rude on internet forums.

Mirror, mirror who is the fairest of them all...

Once again trying to ascertain some kind of superiority as if you own hands were squeaky clean... When you sling mud some of it always splash back

[justjoe86]

nor do I need to say stupid things like the americans care more about gas and fast food than anything else. That only demonstrates ignorance or some kind of bias/superiority complex towards the US.

Just to clarify - in UK, in the USA, in China, in Hong Kong, in Egypt, in Australia, in Timbuktoo, in..............

People care about what is *immediate* to their lives.

3 quick examples:

1. HK people complaining about MPF payment rather than immediate cash
2. UK citizens protesting about rising petrol prices a few years ago (no, this is not america-centric!)
3. Americans protesting about rising income tax (No, this is not euro-centric)

I said americans may complain more about fuel prices than other things which may have a long term effect because IMO it's true, and i did not say this is exclusive to america. I think this is a bad aspect of *human* mentality - to think of short term over long term.

So, fine, call me an anti-human if you want. Maybe i think my non-human species is superior.

You seem to like taking a criticism and making it into a comparison that never existed.

[Freetrader]

To make it clear, the only reason I suggested for politicians not raising fuel taxes is fear that there would be protests (pretty much fear of losing an election) Indeed, there were mass protests in UK regarding fuel prices so it's understandable.

That is certainly true. Indeed, if governments had their way, tax rates would exceed 100% of people's incomes...there is no end to things that a government can plausibly suggest doing and having the public pay for.