• TrainsAreCool@lemmy.one
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    8 months ago

    Apparently all Canadians live in remote cabins several hours away from the nearest town, based on the “how can I live without a car” replies I’ve gotten over the years.

    • Jarix@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      50 percent of canadians live below the 49th parallel. 90 percent live within (iirc) 20kms of the border between canada and the usa

      Canada has roughly 40 million people.

      Just some contextual information for anyone who isnt familiar with canada reading your comment. Not directed at the comment i replied to, just thought it might be useful

      • Buddahriffic@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        That 90% is within 100 miles of the border, not 20km. And keep in mind that border is one of the longest on the planet. Not that it’s a good reason to have cars (it takes days to drive between Toronto and Vancouver, I think a train would be a much better experience for something more efficient than a flight).

        • Jarix@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Thanks! wasnt sure about how close to the border will fix.

          And because you mentioned the length of the border, ill also add another tidbit in the edit

    • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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      8 months ago

      Yes cottaging is an activity that most Canadians participate in. One of the benefits of having the most lakes of anywhere in the world.

          • TrainsAreCool@lemmy.one
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            8 months ago

            I mean, I wasn’t even talking about cottaging, yet you insisted on bringing it into the conversation. You seem to want coverage for specific “edge cases” but I don’t think you’re open to any actual things that address those.

            Solutions that cover a majority of use cases are better anyways. These edge cases are minor problems that aren’t relevant to the majority of transportation needs.

      • TrainsAreCool@lemmy.one
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        8 months ago

        There’s a difference between “I have a cottage that I visit 2 times a year” and “I live in the middle of nowhere and can’t possibly survive without a car!!” that a disproportionate number of people claim.

        Over 80% of Canadians live in urban areas, yet much more than 20% seem to think they live in such a rural environment that lowering car usage is impossible.

        • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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          8 months ago

          And then it depends on the context of the conversation. There are countless threads of naiive people arguing that we can get rid of all cars, and when they do, people bring up the edge cases.

          Going to a cottage once a year still requires a car.

            • Fried_out_Kombi@lemmy.worldOPM
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              8 months ago

              In fact, if you only truly need a car a handful of times per year, it’s vastly cheaper and less hassle to just rent it

              • TrainsAreCool@lemmy.one
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                8 months ago

                Precisely. And if someone can’t be convinced not to spend thousands of their own money on a transportation method in order to cover less than 1% of their trips, I don’t think they can be convinced at all.

          • grue@lemmy.world
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            8 months ago

            There are countless threads of naiive people arguing that we can get rid of all cars,

            Okay, if you’re going to keep arguing that, it’s time for you to fucking cite some.

            • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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              8 months ago

              Go read the comments in any of the threads about the Waymo car being burned.

              • grue@lemmy.world
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                8 months ago

                Citing something means “post a hyperlink to the specific comment you think is an example,” not “vaguely send people off on a wild goose chase.”

      • pearable@lemmy.ml
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        8 months ago

        When I first kagied “cottaging”, I got anonymous gay sex. Then I figured it was a Canada thing and found, “taking vacations to remote cabins during the summer.” Please let me know if I have the wrong definition.

        Our transportation system and an individual’s personal transport should not be designed around solely less than one percent of trips they take a year. This is why car rentals exist.

        • perviouslyiner@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          Ohh, they weren’t talking about the public toilets sex thing? That must be super embarassing when a Canadian visits the UK!

        • masterspace@lemmy.ca
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          8 months ago

          Our transportation system and an individual’s personal transport should not be designed around solely less than one percent of trips they take a year.

          I’ve never claimed that, but the edge cases are important to consider when you’re trying to get people to give up their personal cars.

          • pearable@lemmy.ml
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            8 months ago

            You’ll forgive my confusion since you replied to a comment describing a good reason to own a car that most people don’t have with a comment about a bad reason to own a car that many people have.

            I say it’s bad because there are alternatives to every family having a car specifically for the rare weekend trips they take a year