I’m not going to respond in detail to the rather silly straw man that the Englishman has constructed, it just isn’t worth it. My points have already been made and they stand. However, I will point to a couple of brief points:
Once a railway man It used to be relief signallers such as me who carried out handsigalling and pilotman duties. Comment by Longrider — April 16, 2011 @ 22:06 And there I think we have it, a belief in the benefits of the central control of the travelling public, the belief that a signaller’s say so turns the morbid into the practical, the unreasoned fury at any insult of the railway system. Once a railway man, always a railway man.
I have always been open about my railway career. Just as I have always been open about my background as a driving and motorcycle instructor – and still take an active interest in both. I am as passionate about road transport as I am about rail and flight. And if you cannot grasp why the lack of openness about Transport Watch’s provenance is an issue, then there’s no point trying to explain it – it being so blindingly obvious. Suffice to say, Tim’s allegations about what he thinks I believe regarding central control are as daft as his original non sequiturs. And, no, I didn’t insult him – I took to task some pretty nasty ideology. Nor was I furious at his insult of the rail system, merely irked by such a stupid statement that didn’t hold up to the slightest scrutiny. It takes a great deal more than a silly logical fallacy to make me unreasonably furious. Still, you shift the goalposts if it makes you feel better, eh, Tim?
My guess is that Google Maps predictions are more accurate than railway timetables.
You’re joshing me, right?
So is he suggesting that practical experience and knowledge of an industry disqualifies you from commenting on it or arguing in its support ? This is something that disturbs me about some aspects of libertarian thought, there is a mirroring of the far left’s, ideology first facts second approach, which results in something that I can only describe as a cult of irrationality. This is more evident in America perhaps than here but it seems to have infected the Libertarian Party badly and it’s the kind of thing that will confine libertarianism to a permanent fringe existence if it continues.
I’m surprised it took so long for my affiliation to be mentioned. However, as I am open about my affiliations, there isn’t a problem. There is a problem with Paul Withrington, because he is far from open and consequently any figures he produces are tainted. Figures can be presented to paint a picture depending on one’s bias. We know this. Tim knows this.
And, of course, as I said very early on – figures do not a whole story tell.
Google Maps is one of the least reliable tools I have come across. Not only are its timings wildly out, but it seems to unable to offer accurate, useful directions.
I use it to get a feel for the distance a route involves and for general planning it has its uses, but the timings are very optimistic as they do not take into account traffic congestion and rest stops.
To suggest that it is more accurate then a railway timetable is absurd.
Surely all grown ups can agree that there is a continuing need for both rail and road transportation. If I am travelling for business, I tend to use the train, as I can work on it, which means I spend less time in the office when I arrive. If I am travelling to the start of a walking holiday, and thus have a fair amount of luggage, then I drive because (i) I don’t want to carry luggage on the train and (ii) because the places where I walk tend to be remote hill land areas where there are no trains.
Until someone develops a safe and reliable matter transferance beam (!) then we will need road and rail. No further comment is necessary.
Clearly not 😐