Comments on: IBM Pitches Congestion Pricing to Middle America http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/ Covering the New York City Streets Renaissance Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:31:30 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Carl http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61641 Carl Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:01:59 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61641 PS Go Steelers! PS Go Steelers!

]]> By: Carl http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61640 Carl Wed, 14 Jan 2009 04:00:53 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61640 > Instead of encouraging people to get out of their cars -- 'cause that would be nuts - Actually, the goal of congestion pricing is to change the coefficients in the equation people use to make their decisions and thereby encourage them to modify their behavior. This change in behavior can take the form of carpooling, taking public transportation, working different hours to avoid rush hour, or actually getting out of their cars and walking/biking. It's just a more civilized and intelligent way of doing it than directly asking them. The point is that once you make people pay for those negative externalities that they are imposing on other road users they actually start including those factors into their decisions and they'll respond intelligently and dynamically. So yes, it would be nuts to just stand outside in a sandwich board telling people to stop driving. Asking people to behave counter to their self-interest (or perceived self-interest) usually isn't very effective. But it should be possible to enact structural changes that make walking/biking/public transportation a more sensible choice. > Instead of encouraging people to get out of their cars -- 'cause that would be nuts -

Actually, the goal of congestion pricing is to change the coefficients in the equation people use to make their decisions and thereby encourage them to modify their behavior. This change in behavior can take the form of carpooling, taking public transportation, working different hours to avoid rush hour, or actually getting out of their cars and walking/biking. It's just a more civilized and intelligent way of doing it than directly asking them. The point is that once you make people pay for those negative externalities that they are imposing on other road users they actually start including those factors into their decisions and they'll respond intelligently and dynamically.

So yes, it would be nuts to just stand outside in a sandwich board telling people to stop driving. Asking people to behave counter to their self-interest (or perceived self-interest) usually isn't very effective. But it should be possible to enact structural changes that make walking/biking/public transportation a more sensible choice.

]]> By: João Lacerda http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61639 João Lacerda Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:35:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61639 Loved the fast images of bikes passing by. that's what I call subliminal bike promotion! Congrats for the guys at IBM! Loved the fast images of bikes passing by. that's what I call subliminal bike promotion!

Congrats for the guys at IBM!

]]> By: Clarence Eckerson Jr. http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61638 Clarence Eckerson Jr. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:02:48 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61638 Go Lions!! Go Lions!!

]]> By: Andy B from Jersey http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61635 Andy B from Jersey Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:22:10 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61635 Yeah but did you notice the quick, almost subliminal image of about 15 people riding bikes at second 21 (in Asia BTW - I was able to pause it on the image). I found that interesting. And yeah! I second the Steelers. I've been a fan since I was a kid but still would have liked the Giants go further. Yeah but did you notice the quick, almost subliminal image of about 15 people riding bikes at second 21 (in Asia BTW - I was able to pause it on the image). I found that interesting.

And yeah! I second the Steelers. I've been a fan since I was a kid but still would have liked the Giants go further.

]]> By: J. Mork http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61632 J. Mork Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:12:09 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61632 Too bad the Giants lost -- their fans are totally anti-car: http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/13/giants-fans-destroy-porsche-toyota-truck-after-eagles-loss/ Too bad the Giants lost -- their fans are totally anti-car:

http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2009/01/13/giants-fans-destroy-porsche-toyota-truck-after-eagles-loss/

]]> By: Ben Fried http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61628 Ben Fried Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:36:56 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61628 Glad to see I'm not the only one who forms allegiances based on urbanism once my team gets eliminated. Glad to see I'm not the only one who forms allegiances based on urbanism once my team gets eliminated.

]]> By: Eric McClure http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/01/13/ibm-pitches-congestion-pricing-to-middle-america/comment-page-1/#comment-61626 Eric McClure Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:16:14 +0000 http://www.streetsblog.org/?p=5260#comment-61626 Though Phoenix is emblematic of the worst type of auto-centric sprawl, I still feel compelled to root for the Cardinals, the underdog's underdog. If we were rooting for cities, though, I'd much rather pull for Baltimore, Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. OK, not Philadelphia -- their fans don't deserve a World Series <i>and</i> a Super Bowl. Though Phoenix is emblematic of the worst type of auto-centric sprawl, I still feel compelled to root for the Cardinals, the underdog's underdog.

If we were rooting for cities, though, I'd much rather pull for Baltimore, Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. OK, not Philadelphia -- their fans don't deserve a World Series and a Super Bowl.

]]>