Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2002 00:45:45 +0000 (GMT) From: =?iso-8859-1?q?Ivy Yap?= <yapivy at yahoo.com> Subject: [WSFA] Re: Transportation TANSTAAFL To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net> Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at keithlynch.net> --- ronkean at juno.com wrote: > In such places, swarms of little taxi cabs (some > with just 3 wheels) and > jitneys ply the streets picking up and dropping off > passengers, and > larger trucks and busses run intercity on an ad hoc > basis, the routes, > schedules, and pricing being totally unregulated. > Passengers and > commercial cargo are routinely loaded on the same > vehicle, seating is > often a luxury, and in fact many of the passengers > are commercial > travelers carrying their wares with them. Americans > would be appalled by > the crowded, dirty, and unsafe conditions > prevailing, but those > conditions are a consequence of poverty as opposed > to an inherent defect > of free markets. The market is providing the best > value possible for the > little money they are willing and able to pay. Sounds kind of like the Philippines, except fares here are regulated. We've got various bus lines, a lot of jeepneys (most of the drivers are unionized, but they're otherwise unaffiliated), tricycles (motorcycles with sidecars), FX vans, and the light rail transit. Oh yeah, also pedicabs - bicycles with sidecars. The guy who delivered our new DVD player yesterday took public transport and got lost on the way to our house. But he showed up in the end and we are now proud owners of an all-region DVD player. Joy! ===== Ivy Yap yapivy at yahoo.com __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com