Why move to the US?
Oct 26th 2012, 2:39 pm
#226
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 12,865
Re: Why move to the US?
The public transport issue when I grow older is something I think about a lot. You can't rely on being able to drive, and I've seen far too many elderly people in the 'burbs become pretty much isolated once they can't drive. Of course, the same applies to many rural areas in the UK, but at least there there are more options for places where there is decent public transport. Here, outside a few major cities, it's still too often looked on as just for the poor, socialism, or some such nonsense.
Oct 26th 2012, 2:42 pm
#227
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Why move to the US?
Obviously it depends on the city, but I would say on average public transport is worse than here.
My real concern with it is what America plans to do with all of the retiring baby boomers? Public transport becomes a real issue when you get too old to drive. And the healthcare situation as well is pretty grim.
All developed countries are going to have these problems but in the US it seems like it will be worse than others.
My real concern with it is what America plans to do with all of the retiring baby boomers? Public transport becomes a real issue when you get too old to drive. And the healthcare situation as well is pretty grim.
All developed countries are going to have these problems but in the US it seems like it will be worse than others.
Oct 26th 2012, 2:45 pm
#228
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Why move to the US?
The public transport issue when I grow older is something I think about a lot. You can't rely on being able to drive, and I've seen far too many elderly people in the 'burbs become pretty much isolated once they can't drive. Of course, the same applies to many rural areas in the UK, but at least there there are more options for places where there is decent public transport. Here, outside a few major cities, it's still too often looked on as just for the poor, socialism, or some such nonsense.
Oct 26th 2012, 8:46 pm
#229
Joined: Dec 2001
Location: Dixie, ex UK
Posts: 52,447
Re: Why move to the US?
Luckily for you, and anyone else worrying about such things, the technology companies are already a few steps ahead of you. Google is already testing driverless cars in California, and I read recently that California is anticipating allowing the operation of driverless cars without a drivers license by 2030 (if I remember correctly).
Oct 26th 2012, 11:13 pm
#230
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Why move to the US?
Thinking back to my Parents and Grandparents there gets a point where they can not use Public Transport but can still drive.
Always seems to be more ladies on the buses than men of that age.
Perhaps why retirement communities are so popular in the US?
Always seems to be more ladies on the buses than men of that age.
Perhaps why retirement communities are so popular in the US?
Oct 29th 2012, 11:11 am
#231
gurt mint nit?
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: In my shed
Posts: 2,776
Re: Why move to the US?
Obviously it depends on the city, but I would say on average public transport is worse than here.
My real concern with it is what America plans to do with all of the retiring baby boomers? Public transport becomes a real issue when you get too old to drive. And the healthcare situation as well is pretty grim.
All developed countries are going to have these problems but in the US it seems like it will be worse than others.
My real concern with it is what America plans to do with all of the retiring baby boomers? Public transport becomes a real issue when you get too old to drive. And the healthcare situation as well is pretty grim.
All developed countries are going to have these problems but in the US it seems like it will be worse than others.
Oct 29th 2012, 4:32 pm
#232
Grumpy Know-it-all
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 8,928
Re: Why move to the US?
Luckily for you, and anyone else worrying about such things, the technology companies are already a few steps ahead of you. Google is already testing driverless cars in California, and I read recently that California is anticipating allowing the operation of driverless cars without a drivers license by 2030 (if I remember correctly).
In Europe they seem to be more interested in the convoy concept as well for cars.
I always remember that Judge Dredd story I read many years ago where he finds a murder victim in an RV that has been set to auto navigation and has been circling the city for over a year.
Even with auto navigation though, is it really a solution because at some point someone has to take responsibility for the vehicle? Same concept as some of the electronically controlled LRTs around now.
Oct 29th 2012, 5:59 pm
#233
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: Why move to the US?
Due to the lack of housing, people had to just keep driving around.
Oct 29th 2013, 2:12 am
#234
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2008
Location: Naperville, IL
Posts: 333
Re: Why move to the US?
For me it is simply the career opportunities that I can have in the US which I can't have anywhere else in the world. I am a software engineer and US IT industry is too huge to be even compared with anywhere else.
Oct 29th 2013, 2:19 am
#235
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Why move to the US?
Have you thought of India?
Oct 29th 2013, 8:18 am
#236
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Oct 2007
Location: In a darkened room somewhere.............
Posts: 34,035
Re: Why move to the US?
Oct 30th 2013, 3:35 am
#238
Senior Moment
Joined: Nov 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 5,008
Re: Why move to the US?
I have to say I always wonder why people are so keen on moving to the US.
I have a friend who lives in a developed country far away and she is all excited because it looks as though her visa is going to be approved and she'll be able to move to Los Angeles.
My response being, why? You have plenty of money, you earned it where you are, the place you live has decent weather - what's the point? How are you better off? "Oooh, the shops are better."
So you can live in a country with massive unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, epic debt levels, an overpriced healthcare "system" that is a mess, a lowly ranked education system, a dysfunctional government etc.
Heard of mail order?
Are people still naive enough to think it's going to be like Baywatch?
I can kind of understand it if you have friends or family there (which I do) or you've been offered some fantastic job but there seem to be an awful lot of people who just want to live there for an unspecific or rather trivial reason.
I blame American media for brainwashing everyone. I suppose living in Canada we get all the US national and local news too which puts the US in a more realistic light. But there is this thing called: "the web" nowadays.
Grass is greener on the other side syndrome.
I have a friend who lives in a developed country far away and she is all excited because it looks as though her visa is going to be approved and she'll be able to move to Los Angeles.
My response being, why? You have plenty of money, you earned it where you are, the place you live has decent weather - what's the point? How are you better off? "Oooh, the shops are better."
So you can live in a country with massive unemployment, crumbling infrastructure, epic debt levels, an overpriced healthcare "system" that is a mess, a lowly ranked education system, a dysfunctional government etc.
Heard of mail order?
Are people still naive enough to think it's going to be like Baywatch?
I can kind of understand it if you have friends or family there (which I do) or you've been offered some fantastic job but there seem to be an awful lot of people who just want to live there for an unspecific or rather trivial reason.
I blame American media for brainwashing everyone. I suppose living in Canada we get all the US national and local news too which puts the US in a more realistic light. But there is this thing called: "the web" nowadays.
Grass is greener on the other side syndrome.
Oct 30th 2013, 1:44 pm
#240
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Why move to the US?
Well, in fairness, I went to the shops yesterday and they had both. Granted, they also had hemorrhoid cream and sanitary napkins but no country's going to want to be known as the 'land of pile cream and fanny pads' ...