And the way typical Austinites drive, if they could shove their cars up their own rectal vaults, they'd have a good argument for obtaining a concealed weapon license instead of a driver's license. I get the feeling that bicycle lanes are only around to lure malcontents like myself out into the open so some scumbag can take aim. If anybody could have seen this urban shitstorm coming 20 years ago, if we had looked up from our idyllic lives only enough to see what was really happening, maybe now we'd all be taking some form of public transportation and not minding it too much. Bring it on. However, it feels as though Austin is panicking because of its rapid growth and is trying to reach for a quick solution.
Light rail is neither quick nor has it been found to be the solution.
We need to take a deep breath and explore other options before making a commitment to something as expensive as light rail. I also would like to encourage people to take a look at another form of mass transit that has been worked on for over 30 years and is ready to go. It is called the Personal Rapid Transport system. It was designed to entice commuters who are reluctant to use public transit because they desire privacy or because cars get them directly to their destination. PRT operates as a system of little cars accommodating one to three people along an elevated track.