| I’m really disappointed at the kind of generalizations and misconceptions you’re using here to describe a vast and diverse metropolitan area. You’re essentially blaming “elements of sin:” it’s all about the crackheads and the crazies. You’re magnifying a very small portion of the population while diminishing and disrespecting the mostly-normal law-abiding citizens who actually live in LA. You want to know why LA has drunk drivers and scary bad transit? It’s not because of all of the vague sin of the “city problems” you describe. It’s at least in part because of LA’s unsustainable car-focused development. (In that respect, Waymo might act as a welcome band-aid, but it’s still a band-aid). Why are there drunk drivers? Because you can’t walk or take a train/bus to the bar. Why is transit scary? Because only the truly desperate actually use the barely-useful mass transit in LA, because LA was built for cars. Why are the crackheads out vandalizing stuff? Maybe because car-focused development exacerbates wealth inequality [1] by encouraging the development of socioeconomically segregated communities, and by gating economic opportunity behind the most expensive form of transportation, requiring everyone to buy and maintain personal vehicles at high rates (at least one vehicle per person). Don’t have your own car? Hope someone can drive you to work! Want to interview for that job? It’s far away, hope you can pay for gas! Disabled? Elderly? Guess you’re not going anywhere! [1] https://inequality.org/research/public-transit-inequality/ |