k1lk1

k1lk1 t1_j7j2xos wrote

> That’s double the 5 to 10 percent that transit authorities across Europe — whether in Paris, Rome or Madrid — spend on engineering and designing projects.

> European transit agencies perform the bulk of their project design, engineering and construction management with white-collar agency staff instead of relying on outside entities. And when they hire outside firms, they keep them on a short leash.

But where is the opportunity for grift? How does anyone grift there? Do they just let the grifters starve?

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k1lk1 t1_j6siqn6 wrote

Yes - people talk of "the homeless" as if they were a monolithic group, but they're not. The vast majority of homeless are willing and able to catch hold of the lifelines we give them, and use them to get jobs, secure and retain housing, etc. That's like 90% or more. These are good people who are simply, as the cliche goes, down on their luck.

The remainder are those too fucked up to take advantage of the help we offer. Offering those people more kinds of help does nothing, they need a firm hand guiding them in a structured mental healthcare or addiction treatment environment, or a prison if they've been victimizing others.

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k1lk1 t1_j6sc3tk wrote

> People living on the street “need access to permanent housing, to quality, voluntary mental health care, and to low-barrier shelters,” Giffen said. “And the city and state are really failing on all three of those.”

Everyone has access to mental health care in this city, as well as shelters, and I'm sorry if you can't walk in drunk or high and cause a ruckus and expect to get a bed, that's just how it's going to be.

And as far as mental health care goes, the street homeless wouldn't be compliant even if they decided to go avail themselves of the care. That's why they're on the street, because they already fell through every safety net we offered.

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k1lk1 t1_j6if9wl wrote

> More recently, there are a few promising signs of increasing access. This month, the MTA released a strategic-action plan to improve multimodal transportation across its system, including building accessible ramps and pathways on the RFK Bridge (right now, there are only staircases along the way),

Oh? This is the first I heard of them lifting the bicycling ban on the Triboro. Cool

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k1lk1 t1_j6gfhx3 wrote

This is spot on.

Figure out what the scammy stores are in your neighborhood, and don't go there. Figure out the restaurants that constantly get your order wrong, and either check on it before you leave, or don't go there.

Also, keep an eye on the register and if something doesn't seem right, just say you don't want it. I picked up some unlabeled asparagus once and when it rang up as $7.99 I just said I'm sorry, it's too expensive, I'll put it back. Problem solved.

NEVER feel guilted into tipping what the machine requests.

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