Sunday, August 13, 2017

The truth about cars in Queens

Next time one of those "transportation advocates" tries to tell you that car ownership is a luxury and most households in the city don't own one, you can whip this map out and show them that in Queens, not only is it the norm, but it's practically a necessity.

Tell them when they find a way for you to get from Glendale to Bayside without multiple transfers and about 2 hours wasted, you'll give public transportation a shot.

40 comments:

Anonymous said...

Most of the car haters either live in Manhattan or northern Brooklyn, or have no children. Their view of New York City's transportation needs is clueless and warped. Meanwhile, the recent debacle with our subway system and its severe overcrowdedness simply blows away the car haters' argument that cars are not needed and that every New Yorker should use mass transit. Can you imagine what would happen if everyone did just that?

Anonymous said...

NYC sold Flushing's Muni Lot #1 , with the approval of CB7, councilman Koo, etc. , in a heavy car use area, as noted in this map.
Only CB7's Kim Ohanian objected. Thank you, Kim.
Did that make sense? Yes, if you look at the millions made by developers. Did any of their profits wind up in the pocket of Peter Koo and company? Most likely! Now another parking lot, alongside the LIRR Main St. Station is being developed.
Result....an already overcrowded antiquated #7 line. Oh well, overcrowding to the Chinese inhabitants of the downtown hub is no stranger to them. In the mother country people live nose to ass in the big cities. This is considered uncivilized by Western standards.

Anonymous said...

Glad I live near an LIRR stop further east and can totally avoid the stinky bustling....MAKE THAT BURSTING....Flushing hub.

Anonymous said...

when I can be assured that "Public" Transportation is safe, reliable, and doesn't smell like a urinal and is flea free, then I MIGHT give it a shot

Anonymous said...

Glendale and Richmond Hill aren't even on the map.

Rob In Manhattan said...

I have multiple business interests in Queens since 1990 and see that vehicle ownership is often a necessity in point-to-point travel out there. The problem arises with the number of private cars, often with only one person coming into Manhattan.

Manhattan has much higher density and inherently higher service vehicle usage (trucks, buses, cabs, etc). When you add tons of private cars you get the kind of choking that causes real problems.

I'm against "congestion pricing" AKA:tolls that treat the outer boroughs as if there were another State but, whenever public transit options exist, those should be strongly favored.

One regularly reads that young people want to live in or near as possible to central cities and that the desirability of car ownership is declining, so this may be a problem that solves itself over time.

JQ LLC said...

Not only do these T.A. idiots suggest that you should take mass transit, but you should also bike to work as a environmentally safe alternative. That is the only stupid reason why they made that bike lane on Queens Blvd. Which is never ever used (except by me, and no I never asked for it.

That's the thing, everyone of these T.A. turds thinks everyone just commutes to Manhattan or Brooklyn like them all the time.

With the exception of Kew Gardens, every other dark and regular blue area is not what you call upscale neighborhoods. A lot of them are middle class and working poor, which is getting screwed over everyday by this city.

Right now by Glendale, the M train in Queens has been suspended because of long overdue upgrades at 2 stations in Bushwick.

Cherry said...

We need more trains to places people live and commute.


It's quite safe.

>>when I can be assured that "Public" Transportation is safe,

Anonymous said...

i live in Astoria. Don't need one. Neither do my friends in Sunnyside, Woodside or Jackson Heights. Or acquaintances in Flushing. I don't hate cars either, but having one in these parts of queens is a hassle and a waste of time and money.

Anonymous said...

You are wasting your time talking to TA. They are funded by developers - as are your politicians.

Soooo when you see a bike lane near you, traffic all messed up, AND NO PUBLICITY HOGGING PRESS CONFERENCE BY YOUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIAL....

forget about anything happening. Unless you go after them (and we know you will not) there is not a damn thing you can do about this.

So just shut up and put up with it. If you want to act like a sheep then expect to get shorn ... of your taxes for someone else to benefit.

Anonymous said...

^^I live in Astoria. I don't need a car^^

Wait until you have two kids, with soccer practice in Middle Village, tennis class in Forest Park, dance class in College Point, and in laws in Douglaston, Maspeth and Bayside Terrace. It's completely implausible to rely on public transport to get to all these places. You'll also find biking with two kids, and all of their stuff that you need to carry around rather challenging.

Res Ipsa said...

We could cut down on the transit problems if there were better paying jobs outside of Manhattan. Right now the City is proceeding with redeveloping midtown east. More people will be squeezing onto the already overcrowded trains to get to jobs at this location. Why? Put some jobs in other places around the city so everyone isn't squeezing in to get to manhattan for the 9-5.

Anonymous said...

NYC to reduce green house gases by 80% by 2050.

Yeah right. Fake science, fake leadership, "Air quality action days" where there is no mass transportation, the subways, LIRR all breaking down for the Summer of Hell.

But! The money they take in at the tolls, registrations, gas, fines, tickets is very REAL.

Ladies and gents, welcome to the Cuomo, DeBlasio ***Banana Republic*** that would put any dictator to shame!

Please vote these fuckers out, vote for anybody, but these neoliberal nutjobs.

Anonymous said...

As that lady told Ed Koch years ago: "Mayor, make it the way it was."

People hate this new-fangled shit

(sarc) said...

Anonymous said...

"i live in Astoria. Don't need one. Neither do my friends ... Or acquaintances in Flushing. I don't hate cars either, but having one in these parts of queens is a hassle and a waste of time and money.

That is your choice.

Your statements seem quite condescending, as if you are all knowing of all things transportation and can tell everyone how best to live their lives. Your statements drip with a tone of arrogance, like most teenagers and snowflakes. My sarcasm generally leaves nothing to be unsure of.

This issue is as much about the mess this City has become under the current administration and bureaucracy for sale to the highest bidder, and "We the People" be dammed, continuous implementation of the ever failing socialist, progressive, communist policies as the issue is about personal liberties and freedom to live ones' life as they choose.

What of blue collar workers and technicians that must travel with a full compliment of tools and sundry components required for the tasks at had. These people are the true backbone of our economy, working tirelessly to keep all things working. They travel ALONE in their private vehicles. How are they to perform their tasks in a timely and cost effectively manner via our mass transit system?

Just another CAR HATER trying to temper his rhetoric to seem normal, while ever pushing a utopian dream, resulting in endless hellish nightmares...

Anonymous said...

And how many of these cars are actually registered in ny?

Anonymous said...

A car is a complete necessity. How am I supposed to get to work for a overnight shift in southern brooklyn from northern Queens? Take 5 buses and spend 4 or 5 hours a day commuting? Or ride 15 miles on a bike in 10 degree weather in the winter or 100 degree weather in the summer?

How am I supposed to go food shopping without a car? Bike 2 miles to the supermarket with 15 bags?

These anti car people are simply retarted and have no common sense.

Anonymous said...

i live in Astoria. Don't need one. Neither do my friends in Sunnyside, Woodside or Jackson Heights. Or acquaintances in Flushing. I don't hate cars either, but having one in these parts of queens is a hassle and a waste of time and money.


Stupid igniorant statements.
Who the fuck are you to speak for your friends, and in general?
Did someone elected you as a transportation spokesperson?
In a democracy some use cars, some use mass transit, some use whatever.
IS THEIR CHOICE! Not yours, not the governors, not the mayors.
Especially when YOU don't pay for anyone else's CHOICE.
Comprende?

Anonymous said...

As I have been stating for years on this Blog, THEY WANT OUR CARS. This is the fulfillment of 70's Urban Planning professors dreams. Because voluntary use of mass transit, bicycles, walking etc. did not occur the Government will now tax, fee, license and zone us into submission. I for one will let them have my car when they pry my cold, dead hands from the steering wheel. In the meantime I will do my best to get these shithead "progressive" politicians, who are allowing the overpopulation of NYC, voted out of office. Anyone care to join?

Anonymous said...

I live in Rego Park and LOVE not having to deal with the expense and headaches of car ownership. One reason I chose my area. And I am 100% against car owners who kill pedestrians and cyclists and get off scot-free. (Yeah, um, I didn't see that old lady trying to cross.) So sue me!

Anonymous said...


I agree you might need a car but not for food shopping.
Use AmazonFresh.


>> Anonymous said...
>>How am I supposed to go food shopping without a car?

Anonymous said...


Think about 1967 then 2000.
That is the time frame.

Most cars will be electric and most power will be solar/battery by 2050.

>>NYC to reduce green house gases by 80% by 2050.

Anonymous said...

To be fair, this very map you posted shows that a huge portion of Queens residents don't own cars. Only in the very eastern parts of Queens (which contain less of the population) are car owners a large majority. It seems to be around 50% at most overall. Obviously mass transit could be improved there, and I'm all for it, but to pretend like all Queens residents mostly get around by driving is just a lie.

Anonymous said...

The guy in Astoria is taking a beating here. And I own two cars in Whitestone.

Queens Crapper said...

No, dude. The whole MIDDLE of the borough has 60-80% car ownership, according to the map and the eastern portions have 80-100%. It's the western end with multiple subway lines that are ~50%. The majority of Queens households own cars. You may wish that LIC was part of Manhattan, but it's not.

Anonymous said...

I own a suv, car and a motorcycle. I live in Laurelton Queens once in a while I use the bus to get around. This past Sunday waited 20 minutes for the Q5 bus, and I live close to the first stop and the bus was crowded by the 4 stop. Forget about trying to get on the E train I am so sick of all the bums/crazy people who use the Jamaica station and the train as their homes. And it is a fact that it can take almost 3 hours to get to Manhattan.

Adam said...

I don't care who owns or doesn't own cars.

I want better mass transit for everyone.

Yes, it's a travesty that public mass transit is bad enough in Queens that cars become a necessity. Wanting that to change doesn't mean I'm anti-car.

So I wonder what the point of this post was.

Anonymous said...

**** Think about 1967 then 2000. That is the time frame.****

Wow, you must be a real math genius!


***** Most cars will be electric and most power will be solar/battery by 2050.*****

Bla bla bla....more stupid propaganda, NYC style.
I see you can read the on screen propaganda on the free charging stations (paid for and by NYC taxpayers).

Anonymous said...

The whole point that you're missing Crapper is that driving your car to work in Manhattan is the luxury, not driving in general. Most Queens residents do not do this and no one is telling you that you shouldn't be allowed to drive your car from Glendale to Bayside. Those who choose to drive into Manhattan anyway should pair their fair share of the economic impact they have on city streets both in terms of congestion and physical wear and tear. The revenue raised will go directly to improving transit for all New Yorkers, and especially the second most common transit riders, Queens residents. http://i.imgur.com/oFLJRUe.jpg

Queens Crapper said...

No I'm not missing any point. I am well aware that most Queens residents do not drive their cars to Manhattan. In fact I didn't mention Manhattan at all. This post was not about congestion pricing. I am sick of these transportation activists saying that people in the city should not own cars because our public transportation is so fantastic. It's not, and even if it were fully upgraded and funded the fact of the matter is that you will generally still need a car whether it be a personally owned one or a taxi to get from point A to point B most places outside of Manhattan unless you want to waste hours of your life commuting.

Anonymous said...

LOL. I certainly do not wish to be part of Manhattan (nor do I live in LIC). Nonetheless, the fact is that the "western end with multiple subway lines" is where most Queens residents live. More densely populated neighborhoods = greater share of the population.

Anyway, according to this (a little old) it's around 64% of Queens households that own cars: https://www.nycedc.com/blog-entry/new-yorkers-and-cars

That's a little higher than I would have guessed. However, it's still the case that "the majority of workers commute via transit." http://blog.tstc.org/2017/04/21/car-free-new-york-city/

The notion that a car is a necessity in most of Queens or that it's the only way most Queens residents get around is just not true. Some neighborhoods, sure, but clearly even a large portion of the Queens residents who do have cars mostly use them on the weekends to get out of the city or stock up at Costco.

Hey, I'm one of those people - I choose to have a car as a nice-to-have rather than a must-have, and I fully accept the costs and tradeoffs involved in keeping that luxury item around. In neighborhoods where cars are the only good option, people are free to own them, of course - and in those neighborhoods it generally is easier to do so. But in a dense area like mine, it's no one else's responsibility to make it cheap or easy for me to keep a vehicle around so that I can use it for recreation, and I can't complain about advocates who would like to encourage more people to not own cars - that would probably be better for all of us, really.

Anonymous said...


The point is the trajectory of science is predicting this not propaganda.

You can see by how fast iPhones, the internet, streaming music has taken over a market that it happens very quickly and it will happen with electric cars because they are following the same pattern.

You take a moment to listen to people who are smarter than you.

***** Most cars will be electric and most power will be solar/battery by 2050.*****
>> Bla bla bla....more stupid propaganda, NYC style.
>> I see you can read the on screen propaganda on the free charging stations (paid for and by NYC taxpayers).

Anonymous said...

Excellent reply, Queens Crapper. Please respond more often; We, the People need a voice of reason (and prescience), in a city and state that is hopelessly devoid of both! BRAVA! ENCORE!

Anonymous said...

If you need to transport small kids, handicapped or elderly, mass transit and paragransit are hellish. Commute times in heavy car areas even for able bodied are ridiculous too.

Anonymous said...

How amusing to see that some of you drank the Kool-aid that you were fed by your old hippy teachers. So now choosing your preferred method of transportation or traveling about in your own City is a luxury. I suppose if you lived 100 years ago traveling by horse was a luxury. Where does the Government come off telling me how and when I can move about in my own city? Let's just add another freedom to be surrendered to Big Brother in that quest for the Utopian society. Me, I want a car so I can drive the fuck out of here when the libertards completely take over.

Anonymous said...

You take a moment to listen to people who are smarter than you.


Yeah I listen to the real people who are smarter than me, but you are not one of them.
Neither are the commie lunatics running NYC and NYS.


Listen dumbass, technology is not measured how fast your iphone is or how fast you internet is.
The same people who sold and resold the same shit to you and your likes in different formats are the same people that stream your stupid music.
Now that we don't have a real economy is time to start with the cars since you stupid people keep repurchasing the same shit over and over under the disguise of improved technology.
Go for it. Punky.

Anonymous said...

Snowflakes need to admit defeat and go back and shovel manure for grandma. People who live in apartments have DNA from roaches and rodents.

Anonymous said...

Yo snowflake when is a 100F in NYC and the MSM is calling for preserving energy imagine quarter of new yorkers plugging in their cars for recharging!
will make the grid go kaboom...you technology illiterate!

Anonymous said...

I live in Astoria & work in Corona. By car, my commute is 10 minutes each way. On public transportation, it would take me anywhere from 40-60 minutes each way.

Why on earth would I give up my car to make my commute 4 times longer on public transportation?

Anonymous said...

Why on earth would I give up my car to make my commute 4 times longer on public transportation?

Zou vill do exzactly as the communist chief tells zou citizen.