ClosingADoor
Member
Yeesh, America has bad public transport and infrastructure. A town of 40.000+ people with no public transport to a pretty nearby major city. What the hell.
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Man Walks 3 Miles to Work, nice folks buy him a car
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DontBeThatGuy
Member
Yep.
A car can be pretty damn essential in a lot places in this country, and can open up other opportunities as well. This is a group of people unquestionably improving this man's situation, and we still manage to get the bitter brigade showing up, making it into some kind of weird competition.
Three miles? That's absolutely fucking nothing. You don't need a car for that surely.
I used to walk 3 miles to university every day. And 3 miles back.
And I still walk 1.5 miles to work now, even though I have a car.
The fact that people thought that was so pitiable that he needed a car buying for him... damn, no wonder America has an obesity problem.
I used to walk 3 miles to university every day. And 3 miles back.
And I still walk 1.5 miles to work now, even though I have a car.
The fact that people thought that was so pitiable that he needed a car buying for him... damn, no wonder America has an obesity problem.
Certinty
Member
Some great people out there.
Saying that when I was at uni I was used to walk over 1.5 miles to the bus stop with a small walk after that then the same when going home.
Overall it worked out about 90 mins each way and if I had a car it was only a 25 minute journey. But then that's my own fault for not having one.
Saying that when I was at uni I was used to walk over 1.5 miles to the bus stop with a small walk after that then the same when going home.
Overall it worked out about 90 mins each way and if I had a car it was only a 25 minute journey. But then that's my own fault for not having one.
Human Resources
Member
damn
this dude could've died of heatstroke and some peeps in this thread would have been all "should've took that STEM track"
this dude could've died of heatstroke and some peeps in this thread would have been all "should've took that STEM track"
makingmusic476
Member
Drivers would probably act like assholes to somebody on a bike in that part of the country, and I'm sure the roads aren't anything close to safe for someone on a bike.
Lack of proper infrastructure for bicycles and unfamiliarity with dealing with bicycles on the part of drivers does not make for an area friendly to cyclists.
Epsilon-delta
Banned
Some bitter ass people in this thread.
I could only imagine the outrage if free college or UBI went into effect.
I could only imagine the outrage if free college or UBI went into effect.
OrangeGrayBlue
Member
While I loathe the US' general apathy for public transportation, our country is so sprawling and contains so many 40,000-ish population towns that it would take an absurd level of investment for all or even most towns that size to have competent public transportation to the nearest major city.
Messofanego
Banned
3 miles is nothing. I had to dodge landmines and mortar strikes for 5 miles on the way to work.
Skellig Gra
Member
Nice gift
This opens doors for him. It will give him means to say go to some technical school before or after work and still have time to study and have a life - whereas public transport infrastructure is so bad in much of the US that wouldn't be feasible otherwise (not to mention he probably couldn't afford it). Or hell just work a second job if that's what he wants to do for a while.
cr0w
Old Member
Do you live in a place that, in the summer, routinely tops out over 100 degrees with 80-100% humidity?
If you don't, and if you've never had to walk any distance in that type of environment, your previous life experience means exactly jack and shit.
You think this was done out of pity? Someone gave him a ride and was inspired by his story, that he was saving up to get a car to make his life better. So they decided to do a good thing and raise money for him to get that car, $500 worth of gas, a year of insurance, and two years' worth of oil changes.
You think that's pity? People can't do something good for someone that inspires them, it always has to be pity?
They're not the ones with the issue here.
Oh, by the way...speaking as a Texan, public transportation in this state is a joke, and the only bike-friendly cities are Austin and Houston, and the latter barely qualifies. His life will be improved dramatically thanks to people "finding him pitiable".
Give me a fucking break.
I do think there are some things to consider here beyond the nicety of the gesture.
For example, people across the political spectrum will laud discrete instances of charity. However, many of those same people do not support changing our economic and social structures so that everyone benefits from fair opportunities.
Also, how will others interpret this story, particularly with regard to race? I can easily see some people using this consciously or subconsciously as justification for their belief that white people aren't racist against black people. Or, they'll look at the man in the story as "one of the good ones" because he works hard and continue to denigrate "lazy blacks" and be willfully ignorant of the structural impact of racism.
cr0w
Old Member
Yeah. Folks act like the only time he'd use it is for work. I'm sure theres more that led to them wanting him to catch a break. It's good to give someone a boost sometimes.
I'm not trying to be cynical. What I'm saying is, everyone feels good about grand gestures like this one. But feeling good doesn't necessarily lead to more good being done in the world. In fact, it can often distract from taking the necessary steps to improve society.
Legend of Aims
Member
Some of you will never be happy for anyone.
Seraphis Cain
bad gameplay lol
cr0w
Old Member
No, you're trying to take a nice story and spin your own narrative out of it in a desperate attempt to find something to complain about when, in reality, someone's life was changed for the better.
It's better to admit your cynicism than to try to disguise it in the shroud of societal concerns.
oxrock
Gravity is a myth, the Earth SUCKS!
The pity parade going on in here is horrendous. Why can't people just be happy for a guy who was struggling and got a helping hand? "He wasn't struggling enough! I crawled 5000 miles back home after losing my arms and legs in Vietnam!" Jesus, who cares? It's not hard to find shitty situations in the world. That's why I appreciate seeing something good posted that reminds me that the world isn't entirely crap.
You mean a place called "Taco Casa" might not have that many employee benefits? Maybe a raw bar and jacuzzi out back next to the dumpster
This is what I thought. Makes sense. So many areas of Texas are the perfect representation of terrible city planning. It's all about cars.
I've spent most of my adult life living in nice parts of cities with good tree cover that are very walkable. I wouldn't want to commute 3 miles each way on foot even though I love to walk and, according to Google Fit, do more of it than 96% of my city on an average week. 6 miles of walking in a day doesn't sound like much at all to me, but that's not everything going in to having to walk 3 miles to and from work every day.
You get a few miles farther out from the city center or away from nice suburban towns and walking that sort of distance is terrible even if the weather is perfect, which it rarely is. The tree cover is lacking, the sidewalks aren't nicely maintained, you often have to go out of your way when trying to cross large streets, you might have to wait a good 5 minutes at several lights, etc.
You get a few miles farther out from the city center or away from nice suburban towns and walking that sort of distance is terrible even if the weather is perfect, which it rarely is. The tree cover is lacking, the sidewalks aren't nicely maintained, you often have to go out of your way when trying to cross large streets, you might have to wait a good 5 minutes at several lights, etc.
Unspeakable Evil
Member
That's pretty nice of them. 
Perhaps he's more in need than you're assuming? You can find a lot about a person's situation through talking, which is what seems to have happened.
Also, he can sell the car if it he ever wanted and buy multiple bikes.
He also wouldn't have to walk home in case of emergencies or whatever else you may need a car for.
Maintenance
Member
3 miles? First world problems.
BigGreenMat
Member
It is 3 miles... That isnt a long distance worthy of a car.
I feel like the insurance and gas costs aren't worth it for a 3 mile commute. That's like a 45 minute walk. I bet driving that during rush hour wouldn't even be much faster.
If you biked it would likely for sure be faster than driving.
Edit: yeah shit city planning and Texas heat makes a car nice in this situation.
If you biked it would likely for sure be faster than driving.
Edit: yeah shit city planning and Texas heat makes a car nice in this situation.
LOL. Not in America.
FriskyrumX
Banned
It's GAF. People get sad/mad when something bad happens in the world and in the end do nothing to help people through it, but when a act of kindness rolls around, they do nothing but complain and bash it because they're jealous. Double standards, not suprised.
Threads like this remind me just how toxic this board can be. It's very sad. I'm glad that this dude's life will be a little easier now.
I used to walk more than 3 miles to work too (but in a really pedestrian friendly city), but parts of Texas is horrible for pedestrians... many roads don't even have sidewalks, and imagine that heat. I don't really think it is possible to live in some places in the USA without owning a car.
Empathy, how does it work?
The real story here is the disgraceful state of our public transportation system.
ghostofsparta
Member
for a 3 mile walk definitely not worth it, but in the US you need a car if you want to live a good life. I'm sure there will be times in his near future where he will need to travel farther
You shouldn't have even had to post this. I would understand comments in this thread if most of GAF lived in the UK and had no idea about our public transit system but everyone who lives in the US should know that our public transportation and bike accessible riding is shit.
I really didn't think a thread like this could reveal distinct character traits of people and a bootstraps mentality when topics like police brutality and struggles PoC have to go through are consistently on page one of off topic.
A car opens doors. I would never have thought a gift could be controversial but here we are.
Also, the heat isn't good for everyone. I noticed in the video this kid must have been picked up a few times from passerby's, I guess it's taking its toll on him. Then someone wants to talk about fat Americans when the dude getting the car is bone thin.
I have asthma and on ozone action days I have a hard time in the heat. I could only imagine dealing with that in Texas. Yikes.
disappeared
Banned
The fuck is with the negativity here?
Grow up.
Grow up.
Yall can't be happy with somebody doing something nice for someone?
Yall gotta question everything and make it more than what it is.
They got him a car, paid for his insurance for a year, got him a a $500 gas card etc. Dude can drive to the store now among many other things. Hell having a car probably opens up tons of opportunities for him.
But maybe it IS so strange. The world we live in being so selfish and "me me me" that something like this does illicit this sort of reaction from people.
Yall gotta question everything and make it more than what it is.
They got him a car, paid for his insurance for a year, got him a a $500 gas card etc. Dude can drive to the store now among many other things. Hell having a car probably opens up tons of opportunities for him.
But maybe it IS so strange. The world we live in being so selfish and "me me me" that something like this does illicit this sort of reaction from people.
Bumblebeetuna
Gold Member
In Texas summer heat that's fucking brutal.
Not to mention how much this can improve every other aspect of his life.
Unknown Soldier
Member
The story of Detroit's Walking Man amazes me to this day. He has a car now! And his insane Michigan insurance rates paid too!
I'm not denying that something good has happened in this specific situation. We should celebrate it, but I don't think it's unreasonable to also continue discussion about how our collective actions create situations of disadvantage for the many who don't have the fortune of a rare event like this happening to them.
WeirdoStalkerJr
Member
I walk 3 miles to work everyday and back and no one bought me a car, nor do I expect them too.
Seraphis Cain
bad gameplay lol
I'm pretty sure this guy didn't expect anyone to buy him a car, either. So I'm not sure what your point is.