In an age where information is instantly accessible at our fingertips, it's crucial to remain vigilant against misinformation, especially on social media.
The r/nycrail Reddit forum was up in arms about a video by YouTuber Cash Jordan after he critiqued public transit and urban planning, presenting arguments that sparked outrage. "He's a larger YouTuber and lives in the middle of Manhattan and is basically peddling debunked misinformation and trying to paint it as a concerned citizen," the original poster said.
Jordan made the assertion that most families need cars to commute into Manhattan daily, also suggesting reducing parking and road space in favor of bikes could lead to an increased number of accidents. However, these arguments are challenged by data.
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New York's Metro Transportation Authority (MTA) conducted an environmental assessment of Manhattan. The nearly 1,000-page document released in April 2023 showed roughly 1.2 million people travel daily into Manhattan's Central Business District — with an estimated 90% traveling to Manhattan via mass transit. This indicates that families rely on buses and trains rather than personal vehicles for daily commutes.
The New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) reports that protected bike lanes can decrease traffic fatalities and serious injuries. Additionally, a Johns Hopkins study recommends implementing narrower street lanes to increase road safety, as they can calm traffic and decrease the likelihood of severe accidents.
"This dude is closing in on 1 million subscribers," one Redditor commented. This highlights a significant concern about how misinformation can be disseminated to a large audience.
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Further, public transit is good for both your wallet and the environment. Commuting via public transit can save money on fuel, parking fees, insurance, and other vehicle maintenance costs.
NYC Environment & Health says using public transit contributes to better air quality and a reduction in polluting gas. "A neighborhood's air quality is related to its traffic density, building emissions, and density of restaurants and industrial areas," the site said. "Air quality improves when traffic is reduced."
Discussing urban transit and infrastructure is important, but it's just as crucial to back claims with solid data. That way, the decisions we make and solutions we come up with will actually make a difference.
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