Coolness

Today I want to talk about something that I often see raised as a reason that people want to drive cars instead of taking transit: the cool factor.

And look, I'm not going to pretend that I'm an expert on cool. I am, perhaps, the opposite. But at the same time, let me at least try to explain why I don't think that cars are actually that cool compared to actual, exciting transit options.

1. What Are We Contrasting?

Let me start with this: in the Quad Cities context, and honestly in a lot of American contexts, I'd say that the conventional wisdom of which is cooler is correct.

This Mustang is cooler than this bus:

Bussy here is a good, solid vehicle and I would trust it in a crash much more than the Mustang, but it is boxy and basic. Of course, this car (which I love driving, but that's a different point) is less cool:

Classic bug-eyed Nissan Leaf: not cool.

This Jeep: cooler.

This bus: less cool.

Even in the same snow!

So, yes, what we're comparing matters a lot. This is why I'm saying that modern, up to date transit vehicles can be a lot cooler.

2. Keep Your Stuff Updated

Those buses were never cool, at least not in living memory. But also, transit tech that was cool can stop being cool (though retro is also a thing).

The El, I would argue, is retro.

El trains, however, are not.

The main distinction so far is not necessarily boxy vs sleek (the Jeep is pretty boxy but, I think, also considered fairly cool). It's up to date vs dated.

So this tram, which is sleek and up to date, is something else:

Look at those rounded edges and that smooth motion (I realize this is a still photo; I still think you can picture it from the picture).

The Croydon tram is not as cool, but could be if they updated the trainset:

And even this I like, personally: the green is a real touch of difference from the surroundings that makes it pop.

It's certainly less dated than the buses.

3. Speed Kills

One of the ways that I think the cars get the reputation for coolness is also the speed at which they travel. Trams, buses, metros, trains in the US: we think of these as pokey vehicles where you feel like you're trapped aboard, which massively limits cool factor.

Bonjour, je suis le TGV: le train à grande vitesse, aka the high-speed train.

This RER train is not a high-speed train, but look at that friendly front design--and it does go much faster than an American is probably used to their trains going.

This burst shot might give a sense of that.

Compare the Metra: blocky, slower, not as cool.

Basically, my takeaway here is that trains can be cool, but in the US they usually aren't. It's just not a thing we prioritize. Take the T in Boston:

I love the T but that train looks like it comes from the 1970s, and not necessarily in a cool way.

Contrast with the Mustang or Jeep above and you can see the cool difference.

But also contrast with a more up to date, cleaner, faster metro:

The newer SkyTrain sets in Vancouver are a lot cooler.

Which brings me to my conclusion: when people say cars are cooler, they're thinking about two categories of car, the awesome vintage car and the sweet new ride. But most cars on the road aren't either of those. And so when we contrast to most transit in the US, like Mr. Boxy Bus here, the comparison is weighted against the transit.

But when we consider the best of what transit can look like, it gets pretty cool too.

And you can add in some additional cool in terms of cooling the planet, since they're massively more efficient in fuel use.