Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s pothole purge saw nearly 8,000 craters filled in a single day – the same number that would usually take New York’s Department of Transport (DOT) a week.
What a wonderful metric to measure how a mayor or prime minister is working. If the streets are full of potholes, you have a bad government. If the streets are paved with smooth asphalt without a single hole for your precious car burning expensive gasoline to fall in, then they’re doing some very good work. The economy and potholes. That’s the most important things.
The point is that Mamdami is actually doing what his constituents have been asking. If you want to put a negative spin on it, at least make it about how low the bar is instead of this insufferable interpretation of the situation
Kier Starmer would never fill a pothole!
The same was said about the previous progressive mayor of my city. She and the party pushed very hard for bike paths everywhere. And we got them. But conservatives and people not from the city were whining because somehow, there were still potholes in the city.
You’re right, it is a wonderful metric! The metric boils down to “public servant uses public money to improve the lives of the public.” The same can be said for all public services: parks, playgrounds, healthcare, inspection and maintenance, just to name a few.
Contrary to what seems to be a widely held opinion in the US the government should not be a for-profit enterprise, rather an entity entrusted with spending public money (i.e. taxes) for the good of the public, and on things no private company would bother with as there is no expected return on investment other than “making people healthier and happier”. Healthy, happy people are more likely to contribute and be more productive, which in turn raises more taxes and so the cycle continues. So yes, fixing potholes is a great start, well spotted.
It kind of shows the priorities? Your infrastructure will be fine for a few years if you do no maintenance. After that, it’s downhill. If you are investing in maintaining it, you show that you have the longterm interests of the population in mind instead of some shortterm things that might help you during your short term
This is “rape whistles shouldn’t need to exist” logic. I know you’re in your own little universe where you could just Infinity Gauntlet snap and there’d be no more cars in NYC, but in the world we actually live in, he’s helping.
They’re not even really using it as a metric. They’re just staying a fact and you’re getting all worked up over nothing. The article even mentioned an electric scooter rider who died after they got launched off their vehicle after they hit a pothole: this could have easily happened to a cyclist.
What a wonderful metric to measure how a mayor or prime minister is working. If the streets are full of potholes, you have a bad government. If the streets are paved with smooth asphalt without a single hole for your precious car burning expensive gasoline to fall in, then they’re doing some very good work. The economy and potholes. That’s the most important things.
Bikes and buses use streets, too.
Wheelchairs, scooters… lots of things that aren’t cars have wheels and may need to cross the road at some point!
What’s Johney-5 up to these days?
The point is that Mamdami is actually doing what his constituents have been asking. If you want to put a negative spin on it, at least make it about how low the bar is instead of this insufferable interpretation of the situation
Kier Starmer would never fill a pothole! The same was said about the previous progressive mayor of my city. She and the party pushed very hard for bike paths everywhere. And we got them. But conservatives and people not from the city were whining because somehow, there were still potholes in the city.
I maintain it’s a stupid metric.
Ok well carry on finding the negative in every shred of positive news then
Cars are objectively bad for the environment, for planning, for space, for human community and sociability. There’s a lot to criticize about cars
You’re right, it is a wonderful metric! The metric boils down to “public servant uses public money to improve the lives of the public.” The same can be said for all public services: parks, playgrounds, healthcare, inspection and maintenance, just to name a few.
Contrary to what seems to be a widely held opinion in the US the government should not be a for-profit enterprise, rather an entity entrusted with spending public money (i.e. taxes) for the good of the public, and on things no private company would bother with as there is no expected return on investment other than “making people healthier and happier”. Healthy, happy people are more likely to contribute and be more productive, which in turn raises more taxes and so the cycle continues. So yes, fixing potholes is a great start, well spotted.
It kind of shows the priorities? Your infrastructure will be fine for a few years if you do no maintenance. After that, it’s downhill. If you are investing in maintaining it, you show that you have the longterm interests of the population in mind instead of some shortterm things that might help you during your short term
This is “rape whistles shouldn’t need to exist” logic. I know you’re in your own little universe where you could just Infinity Gauntlet snap and there’d be no more cars in NYC, but in the world we actually live in, he’s helping.
They’re not even really using it as a metric. They’re just staying a fact and you’re getting all worked up over nothing. The article even mentioned an electric scooter rider who died after they got launched off their vehicle after they hit a pothole: this could have easily happened to a cyclist.