Comments on: The island tax http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/2009/07/08/the-island-tax/ I am a mongrel - O ma! A gremlin... Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:34:17 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Ross http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/2009/07/08/the-island-tax/comment-page-1/#comment-10623 Ross Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:59:20 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/?p=1365#comment-10623 Bad news: it's only going to get worse. Some 95% of our transportation systems are dependent on fossil fuel, and even if (when) we switch to electric cars we'll still need increasingly expensive gas for ships and planes. The solution is teleconferencing. But most events in Vancouver or Seattle may draw sufficient audiences from their own cities to worry about setting up online versions for the likes of us .... Bad news: it’s only going to get worse. Some 95% of our transportation systems are dependent on fossil fuel, and even if (when) we switch to electric cars we’ll still need increasingly expensive gas for ships and planes.

The solution is teleconferencing. But most events in Vancouver or Seattle may draw sufficient audiences from their own cities to worry about setting up online versions for the likes of us ….

]]> By: Yule http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/2009/07/08/the-island-tax/comment-page-1/#comment-10622 Yule Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:07:44 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/?p=1365#comment-10622 The prices have really climbed in the past 15 years or so. It's somewhere around $120 each way if you're traveling by car with 3 passengers (you can book online, but get charged an additional $17 each way if you make reservations - and if you don't, you're likely to end up waiting hours for the next run during popular times/ weekends). You need to be there 1-hr.+ in advance, waiting, even if you have a reservation. The Coho (US ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles) is comparable in price (slightly cheaper, iirc, and less onerous in terms of waiting times, but you have to clear customs, too - which adds to the wait; it's not too bad, though, and better than at the highway crossing). Then there's the Clipper, a passenger-only ferry from Victoria to Seattle, which is great downtown to downtown, but can be very choppy depending on sea / weather conditions (it's a smaller ship than the MV ferries) and also charges a premium for the d/t to d/t connection. The float planes are almost $200 per person each way, once you factor in the taxes, even with various specials that come up occasionally, it really adds up if you're not traveling alone or aren't on an expense account. Ferry prices are bound to keep going up, too. The prices have really climbed in the past 15 years or so. It’s somewhere around $120 each way if you’re traveling by car with 3 passengers (you can book online, but get charged an additional $17 each way if you make reservations – and if you don’t, you’re likely to end up waiting hours for the next run during popular times/ weekends). You need to be there 1-hr.+ in advance, waiting, even if you have a reservation. The Coho (US ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles) is comparable in price (slightly cheaper, iirc, and less onerous in terms of waiting times, but you have to clear customs, too – which adds to the wait; it’s not too bad, though, and better than at the highway crossing). Then there’s the Clipper, a passenger-only ferry from Victoria to Seattle, which is great downtown to downtown, but can be very choppy depending on sea / weather conditions (it’s a smaller ship than the MV ferries) and also charges a premium for the d/t to d/t connection. The float planes are almost $200 per person each way, once you factor in the taxes, even with various specials that come up occasionally, it really adds up if you’re not traveling alone or aren’t on an expense account. Ferry prices are bound to keep going up, too.

]]> By: maria http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/2009/07/08/the-island-tax/comment-page-1/#comment-10621 maria Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:19:55 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/?p=1365#comment-10621 I hear you -- and remember somewhat fondly that back in the early 1980s I used to take the car on the ferry to Victoria often in the morning and return the same day, and I sure didn't feel a financial pinch. I can't even imagine the level of stuckness you are experiencing, but I can imagine the frustration. Who would have thought that with all the growth (years of bounty) and technological transformations of so many sort, we'd be putting distances between us by erecting all these hurdles? I hear you — and remember somewhat fondly that back in the early 1980s I used to take the car on the ferry to Victoria often in the morning and return the same day, and I sure didn’t feel a financial pinch. I can’t even imagine the level of stuckness you are experiencing, but I can imagine the frustration. Who would have thought that with all the growth (years of bounty) and technological transformations of so many sort, we’d be putting distances between us by erecting all these hurdles?

]]> By: Yule http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/2009/07/08/the-island-tax/comment-page-1/#comment-10620 Yule Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:02:13 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/?p=1365#comment-10620 Yeah, it's brutal. In my case, I'm not traveling solo, either, so it's often enough a case of traveling with kids and/or spouse, which means taking a car on the ferry, where they get you for a lot more money - and don't get me started on that reservation racket that BC Ferries now has. Forget about flying when it's the family group, too. Oh well, come September (when the daughter starts at UBC) I'll have to fork out ferry or plane fare on a more regular basis, I guess. . Did you see that <del datetime="2009-07-09T15:59:23+00:00">Galiano</del> correction: <strong>Gabriola</strong> Island residents overwhelmingly declined even to have a study to look at creating a fixed link to Vancouver Island? Do they think the ferries are going to get cheaper? Yeah, it’s brutal. In my case, I’m not traveling solo, either, so it’s often enough a case of traveling with kids and/or spouse, which means taking a car on the ferry, where they get you for a lot more money – and don’t get me started on that reservation racket that BC Ferries now has. Forget about flying when it’s the family group, too. Oh well, come September (when the daughter starts at UBC) I’ll have to fork out ferry or plane fare on a more regular basis, I guess.
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Did you see that Galiano
correction: Gabriola Island residents overwhelmingly declined even to have a study to look at creating a fixed link to Vancouver Island? Do they think the ferries are going to get cheaper?

]]> By: Davin Greenwell http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/2009/07/08/the-island-tax/comment-page-1/#comment-10619 Davin Greenwell Thu, 09 Jul 2009 06:54:03 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/yulelog/?p=1365#comment-10619 Yes definitely feel that too. With so many events going on in Vancouver for design, I wish I was able to make it over without the ferry fee. Yes definitely feel that too. With so many events going on in Vancouver for design, I wish I was able to make it over without the ferry fee.

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