Pete C. wrote:
> sf wrote:
>
>> People in the US who are unfamiliar with Europe think it's as spread
>> out as we are. So I guess they think we're as densely populated as
>> they are and we can solve all of our transportation problems if we
>> just try harder.
>
> Yep. Had one time when someone from France was here in Dallas, TX and
> though they might pop over to Carlsbad, NM during their visit... after
> all it's just over the border from Texas into New Mexico... until he
> found out that it was a 9 hour drive on 70-80 MPH highways one-way.

In the US a nine hour drive *is* "just over the border" like that. We
just tihnk on a different scale because we have space on a different
scale.

I live an 11 hour drive from my parents. We visit them on several
three day weekends per year. It's not a huge distance for the US. Only
one time zone is not a huge distance for the US. Like London to Berlin.
It's enough to want to spend the night when we get to our destination
but really it's just down the road a bit. We could go five times that
distance and still might not make it to San Diego.