I used to live at 16th and Santa Monica and was really excited about the Expo Line. I ended up moving before it showed up because it was many years late (I'm glad it finally got built though!)
I used to ride a recumbent to UCLA now and then because I had a death wish, and it shocked me that it took 25 minutes and yet people spent 60 minutes in traffic in their cars every day just to get across the 405.
You're right, though, those cities are mostly lost causes, more for the attitudes present in them than the infrastructure. Doesn't mean we can't try to make any new ones better though.
Oh man, the Expo line isn't synced with the lights, it's horrible. That and the bums like to go crazy and sit on the rail lines, causing jams at the street crossings. It's not that frequent, but it happens. It used to back up to Bundy on a bad day, now it's every day.
Riding a recumbent to UCLA from 16th is hardcore. Everyone I knew that rode in west LA got hit at least once, if not more.
I used to ride a recumbent to UCLA now and then because I had a death wish, and it shocked me that it took 25 minutes and yet people spent 60 minutes in traffic in their cars every day just to get across the 405.
You're right, though, those cities are mostly lost causes, more for the attitudes present in them than the infrastructure. Doesn't mean we can't try to make any new ones better though.