Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Porcupine The Godful Heathen]

Can anyone tell me how the mass transit system is in New Hampshire? Can I get around without a car? Maybe just use a bike, walk, or take the bus. How about in Manchester specifically? Thanks.

There is very little "mass transit system" type thing in New Hampshire. It is mostly a rural state, but Manchester does have a bus system, so does Portsmouth which (I believe) shares it with Dover a near by town. Not sure about Keene and Concord although I wouldn't be surprised if they each had one.

[Fishercat]

Concord has 3 or 4 bus routes, running into the center of town (the capitol building, etc.)

[dalebert]

Manchester isn't very big and somewhat flat. If you plan it right, you can live close to where you work and get by with walking or biking. Keene is even more amenable to walking and biking with some good planning. Some of my friends there bike most everywhere even though they have cars. There are lots of stores and homes close together near the main square (though it's really circle). Portsmouth has a commuter train to Boston. I know some people who plan to live in Portsmouth while one of them continues school in Boston via that train. Not sure how practical that is. Nice thing about it is you can be reading or working on a laptop on the train so the time doesn't have to be wasted.

[JAC]

Thank you for the info there.  It's just that gas is a pain and I want to save as much money as I can.  I hate debt, as mentioned earlier.   So I don't want to be making car payments if I don't have to.

[J’raxis 270145]

Manchester isn't very big and somewhat flat.

Actually, Manchester is built in a river valley between two hills. The west side is quite steep, and once you get east of about Lincoln or Wilson Street, it starts sloping upward for quite some distance. If you tend to stay between Elm and Lincoln/Wilson, or only travel north–south on foot, it is more or less flat, however.

Terrain map.

[dalebert]

If you tend to stay between Elm and Lincoln/Wilson, or only travel north–south on foot, it is more or less flat, however.

I guess those are the areas where I spent most of my time.

[JAC]

What is the presence of unions in New Hampshire?  I mean, how much control do they have over business practices in that state specifically?  And is there any hope of fighting back against employer/employee restrictions?  Regarding union, as well as government, intervention?

Because where I work here in California (at a grocery store called Vons) it's just awful.  Vons runs its business in such an inefficient manner, it makes absolutely no sense to me.  I know the union and the government are encouraging it, probably to reach fuller-employment or some nonsense goal like that, and I know the government is forcing taxpayers to subsidize this inefficiency, which is like a double-tax on consumers, and all of it is just ridiculous.

I have to pay $8 each week to this damn union and they don't protect me in any way.  My experience so far is that all they really do is limit my freedom as a worker and my employer's freedom.  They think they know whats best for me and they take my money and my freedom in the process.

What's with all these unnecessary middlemen?  What's the hope of ever getting back to basic employer-employee relationships and contracts without worrying about state, federal, or union laws?  Is the climate in New Hampshire regarding these issues more amiable to our cause?

There's also some nonsense here that my family informed me of about not being able to "fire" anyone.  You have to say "Your services are no longer required" or some other precise words.  Not sure exactly why, perhaps something to do with the risk of lawsuits.  But if I pay you money to provide a service and I feel that you are not worth the investment then I should be able to fire you.  Unless we have a contract that says I'll give you two weeks notice, or a warning, or something.  But other then that, if I'm paying you my money and you're not doing what I'm paying you for, then of course I can fire your ass. 

Makes no sense to me.

[maxxoccupancy]

Seabrook is also excellent in terms of not needing a car, especially if you live near Route 1.  Within 15 minutes walk, I can reach town hall, Starbucks, the Post Office, Home Depot, Shaws, the Seabrook Community Center, GNC, Wendy's, and about two dozen other banks and businesses.  It's not much of a worry, then, if your car breaks down, or even if you don't have one.  The town is so conveniently put together that you can walk almost anywhere within a half hour.

When I do drive somewhere, it only takes me about five minutes to reach my destination.  There's hardly any traffic even in summer.

[John Edward Mercier]

Some unions exist, but most employment is contractual at the individual level. Hourly employees are mostly contractual under 'employed at will'... meaning either party may chose to dissolve the contract without reason.

[Denis Goddard]

There is a strong anti-union (or, better put, pro only VOLUNTARY unionization) caucus, primarily among the republicans, in the NH legislature

[Dreepa]

Because where I work here in California (at a grocery store called Vons)

I remember the big Vons worker strike a few years ago.
I loved crossing that picket line.   

[JAC]

There is a strong anti-union (or, better put, pro only VOLUNTARY unionization) caucus, primarily among the republicans, in the NH legislature

That's good to know.  Thanks.

Because where I work here in California (at a grocery store called Vons)

I remember the big Vons worker strike a few years ago.
I loved crossing that picket line.   

Yah, I remember the strike because my mom used to work for Vons but never went to strike and then ended up quiting.

I bet you got a lot of shit for crossing that line, haha. 

[Ron Helwig]

I remember the big Vons worker strike a few years ago.
I loved crossing that picket line.   

I bet you got a lot of shit for crossing that line, haha. 

I've met Dreepa in person. I would take that bet. 
[Hint: I would rather get into a brawl with WWE's Kane than Dreepa.]

[dalebert]

Dreepa looks like he could twist head's off like bottle tops. He's one of those guys that you keep thinking to yourself "I'm glad he's on OUR side."

[JAC]

When we protest I'm staying close by him then, haha.  I'm roughly 5'7'' and weight 120 lbs.  How big is dreepa exactly?