Light Rail vs The Metro

So here in Grenoble there are these trams which will take you practically anywhere within the city you want to go (often with a transfer somewhere). A lot of people compare it to the metro, and it certainly seems to have attempted a replication of that style of connectivity. However I've actually found it to be better. The atmosphere on board one of these things is much nicer than that of the Metro (I'm talking from experiences in Paris and London... Can't really remember Barcelona's). 

People actually talk on these things. There none of the no eye contact, leering silently into the distance and doing your best not to move that seems to be a mandatory policy on metro systems. I think this can be attributed partially to the fact that Grenoble is a smaller city than those mentioned. But the fact that they are outside defiantly has an influence on this as well. As you move throughout the city you actually see people getting on with their lives outside, rather than a bunch of graffiti on a concrete wall. This certainly lifts the mood for me and I feel as though it does the same for the Grenoblois.

I also think that people waste a lot less time on the trams. In the underground there is a tendency for people to jump on for 1 or 2 stops which they probably could have walked without any bother. On the trams you actually get an idea of the space in between stations. Consequently you will walk in situations where on the metro you would probably just jump underground and start counting little blue circles.

I've certainly never been adamantly opposed to the light rail movement in Wellington. But I've never been a huge proponent either (as someone who bikes everywhere). But having seen this system running here in Grenoble I must say the Celia has my backing on this one. I can't even begin to fathom it's implementation (they aren't the skinniest things in the world), but I think that's actually the purpose of studies she's backing. 

Of coarse we've had a lot of fun at the expense of the Metro so far. I should mention that this is all relative and that I love the Metro and the freedom of movement within a big city that it provides. I'm certainly not saying they should wire a bunch of light rail through Paris's grid and board up the metro entrances. The metro is fantastic... And one of my favourite New Wave songs is named after it: