--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A society sufficiently sophisticated to…" description: "\"“A society sufficiently sophisticated to produce the internal combustion engine has not had the sophistication to develop cheap and efficient public tr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc4/ben-elton-12329_stuck-in-traffic_a-society-sufficiently-sophisticated-to_1722406.png" --- # A society sufficiently sophisticated to produce the… ![“A society sufficiently sophisticated to produce the internal combustion engine has not had the sophistication to develop cheap and efficient public transport?' ‘Yes, boss... it’s true. There’s hardly any buses, the trains are hopelessly underfunded, and hence the entire population is stuck in…” quote by Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc4/ben-elton-12329_stuck-in-traffic_a-society-sufficiently-sophisticated-to_1722406.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc4/ben-elton-12329_stuck-in-traffic_a-society-sufficiently-sophisticated-to_1722406.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc4/ben-elton-12329_stuck-in-traffic_a-society-sufficiently-sophisticated-to_1722406.png) > ““A society sufficiently sophisticated to produce the internal combustion engine has not had the sophistication to develop cheap and efficient public transport?' ‘Yes, boss... it’s true. There’s hardly any buses, the trains are hopelessly underfunded, and hence the entire population is stuck in traffic”” [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societies can create complex technologies yet fail to provide basic, efficient public services, leading to congestion and inefficiency. **In simple terms:** Advanced tech can coexist with poor public transport. Key Takeaway Invest in affordable, efficient mass transit. Themes infrastructure public policy urban planning technology social equity Mood frustrated concerned critical Type analytical commentary. When to use this quote - city commuting - government budgeting - urban development - environmental impact Key Concepts externalities resource allocation public good Questions to Reflect On - How can we align technological advancement with public service quality? - What policies could incentivize better public transport funding? A Different Perspective Complex systems often prioritize profit over public need, limiting transport improvements. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stuck in traffic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuck-in-traffic/) ## Related quotes > [The problem of getting from home to the metro, BRT or bus stop makes many people take their cars to work. 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Part of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/in-australia-s-biggest-cities-public-transport-is-generally-slow/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [I love queers as much as the next guy, I just don't think I should have to sit beside them on public transport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-love-queers-as-much-as-the-next-guy-i-just-don-t-think-i-should/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I grew up in Wandsworth and was constantly on public transport, as there wasn't much going on around there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romy-madley-croft/i-grew-up-in-wandsworth-and-was-constantly-on-public-transport-as/) [Romy Madley Croft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romy-madley-croft/) > [An advanced city is not one where even the poor use cars, but rather one where even the rich use public transport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enrique-pe-alosa-londo-o/an-advanced-city-is-not-one-where-even-the-poor-use-cars-but-rather/) Enrique Peñalosa Londoño > [I believe there should be some financial incentives to make the right choice: to make them to buy the right car or not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fatih-birol/i-believe-there-should-be-some-financial-incentives-to-make-the-right/) [Fatih Birol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fatih-birol/) > [People have to make journeys, what we want is people to have alternatives in public transport so that they can make a choice about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/people-have-to-make-journeys-what-we-want-is-people-to-have/) [Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/) > [“If you really want space on public transport you should carry some pornography from the 1970s and a pair of children's safety scissors, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-ince/if-you-really-want-space-on-public-transport-you-should-carry-some/) [Robin Ince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-ince/) > [I will have failed in this if in five years there are not many more people using public transport and far fewer journeys by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prescott/i-will-have-failed-in-this-if-in-five-years-there-are-not-many-more/) [John Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prescott/) > [Having a police presence on public transport is vital to ensuring customers are safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gladys-berejiklian/having-a-police-presence-on-public-transport-is-vital-to-ensuring/) [Gladys Berejiklian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gladys-berejiklian/) > [If I was a Mayor, I would sort the traffic out and that includes public transport. The traffic jams really get on my nerves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delia-smith/if-i-was-a-mayor-i-would-sort-the-traffic-out-and-that-includes/) [Delia Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delia-smith/) > [I get wound up by bad manners on public transport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-kerr/i-get-wound-up-by-bad-manners-on-public-transport/) [Jim Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-kerr/) ## More by Ben Elton > [ “\[H\]e was damned if he was going to water down his arguments simply to satisfy the preference of the mob for dogma and ignorance.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/h-e-was-damned-if-he-was-going-to-water-down-his-arguments-simply-to/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [“People in that crowd want to make poverty history, but NOT if they have to pay for it themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/people-in-that-crowd-want-to-make-poverty-history-but-not-if-they/) [ben elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [We've all got to look at ourselves, start with yourself, that's all you can do. I believe that we can act responsibly as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/we-ve-all-got-to-look-at-ourselves-start-with-yourself-that-s-all-you/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [“We've just lost our way, that's all. But what if you could give us a chance to do better? Just one chance? One single…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/we-ve-just-lost-our-way-that-s-all-but-what-if-you-could-give-us-a/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [I try hard not to preach, but I get carried away, which is a mistake, but it's a risk worth running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/i-try-hard-not-to-preach-but-i-get-carried-away-which-is-a-mistake/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [Artists don't create society, they reflect it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/artists-don-t-create-society-they-reflect-it/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [The earth only has so much bounty to offer and inventing ever larger and more notional prices for that bounty does not change its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/the-earth-only-has-so-much-bounty-to-offer-and-inventing-ever-larger/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [My advice to anyone adapting a novel is that once they've read it and learnt to understand it, then they must throw it away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/my-advice-to-anyone-adapting-a-novel-is-that-once-they-ve-read-it-and/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [My parents were secular. I am an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/my-parents-were-secular-i-am-an-atheist/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [“New York will always seem more real than anything Britain has to offer. It is strange that, although the majority of British people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/new-york-will-always-seem-more-real-than-anything-britain-has-to/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [Yes, OK, farty is a silly word. I wish I'd never used it. I'm 34. Perhaps it was a word for my 20s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/yes-ok-farty-is-a-silly-word-i-wish-i-d-never-used-it-i-m-34-perhaps/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [I think it is very difficult to legislate for morality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/i-think-it-is-very-difficult-to-legislate-for-morality/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [If I did things for the money, I'd have done adverts in the 1980s, when I was hot enough to be offered them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/if-i-did-things-for-the-money-i-d-have-done-adverts-in-the-1980s-when/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [“To positively discriminate in favour of groups that have been negatively discriminated against in the past.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/to-positively-discriminate-in-favour-of-groups-that-have-been/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [You're mugging old ladies every bit as much if you pinch their pension fund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/you-re-mugging-old-ladies-every-bit-as-much-if-you-pinch-their/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) [Explore all 55 Ben Elton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) ## More Stuck in traffic quotes > [“I WAS SITTING IN a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/i-was-sitting-in-a-taxi-wondering-if-i-had-overdressed-for-the/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Just faked a phone call to get out of signing a petition then got stuck in traffic...karma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/just-faked-a-phone-call-to-get-out-of-signing-a-petition-then-got/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [“Alfred Hitchcock said movies are “life with the dull bits cut out.”5 Car chases and first kisses, interesting plot lines and good conversations. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tish-harrison-warren/alfred-hitchcock-said-movies-are-life-with-the-dull-bits-cut-out-5/) [Tish Harrison Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tish-harrison-warren/) > [If you're stuck in traffic, call a friend or listen to a favorite podcast. If you're waiting in a long line, make friends with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/if-you-re-stuck-in-traffic-call-a-friend-or-listen-to-a-favorite/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [“You’re not stuck in traffic; you ARE traffic. 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It seemed too good to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-passenger-door-was-wide-open-nobody-was-around-and-a-purse-was/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [As far as routine goes, one of the things we talk about all the time is that if you have a routine that's great.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stevens/as-far-as-routine-goes-one-of-the-things-we-talk-about-all-the-time/) [Brad Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-stevens/) > [City life is stressful. Everybody is running around like crazy, stuck in traffic jams trying to make meetings, trying to make ends meet, trying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-pidgeon/city-life-is-stressful-everybody-is-running-around-like-crazy-stuck/) [Rebecca Pidgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-pidgeon/) > [I was stuck in traffic one day and just kinda thought it would be funny to masturbate. It was sunny and clear out, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-was-stuck-in-traffic-one-day-and-just-kinda-thought-it-would-be/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“ All-or-nothing thinking is when you see things as only black or white and either-or. For example, if you make a mistake while giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-moehn/all-or-nothing-thinking-is-when-you-see-things-as-only-black-or-white/) [Heather Moehn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-moehn/) > [I quite fancy having a hover car, but I don't fancy everyone having one. Because I feel like I spend quite a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/i-quite-fancy-having-a-hover-car-but-i-don-t-fancy-everyone-having/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > ['I'm so happy to be stuck in traffic.' Said no one ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-so-happy-to-be-stuck-in-traffic-said-no-one-ever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Whether stuck in traffic because of construction or fixing a flat tire after hitting a pothole, Michiganders feel frustrated with the quality of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-bentivolio/whether-stuck-in-traffic-because-of-construction-or-fixing-a-flat/) Kerry Bentivolio > [“You are not stuck in traffic. You ARE traffic.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomtom-satnav-advertisement/you-are-not-stuck-in-traffic-you-are-traffic/) TomTom SATNAV Advertisement [Browse all 42 Stuck in traffic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuck-in-traffic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A society sufficiently sophisticated to produce the internal combustion engine has not had the sophistication to develop cheap and efficient public transport?' ‘Yes, boss... it’s true. 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