Public Transportation

[Drac]

Had a discusson with friend of a friend that needed to get Downtown and his car was out of service,I told him to take the bus. He just looked at me like I was crazy and said " I wouldn't know how". Even before my stint with the Transit Police I knew how to use the buses if the need was great. Does anybody else know how to use public transportation?

Have we become so dependant on having our own cars that you never bothered to learn?

 

[dancingalone]

Depends on where you live. Cities like Washington DC have good subway systems. Meanwhile, the bus system in Dallas is pretty appalling to take to work. When I was working in Dallas, I once thought it would be a neat thing to take the bus and save the drive time for reading or doing some work. I was wrong. It regularly took me 2 hours each way to go from Plano, a suburb, to downtown Dallas. I gave up after a week.

 

[Omar B]

I'm a huge fan of public transportation. Splitting my time between NY and FL has made me appreciate even more NY's MTA, you can get anywhere in the city in less than half an hour very dependably. In FL though, the trains, buses, the whole system blows, it's not even seen as an option to most people here. Whereas in NY I've been known to go months at a time without even using my car since everything is a short train ride away. I wold drive if I'm going on a huge shopping trip like the wholesale clubs or when going to a concert but otherwise it's just easier to buy a 1 month unlimited Metrocard and just ride around on the bus and train.

I also find that I tend to be more at ease in cities with good public transport. Those towns also turn out to be the better party towns (you can get plastered and ride the train home). Like London, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo.

 

[Bruno@MT]

It's not my favorite, but I sometimes take the bus or train if I need to

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Years ago when I lived in the western suburbs of Denver, I worked downtown Denver and the daily parking fees for my POV were high, so I tried to start taking the bus. There was a park-n-ride a few blocks from my house.

I quickly quit parking there - cars got broken into all day long. So I walked to the park-n-ride.

I had to get up at 4 a.m. to be to work by 8 a.m. What used to be a half-hour drive was now a two-hour bus-ride - if the bus was on time, which it often was not.

And drunks (yes, drunk at that hour) liked to ride the bus all day and all night as a substitute for a homeless shelter liked to fight and vomit on the bus.

I got hit by a flying cane from some old wino who was fighting another one fine morning and that was the end of that noise.

I drive. Sue me.

Oh, and FYI - a commute to Detroit from the suburbs where I now live would most likely be life-ending in a few short weeks. People get killed here, Jack. Screw public transportation.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Used to take it all the time. Last time I did was 08 when I was working at the mall during xmas rush. Was, entertaining.

 

[Ken Morgan]

If I’m heading into Toronto for a short period of time I drive all the way in and eat the parking fees. If I’m going in for a whole day, I’ll drive ¾ of the way and park for free at the subway, its cheaper then paying parking downtown. Generally the subway stops are a hop skip and a jump from where I want to go anyway.

Like Bill though, if I in anyway felt unsafe, I’d drive the whole way there and back. I don't need the BS.

Here in Guelph, I’m a 5 – 10 minute car ride to everywhere, so waiting for buses and transferring to get me somewhere in 30 – 40 minutes makes no sense to me. My time is worth more then that.

 

[Carol]

Having lived for 7 years in the City of Boston, and commuted in to the city for several years more, I know the public transit system all too well. I do not like it one bit.

Very glad I don't have to deal with it anymore.

 

[Gemini]

Took PT all the time in Chicago.
Avoided it at all costs in NYC. Used gypsy cabs.

Hardly exists in Vegas (I think they have like 6 busses), but I would if necessity arose.

 

[Omar B]

What's the problem with public transport in NY?

Carol, I get you on the whole Boston thing. Got caught downtown a couple times when the trains stopped. Not fun.

 

[jks9199]

Had a discusson with friend of a friend that needed to get Downtown and his car was out of service,I told him to take the bus. He just looked at me like I was crazy and said " I wouldn't know how". Even before my stint with the Transit Police I knew how to use the buses if the need was great. Does anybody else know how to use public transportation?

Have we become so dependant on having our own cars that you never bothered to learn?

I can and have used public transit. The problem is that public transit in the greater DC area sucks... Too much reflects the traffic patterns of 30 or 40 years ago, designed to move people into DC and within the city, and not in the suburbs. Also, the system isn't amenable to my shift schedules... and my bosses aren't particularly understanding about people not being at work on time, for some reason.

 

[jks9199]

Depends on where you live. Cities like Washington DC have good subway systems. Meanwhile, the bus system in Dallas is pretty appalling to take to work. When I was working in Dallas, I once thought it would be a neat thing to take the bus and save the drive time for reading or doing some work. I was wrong. It regularly took me 2 hours each way to go from Plano, a suburb, to downtown Dallas. I gave up after a week.

As I said, the DC Metro system is great -- if you're going into or coming out of DC. And if the escalators are working, or the AC on the trains or in the stations hasn't crapped out, or the train doors don't open where there's no platform... and if you can figure out the fares. And the fare gates work. (And they don't change 'em on you while you're traveling.) The Metro system is old, and lacks a dedicated funding source, and too much maintenance got deferred. Meanwhile, it reflects the transit patterns of the 50s, 60s and early 70s... which has little to do with today.

 

[Carol]

Carol, I get you on the whole Boston thing. Got caught downtown a couple times when the trains stopped. Not fun.

Getting stuck is no fun, but it was actually not my biggest issue. The lack of parking, the contagious infections, the overcrowding, the gropers, and the pukers were far worse. I do NOT miss getting bronchitis 2-3 times a year, not one bit. :lol:

 

[Omar B]

Getting stuck is no fun, but it was actually not my biggest issue. The lack of parking, the contagious infections, the overcrowding, the gropers, and the pukers were far worse. I do NOT miss getting bronchitis 2-3 times a year, not one bit. :lol:

Yeah, all that is pretty bad. But then there's the obvious buses they have running underground and calling them trains! I've never driven to Boston specifically because of the parking issues.

 

[MJS]

Had a discusson with friend of a friend that needed to get Downtown and his car was out of service,I told him to take the bus. He just looked at me like I was crazy and said " I wouldn't know how". Even before my stint with the Transit Police I knew how to use the buses if the need was great. Does anybody else know how to use public transportation?

Have we become so dependant on having our own cars that you never bothered to learn?

Most recently I used it when I was in Vegas. They actually have Transit people standing by at all of the bus stops. They were more than helpful, even providing me with a map of all the stops. Vegas has 2 buses that run, one stopping more than the other.

I'll tell ya what....my wife and I saved a hell of alot of money using the bus for that 1 day, vs. a cab.

I'd imagine it may be a bit confusing for someone who's never used it before, hwoever, asking a few simple questions goes a long way.

 

[Gemini]

Most recently I used it when I was in Vegas. They actually have Transit people standing by at all of the bus stops. They were more than helpful, even providing me with a map of all the stops. Vegas has 2 buses that run, one stopping more than the other.

You're talking about the strip.

 

[MJS]

You're talking about the strip.

Yes. We were there on vac. a few months ago. Went down to see 'old Vegas' and other sites in that area. The cabs...well, I felt like I was robbed by the time I got to my destination. LOL.

 

[David43515]

I grew up in a tiny farm town in the US, so learning to use buses and trains there wasn`t even an option. But when I moved to Japan it was just something everyone uses.

I usually can`t read the schedule so I have to ask someone next to me if it`s the first time I`ve been to an area. But everything is on time, clean, and people are polite. I`m not much of a nightowl so while I`ve heard of drunks on board, I`ve never seen one. And since we get SEVERAL meters of snow each winter nothing beats the subway for convenience.

 

[BloodMoney]

Had a discusson with friend of a friend that needed to get Downtown and his car was out of service,I told him to take the bus. He just looked at me like I was crazy and said " I wouldn't know how".

Step 1. Get on the bus at your point of departure
Step 2. Pay for the service you are about to recieve
Step 3. Sit on the bus as it travels from that point to your destination
Step 4. Get off the bus once it reaches your target destination

Its complicated I know, but im sure with the right support and training he will eventually come to the level of mastery required to Take the Bus.

 

[Omar B]

LOL, great.

I have an application in my phone that works in conjunction with the GPS to give public transport routes along with the driving directions. as I said, in an unfamiliar city, I love the subway, I woulda never seen a lot of many cities except for the tourist spots if not for getting out there on my own.

http://www.google.com/intl/en/landing/transit/#mdy