twouvakind
Site Donor 2024
New York City Transit growing up and into adulthood. Lot's of subway trips. Went on to work in the subway '89-'91.
Have you ever regularly used public transportation?
- Thread starter ZZman
- Start date
No.its pretty long and bends in the middle.Is that a short bus?
- Joined
- May 16, 2021
- Messages
- 414
Just cabs to get home. Only late at night when the bars closed.
Every day when I lived in Seattle and Bremerton.
There is no public transportation where I live now. Only traffic.
There is no public transportation where I live now. Only traffic.
Rode the "Metro" train/subway in Washington DC every weekday for 2 years. Great experience. Very reliable. I've lived in Southeast Michigan for most of my life and the public transportation systems of buses has a terrible reputation for being unreliable and nasty. My experience in D.C. and visits to New York make me want to retire to a city with good public transportation.
Rode the LA Metro “light” rail for a few years, in a car-train-walk commute. I found the electric train was less reliable than my ‘92 Acura Vigor.
There was a section between stops close to LAX where the singing wires was so loud I could not hear anything else. I took an audio meter on the trip and measured 90bB for 30 seconds on that stretch.
The fare structure slowly shifted from being casual rider-friendly to being a must buy monthly pass. They used to allow an obscene amount of free ridership.
There was a section between stops close to LAX where the singing wires was so loud I could not hear anything else. I took an audio meter on the trip and measured 90bB for 30 seconds on that stretch.
The fare structure slowly shifted from being casual rider-friendly to being a must buy monthly pass. They used to allow an obscene amount of free ridership.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,490
I did in College even though I had a car. Parking was too long a walk - bus dropped you off right in the middle of campus.
Last summer my daughter had a internship downtown - so she drove to a park and ride nearby and took the express bus daily. It was full of professionals. She didn't love it but it worked out for her. There have been several votes to add public transit around here. I realize its not for everyone, but I think we could do much more to make it attractive for commuters going to the same place - especially park and ride type setups.
Last summer my daughter had a internship downtown - so she drove to a park and ride nearby and took the express bus daily. It was full of professionals. She didn't love it but it worked out for her. There have been several votes to add public transit around here. I realize its not for everyone, but I think we could do much more to make it attractive for commuters going to the same place - especially park and ride type setups.
I hate, with every fiber of my being, nearly all forms of mass transit. Put me on a bus, train or subway and watch me get ever more irritated. I generally like people, but good god there are some foul ones on mass transit. The lady with the bugs in her hair weave was making me vomit.
There are a few exceptions of course. First Class airline travel on a major carrier can be pleasing. And a high end ship with good weather, gobs of room, and plenty of time is also nice.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Not in USA, but when I worked in Romania it was easier to take the subway than deal with traffic …
I used to take the Metra train to a job with a stop across the street from my job worked well until the company got sold
I think most of BART is actually above ground.
I don't live that far from Berkeley, and in high school I used to take BART to Berkeley. Or maybe a bus. And I got really familiar with all the movie theaters in Berkeley.
The movie theater part is pretty much gone now that Regal has shut down UA Berkeley. There used to be a lot of movie theaters in Berkeley - Berkeley, Fine Arts, Shattuck Cinemas, Act 1/2, California, Rialto, and UC. I used to see the ads for UC where it was typically a different movie every day unless it was something like a movie festival. And they had that 20+ years of midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I think the only commercial movie theater left in Berkeley is the Elmwood, but that not near BART (I suppose one could walk from the Ashby station). I guess the Pacific Film Archive still shows movies.
When I lived in Calgary it was absolutely common to take buses and light rail transit to work. Once home, it was more common to take you car if going somewhere in the evening. When I lived in Houston, I didn’t know anyone who took a bus.
Back when I was a lid growing up in Cleveland Ohio in the late 50s and 60s I would take the Shaker rapid from Shaker Square to downtown to shop of go to see a Cleveland Indians Game...A few times I would also ride the CTS Electric trolley busses around the town...but after that thave not been on any...
- Joined
- Jun 8, 2022
- Messages
- 5,490
I agree but it completely depends on location. Commuter express buses in early morning are usually clean and friendly. Neighbourhood routes or middle of the day - pretty sketchy.
If you ever get the chance take a German train. Clean, friendly, you can set your watch by it, and they serve liquor for a fee.
I can definitely see using it where traffic is horrendous or parking fees are outrageous.
It also points out how inconvenient it is for the less fortunate due to it's schedule constraints. Imagine using it everyday for work, doctors appointments, grocery shopping etc.
It also points out how inconvenient it is for the less fortunate due to it's schedule constraints. Imagine using it everyday for work, doctors appointments, grocery shopping etc.
Ouch.Is that a short bus?
I actually feel sorry for anybody who has to use public transportation, it's a major PITA and waste of life time.
Once in a blue moon (every few years) I have to use a train - I reget it all the time.
Once in a blue moon (every few years) I have to use a train - I reget it all the time.
In a city where there's good public transportation, it's usually not an issue. Chicago has a pretty good bus and elevated train/subway system between the inner city/city suburbs. During most daylight hours, the trains and bus run a lot. Plus the bus drivers are pretty aggressive because they have to be at the next stop within a certain time frame so most drivers know now to mess around with the busses.
What sucks though is trying to link different routes together that usually are on different time schedules or trying to use public transportation outside of a 'normal' busy times. It forces you to schedule everything around more on a generic 9-5 schedule.
Yes, my wife and I worked at the same place for a while. For about a year, after the office moved to downtown Atlanta, we rode the MARTA train from the northern suburbs to a station 2 blocks from the office.
At first, it was somewhat intriguing. At times, it was a hassle. One day it was raining like hell. I got so soaked that I put some stuff in my office, turned around, rode it back, went back home, changed, drove to the office and turned that day's parking in for an expense....and yes, it got paid. I also charged my time to overhead for that 4 hours.
No way in Hades would I ride today. Atlanta is much worse for crime, the criminals have no deterrent except someone that is able to do quicker harm than they are and the traffic to/from the station is much worse. We no longer live "in metro Atlanta". We don't work at the same place but in the same area.
As far as the busses that are always empty, I see that 99% of the time in the Atlanta area, too. Those busses are $1M+ each. A used, Toyota Sienna van that could be bought for $25,000 could do the job of each bus. It's easier to maneuver, 2.5% of the first cost, about 10% of the maintenance, 20% of the fuel, 10% of the insurance, etc.
Mass Transportation in urban areas outside of NY, Chicago and DC is nothing but virtue signals.
At first, it was somewhat intriguing. At times, it was a hassle. One day it was raining like hell. I got so soaked that I put some stuff in my office, turned around, rode it back, went back home, changed, drove to the office and turned that day's parking in for an expense....and yes, it got paid. I also charged my time to overhead for that 4 hours.
No way in Hades would I ride today. Atlanta is much worse for crime, the criminals have no deterrent except someone that is able to do quicker harm than they are and the traffic to/from the station is much worse. We no longer live "in metro Atlanta". We don't work at the same place but in the same area.
As far as the busses that are always empty, I see that 99% of the time in the Atlanta area, too. Those busses are $1M+ each. A used, Toyota Sienna van that could be bought for $25,000 could do the job of each bus. It's easier to maneuver, 2.5% of the first cost, about 10% of the maintenance, 20% of the fuel, 10% of the insurance, etc.
Mass Transportation in urban areas outside of NY, Chicago and DC is nothing but virtue signals.
Similar threads
