why.hate.public.transport?

last weekend while i was riding the bart from berkeley to san francisco, i overheard a woman riding the train say, "i hate public transportation." i can't say this is the first time i’ve heard someone say this. but i’m always so surprised that people feel this way. and it really jams.me.up.

yes, i understand, people get frustrated because trains and buses can be late, and they are sometimes crowded… but what we need to remember is that public transportation is here as a service to us. transit is built specifically to make our lives better. no, really, it is. it serves to help us get around town easier. it provides an alternative for people who can't afford their own cars to get from place to place. it’s not forced upon us. it’s not a requirement. if you can’t stand public transportation, then don’t ride it. it’s that simple. but if you’re able to tolerate a little waiting, and able to tolerate sharing space with other people, it can be an incredible tool.
i grew up in a small midwest town where it was pretty necessary to have a car to get around. i have spent the majority of my life with a car at my disposal. but about a year ago, i decided that since i now live in a city with great transit options, maybe it was time to give up the wheels. i was really worried that life would be tough without a car--that i would feel trapped, feel stuck, feel limited. it’s been quite the opposite. i haven’t looked back. i joined zipcar, which is an awesome tool for those without cars, but i haven’t even needed to use it yet. in the past year i’ve rented a car exactly 2 times to get out of the city for a bit. and i assure you, life has been much more free without a car.

here's a few reasons why i love using public transportation instead of having a car:

• no car expenses--car payments, insurance, parking fees, gas prices, oil changes, car maintenance, etc.
• i have more free time--i can read or do work during my commute (which is not a good idea while driving...)
  
• no more sitting in traffic (and if there is ever train traffic, i can at least be multi-tasking while waiting)
  
• no parking hassle
• i'm much healthier (getting exercise from walking). it’s a proven statistic that people who consistently use cars are more likely to be obese.
• every time i hear a car alarm, i have a moment of relief that it's not me
• i'm much safer--car accidents are frequent. i feel like i extended my life by a few years.
• i have a smaller carbon footprint, contribute less pollution, and have greater social responsibility
• i have saved a significant amount of money ($59.00/month with transit vs. $180+/month with driving)
  
• the money i am spending monthly is largely going back into city infrastructure, not non-renewable resources like oil and gasoline

i also want to acknowledge that a lot of people aren't able to easily get by without a car, depending on the city/environment they live in, and their proximity to good public transportation. if this is you, i understand your plight. (i lived it for many years.) but at the very least, consider walking or biking to get where you need to go whenever it's an option, and you'll experience some of the benefits listed above. there's a web tool that i love called walkscore that rates your home address for walkability, according to what's nearby. what's your walkscore?

song.of.the.day:
in honor of all this public transport talk, the song of the day is transit-related. the band doesn't have an official video, but this homemade youtube video has good audio of the song.

song.of.the.day - my my metrocard - le tigre

*a metrocard is a card used to pay for transit rides in nyc.