Bus Commuters check in - I'm new to your ranks

[LynneSin]

We moved our office back downtown and instead of paying all this money for parking & gas, I decided to join the ranks of those who take public transportation.

So far I enjoy it, but then again it's not too hot out or too foul of weather - but I should expect that to happen soon. And it's a bit weird - I feel I'm losing a bit of 'control' - instead of leaving when I want I have to wait for someone to show up with the Bus.

But I am trying to get some daily excercize in by taking a bus that's 8-10 blocks away (there is a local stop should it be bad weather).

Anyone else a fan of public transportation?

[Chan790]

1. I am.

I love buses, trains, subways. It's why I hate living in the boonies so much. I want to move to the city, dammit.

[Droopy]

2. I would be, but I have a 30 mile commute one way.

[KG]

3. i've never minded taking a bus/subway when i've needed to or when convenient.

but most cities now have only the sketchiest of mass transportation systems.

[LynneSin]

5. I once actually lived even closer to work but...

where I lived I had quartermile walk UPHILL to get to a bus that passed every 30 minutes.

When it would take 45minutes for a 5 minute commute - then you have to consider taking the car

[bicentennial_baby]

4. I'm a subway commuter

We both are. We live about 200 ft from the station, so it's super convenient. Esp. with the price of gas these days. :)

[Sannum]

6. I am a bus commuter

The CTA is the most inept, horrid organization ever, but I have no other choice.

The people on the morning bus are CrAzY!!! I am looking forward to when I can walk to the office in 10 minutes, rather than take the bus in 20-30 minutes.

[siligut]

7. A good public transportation system is what makes a city great.

I know what you are saying about the loss of control. I don’t have a solution, just tough it up. Not saying you lack toughness, but even roughneck Mr. sili can feel the burden of some of the bus population.

Books! The silent joy of being transported while reading, just one of life's little pleasures.

Wear layers.

If at a stop with multiple buses, let the bus driver know when he/she wants to stop for you, that they are not the bus you are waiting for. They are attuned to non-verbal communication and will appreciate your cooperation.

Look inside the bus you are about to enter, get a mental picture of available seats.

Don't wear perfume.

Carry handy wipes.

[LynneSin]

14. I can't read in any type of moving vehicle

car sickness

Ipods work nicely thouth

[siligut]

29. I can’t read in a car. erp.

However, plane, train, ferry or bus, I’m fine.

Yes, watching the people with Ipods, that is fun too, as they are so completely absorbed, you get a glimpse of their true nature.

Oh, you mean you will be using one? OK.:)

[tonkatoy57]

8. Leave the Driving to Us

I'm a long time train/bus commuter and wouldn't have it any other way.

There are some downsides to public transportation. I mean, who really wants to stand outside in the rain, cold, or snow? And I'll be the first to admit that as I get older I hate it more than I used to. After all, aren't there better ways to start your day than going to a meeting with your suit pants wet from the knees down because some asshole drove through a pothole full of slush while you were waiting for the bus?

The upside, though, far outweighs the negatives. Crossword puzzle addict? Hey, you've got time for the NY Times puzzle every day. Never have time to balance your checkbook or write to your great aunt Edna? Now you do. Tired of white knuckles and screaming yourself hoarse at the idiots on the road? No problem, let the bus driver deal with it.

All in all, I give a hearty two thumbs up to public transportation.

[madinmaryland]

9. I used to take three modes of transportation when in CT.

A shuttle bus to the train station, the train into GCT, then the subway downtown. A good hour and a half each way.

[philosophie_en_rose]

10. Welcome Aboard

Please join us in glaring at the fools with bad bus etiquette.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

11. I use mass transit every day.

I prefer it.

[momophile]

12. I take the bus.

picks me up a block away and drops me off two blocks away. It's wonderful.

[geardaddy]

13. Minneapolis MetroTransit here.

http://metrotransit.org/

[qb]

15. I love taking the bus - it's a great way to relax and unwind.

I'd still be doing it if it wasn't a 2-hour ordeal with 2 transfers. I used to check out audiobooks on CD from the library. You should be able to upload those to your ipod if you can figure out a way to play the tracks in the right order.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. Translate the "loss of control" into "letting go of stress."

That walk (except in foul weather) will become a nice way to clear your head at the end of the day. For that matter, fuzzing out on the bus rather than staying alert while driving to and from work can help reduce stress too.

As for the foul weather, you'll still have a car and can drive when the weather sucks, but you may find that there aren't really that many days when it's better to do so.

[LynneSin]

20. Foul Weather I would still take the bus

I have no way of getting parking unless I pay full price for a lot about a block further away than the closest bus stop.

[CBHagman]

17. Bus commuter here.

It's a huge savings, but I've run afoul of the gridlock problem. Any time there's a street festival, fire, a car accident, a water main break, or a dignitary giving a speech (thus necessitating the closing of a street), it's unclear how long it will take to get anywhere.

On the plus side, I can do the crossword puzzle or read the paper during these long commutes.

[ghostsofgiants]

18. It's not bad when the weather is nice, but when it's cold and shitty out, it sucks.

[datasuspect]

19. have you been regaled by stereophonic homeless public speakers?

like when you get two people speaking in conspiracies in front of you and in back talking to themselves?

it's my favorite.

i liked it so much, i got drunk one night and talked to the bus real loud at 2:30 a.m.

try it sometime!

[KamaAina]

21. More like a love-hate relationship

it can take 45 minutes or more to cover the three miles across town. This on something that, inexplicably, was twice named "America's Best Transit System"!

Good news: They're adding a bunch of cool new hybrid buses. Bad news: They are significantly smaller than those they replace. I'd rather get a seat on a smelly old diesel bus than wave bye-bye to a hybrid that's already full of students from the middle school up the street. This is the sort of thing that led me to pioneer the concept of "bus rage"!

[Pierre.Suave]

22. I am boycotting the bus

I am just sick of the rude, obnoxious, belligerent, drunk, mean, aggressive, crazy, creepy, and scary people on them.

I can sit in my car in peace, listening to MPR and not have to listen to the arguments, fights, cell phone conversations, or drunk conversations. Or be accosted by anyone, or have to smell anyone. As a bonus, I get where I am going much faster.

[LynneSin]

23. FREEPER!!!

:hide:

[madinmaryland]

24. I thought you were the freeper? You told us village idiots that you

were voting for McCain.

:wtf:

[Javaman]

26. But that's what makes riding the bus so much fun!!!

it's material for writing!!!

LOL

[Pierre.Suave]

28. I am sick of it.

maybe if the bus rides were a bit faster, then I could bare it, but I spent 2 hours trying to get from St Paul to Minneapolis a few weeks ago.

They are not that far apart, in-fact they are right next to each other... There is NO reason the bus ride should take that long.

it was a horrible trip designed, I think, to ensure I never ride a bus again. ALL of the above characters were on the bus, one sat right next to me.

[Javaman]

25. I ride the infamous 1L in Austin.

Ride it sometime and you will know what I mean. LOL

[Lyric]

27. Two bus commuters in our house.

We don't have a car, so we take the bus by necessity. It's fine most of the time, but since we live toward one of the rural ends of our route, even the slightest bit of traffic or bad weather can really ruin our day. I also hate the "bus stop politics"--in essence, the way that people silently maneuver for position while waiting for the bus, because if you aren't one of the first people to board, you're probably going to be stuck standing up for half the ride. :hi:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

30. Yes!

I lived happily without a car for 10 years in Portland, Oregon, and even now, living in Minneapolis where cars are sometimes a necessary evil, I take the bus whenever I can, simply because driving is one of my least favorite activities.

I always take the bus if I'm going downtown, to the University of Minnesota campus, or to the gym.

[yewberry]

31. Every day.

It's not bad for me--it takes about the same amount of time to bus as it would to drive, though I have to leave a little earlier because of the bus schedule.

I get more walking in, too. Also more reading and crosswords.

My bus-riding joy: the iPod. Nothing fancy, just an older 2G mini. All of the great NPR shows are available for free on iTunes, so every week, I load up on This American Life, Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me, Selected Shorts, Sunday Puzzle, and Car Talk, plus Radio Lab or whatever else catches my eye. Seriously, it really brightens my day and makes the ride (and even the wait for the bus) fly by.

(Also,sometimes I have really funny "You won't believe what happened on the bus today..." stories.)

[Pied Piper]

32. Count me in!

I ride the bus to work, but I walk home in the evening (I'm not a morning person at all). I have great access to public transportation, and I haven't owned a car in over 10 years. My transportation costs are usually less than $50/month. It would be nice to have a car, but the hassles simply aren't worth it. I think it's that whole "your possessions soon will possess you" thing goin' on.