Public Transportation

So let me talk for a minute about this certain something that matters to me. The only thing quasi-political that I ever talk about. Because talking about politics is dumb.

In 2002, Stephanie and I went to San Francisco to visit my brother Jesse. We werent there long. Really just one full day and two nights. Jesse had to work, and Steph and I were going to have fun in San Francisco. My brother lived on a small neighborhood street in Oakland. About as normal a street as youd find anywhere. Separate Houses with yards and porches. Nice. And not overly "big city" feeling. We left his house and walked a block to the end of the street. We waited at the corner for all of about 5 minutes. A bus came, we got on, paid like a buck maybe and then went on our way. We rode the bus for what couldnt have been longer than 5-10 minutes. We got off the bus and walked to the BART station. Paid a couple of bucks and got on the Train. It took us under the bay and into the city. Easy as can be. Stephanie and I rode trolley's and buses all day that day and it was fantastic. I was in love. Public transportation is the greatest thing I had ever experienced.

In 2003, Stephanie and went to Boston. We stayed at her parents house. Another peaceful and quiet street. This time, we drove for about 5 minutes. Parked the car and got on the T. We rode the train for about 20 minutes or so. Then got out, went up to the street. Walked 2 blocks and there was Fenway Park. Why would anyone drive anywhere when they dont have to?

In 2003, we moved to LA. I had no car. People told me that you cannot possibly live in LA without a car. Guess what. Thats a lie. Now its not super easy all the time. It also depends on where you live and where you need to go and how much you want to do it. You have to make it work for you, but it does work and work well. I spent a whole year there without a car. I lived in Sherman Oaks in the Valley. But I went to, Westwood and Beverly Hills, to Hollywood, to Burbank, to Downtown and to Dodger Stadium all the time. The Red Line subway from North Hollywood to Downtown is one of my most favorite things about LA.
Of all the big cities in this country, LA does not rank highly in Public transportation. That is because it is a city that became large during and after the invention and boom of the car. Cities like this are built more spread out with car travel in mind in stead of foot travel. It can make it difficult to add public transportation.

Salt Lake City is a good example of this. The Heart of the city is quite nice. Its close together and easy to walk around, yet still very beautiful. And they have a light rail train that easily carries people around town. The rest of the city, that is all the surrounding suburbs that have been built since the 40s are spread out and sloppy. 100 miles from Provo to Ogden, the I-15 corridor is one long disgusting string of Gas Stations, Wal-Marts, Jiffy Lubes and Fast Food. Every building has a parking lot twice the size of the building around it. Which makes it both hideous and impractical for public transportation. But the Manhattan syndrome stikes fear into the hearts of the regular folk. Scared to death that they are all going to be living like the Jeffersons or the Jetsons in some high rise building with no trees and no air and no something. Well its all garbage. People want all the benefits of the city with none of the obligations. They want a mass shopping experience but want to pretend that the live by themselves and not associate with anyone else. There can only be the Country or the City folks, don't mess with Mr. In Between.

I can imagine living in a place where I can live and work and shop and entertain myself all within walking or train riding distance. While sacrificing essentially nothing except for my uninformed fears that Im going to be living in some kind of dense and polluted and crime ridden urban nightmare. Believe it, it can be great if people will be willing to make it work.

Until then I ll be riding the train, whizzing by overhead in a high speed commuter train, reading a book on my way home from work. While other are sitting still in their cars on the freeway. At least until the gas hits 3 bucks a gallon, and then I ll probably have a lot more company.