Maybe they’ve got it right…
Yes, it’s yet another NYC post. If and when I move, it’ll be a post about another city. I’ll get to the longer, more detailed posts soon, I promise…really.
Anywho, there are too many cars in New York City. Most of the people who drive could be taking public transportation. But have you seen the state of public transportation lately? Maybe those car drivers have the right idea.
I mean, who wants to commute by walking half a mile (less if you have money, more if you don’t) to get to a hot smelly station, pay the highest price in the country for local public transportation, where you get to stand around for 20 minutes while packed train after packed train goes by, while getting harrassed by the guy standing next to you and having to listen to someone play the Godfather theme on an electric horn? Then, when you finally get a train, you get to push your way through the people who refuse to move from the doorway, you can listen to all the music coming from the headphones halfway across the car (while you’re trying to listen to your music) and you have at least one woman’s oversize bag digging in your ass while some kid is running around (as much as he can in a packed train) in between people’s legs. Either the A/C’s not working, or you’re standing right underneath the freezing blast of air. You’re being harrassed by a different guy, and the seats that can hold 4 are taken up by 2 huge guys who both spread their legs. When you get out, you have to push by the same people (who at best ignore that you’re elbowing them, but can suddenly leave the train and give you the fright of your life) to get out and start your day at your job.
And that’s on a good day, with the train that’s been voted the best in NYC for years in a row. On a bad day, it’s easier to walk the 45 minutes to get to work, you’ll get there faster.
Even in traffic, you get to listen to your music (there aren’t that many people who blast their stereo) have your A/C the way you want, and it’s either you or maybe you and a couple of friends. My downstairs neighbor works a block away from me and takes a taxi to and from work every day. She also has the money for it, so really, I don’t blame her that much (it’s easily $150/week). I’ve become less and less of a morning person, so walking for 45 minutes (at a good clip, we’re not talking strolling here) before noon holds no joy for me. And there are still crowds.
Not that I want to contribute to all the mess that is NYC’s transportation problem by getting my own car to drive to work. Just conceeding some of the reasons others might not want to take our fine subway system during rush hour.