Post by bennyp81 on Jun 20, 2005 11:05:03 GMT -8
John
User ID: 9510053 May 4th 6:16 PM
Even when Metro Bus service is not up to par, I still think quite highly of the MTA. Why? Well, first of all, because MOST of the time the Metro Bus service IS very good. Secondly, because of the silver linings associated with living and working in lively parts of L.A.
An experience I had just this afternoon illustrates my point quite well. I had planned to go have lunch at the Farmers Market, and then do some shopping both at the Grove and at the shopping center that is located across the street from it, at the southeast corner of Fairfax and Third.
After waiting approximately ten minutes at the corner of La Brea and Hollywood Bl. for the #217, it arrived and kept right on going! This made me just a little bit angry, but only briefly, since I can't even remember the last time a #217 passed me by at that or any other corner. However, I wasn't about to wait another 10-20 minutes for another bus to arrive, since that simply shouldn't be necessary. After thinking over my options for about a minute, I turned and walked away from the bus stop, just behind two of the other three or four people who had also been waiting for the bus there.
And herein lies the silver lining of the experience. Apparently those other two people had alternate plans that they could follow, just as I did. I don't know what their plans were, but I decided to just walk eastward on Hollywood Bl. to Togo's and pick up a delicious hummus sandwich and chips for lunch! That way, I could also get in some walking for the day! Plus, this took me by the Disney Store where I stopped and purchased a couple of nice items. I wouldn't have gotten a chance to do this if the bus driver hadn't decided to pass me and those other people by! So, what a nice silver lining!
True, I didn't get to go to Cost Plus World Market and buy more French wine, French cookies, Volvic water (product of France), and French lemondade and orangeade, but I went there yesterday, so no biggie. And I can go to Ralphs later today and buy more French wine and French cookies; and although Ralphs doesn't carry Volvic, I'll just get Evian instead.
These silver linings are all so great, I'm not upset at all about that bus driver passing me and those other people by! In fact, I think the tiny bit of anger I experienced at the time vanished almost as soon as I turned eastward and began thinking about Togo's hummus sandwiches.
John
User ID: 9510053 May 11th 11:39 AM
Yesterday on the way to work, I arrived at the corner of Orange & Hollywood Bl. just a few seconds too late to catch the #210 bus that preceded me there! So, I had to wait approximately 20 minutes for the next one. But, no biggie: During the waiting time I was able to take my morning medication; enjoy the cool, fresh air; observe the crowds across the street around the Chinese Theatre; and worship (the Hollywood Hills were within view, and, as I said, the air was fresh and cool).
So, in the lively parts of L.A., even when one just misses a bus, this normally does not present a problem.
John
User ID: 9510053 May 17th 5:27 PM
Although I now consider the decision to construct the Blue and Green light rail lines to have been largely unwise, their existence does have its silver linings, especially, I think, for bus riders.
For instance, I usually feel far safer and more comfortable when riding a bus than when riding the little light rail trains. My partner and I have had various harrowing experiences on the Blue and Green line trains.
A long time ago, such frightening/disgusting experiences were also common on some of the buses; but now, the situation seems to have generally reversed itself, and for this my partner and I are indeed grateful!
John
User ID: 9510053 May 18th 9:59 AM
Frequent headways are another silver lining of Metro Bus service. Many times, as I'm approaching Olympic on workday afternoons, I see several buses pass by my stop. Does this elicit a sinking feeling in me? Not at all, because I've learned that from the time I reach my stop, it normally takes only ten minutes MAXIMUM for another bus to arrive! No problem!
John
User ID: 9510053 May 24th 5:49 PM
One of the best silver linings of Los Angeles's car culture is that transit HAS to exist in such a city! Would it not be virtually IMPOSSIBLE for a city the size of L.A. NOT to provide good transit?
Likewise, transit naturally tends to be BETTER in those parts of the city where great numbers of people use and support transit: i.e., in the livelier parts of the city! Talk about something making perfect sense! This does!
There are certain cities of the United States, indeed certain cities in the state of California, in which deep transit cuts will, I suspect, be made due to the foundering economy. But I see absolutely NO reason to believe that such cuts will be made in the livelier parts of Los Angeles! How COULD they be?
Thank goodness,the majority of Angelenos, despite what seems to me to be their great support of the car culture, decided long ago to ALSO provide a very good transit system! I guess they KNEW that any great city requires one!
John
User ID: 9510053 May 31st 11:26 AM
Yesterday afternoon, I waited approximately 25 minutes at the corner of La Brea & Olympic before a northbound #212 bus arrived. Twenty-five minutes is, in my opinion, an unacceptably (and totally unnecessarily) long amount of time to have to wait for a bus in a lively part of L.A.! And although, in the recent past, I haven't had to wait that long for a #212 bus, I naturally was reminded of the times in the somewhat more distant past when I DID have to wait 25 minutes or longer for the #212 to finally show up.
Now, the silver lining of this experience is that I will, quite naturally, begin getting off the Olympic bus far more frequently at Fairfax instead of at La Brea. I can't recall the last time I had to wait 25 minutes for a #217 bus, at least not during rush hours. And, by following this plan, I will be helping to increase patronage of the #217 buses, which, in turn, will help guarantee that THEY never develop the infrequent headways that sometimes plague the #212 route.
John
User ID: 9510053 Jun 1st 9:36 AM
Another silver lining to taking the bus is that one is able to help teach good manners to people who don't have any. For instance, in the past two days I have had the pleasure of requesting that two different women make room for me to sit down on the seats that they were hogging. Oh, yes! I was so happy to help them learn that bus seats are made for TWO people to be able to sit down on; not just one! Ha HA!
One of the women apparently imagined that if she had more than one bag resting on part of the seat, that meant that she was excused from sharing the seat with another passenger. Ha HA! I didn't share that notion.
The other woman had no bag resting on the seat, but complained that letting me sit down would require her to move over. Hahahahaha! I replied that that was okay; I would let her. After several seconds, she finally got up and moved back to one of the sideways-facing seats.
Should one have to be put in the position of helping adult people learn what good manners are? Of course not; but such is life under the current socio-economic-political system in the United States of America. And it does feel good to be an ethical person who helps others.
Ken Alpern
User ID: 0923684 Jun 1st 10:31 AM
We should at times talk to more of the ladies, rather than this male-dominated Board.
After having several girlfriends prior to marriage and after 8 1/2 years of marriage, I can assure you that women really DO like their space as compared to being right next to a strange man.
Women truly do have a fear (and probably well-justified at that) of being in close proximity or even barely touching a strange man as compared to, say, another woman.
It's important that we all fight for the rights of women to use these rail and bus lines--and that means that we start looking at things from THEIR perspective rather than OUR perspective.
Just like having more restrooms at public venues for women than for men, we need to understand that women are quite aware of their smaller size and greater vulnerability than men and will want their space because of it.
John
User ID: 9510053 Jun 1st 11:12 AM
LOL. Thankfully, the vast majority of women bus riders are not like the ones I described above. Most, even when sitting on the aisle side of the seat, are not overly rude when a male passenger wishes to sit down beside them.
There is one lady in particular whom I enjoy sitting next to. Whenever I have joined her, she was sitting on the window side of the seat, thus I have not been obliged to even say, "Excuse me," when wishing to sit down. She seems to realize that the line is heavily traveled and that the bus is not her personal limo. Imagine!
The two whom I described above seem to still be in the minority, thank goodness, although there are far too many in that rude minority!
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 4th 12:37 PM
I think the MTA bus system is one of the best silver linings of Los Angeles's current foundering socio-economic-political culture!
I mean, how neat is it that I have THREE different routes to choose from when commuting to and from work?! (And that's not even counting a FOURTH subway AND bus option.
Now, I rarely choose the quickest route because of the lack of convenient breakfast locations on it. Yes, there is a donut shop across the street from my place of employment, but I no longer even consider going there because of the panhandler who is almost always present either inside the shop or in the parking lot outside it. Nevertheless, when I'm running late, it's nice to be able to take that route and still make it to work on time.
Nor do I usually choose what OUGHT to be the second-quickest route, due to the frequent presence of vagrants/panhandlers at the bus stop nearest to my and my partner's apartment. There IS a breakfast option along at the transfer point of that route, however.
The THIRD option is the one I normally choose due to the infrequent presence of panhandlers at the nearest bus stop and to the THREE breakfast options at the transfer point! Imagine: THREE breakfast options! Also, the scenery along part of this route is breathtakingly beautiful! I love looking at all the magnificent trees and other greenery along that stretch of Olympic Blvd.!
Ah, thank goodness for all the silver linings of life in L.A.: ESPECIALLY the fine MTA bus system!
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 11:05 AM
Another of the many silver linings of life in L.A. is the great logic that guides the MTA's transit operations! A wonderful example of this may be seen in bus headways.
It has been my experience that bus headways are far more frequent in areas of the city where transit support is high, and that they are less frequent in areas where transit support is lower. For me, the cases of the #212 and the #217 routes illustrate this natural occurrence quite well. I have found that the #212 bus generally passes by far less frequently than does the #217. But this makes eminent sense to me, since I assume that there are far fewer bus riders along La Brea than there are along Fairfax. Thus, on the afternoons/evenings when I choose to take the #212 northbound bus instead of the #217, there is no way I can ever get angry at the MTA if I have to wait a full 20 minutes or longer for the #212 to show up! If I want to board a northbound bus sooner than that, I know very well that it would behoove me to board the #217 at Fairfax! If fewer people ride the bus along La Brea than along Fairfax, this isn't the MTA's fault; and indeed, it makes sense that more buses would be placed on the Fairfax route! I love this logic!
Similarly, it seems to me that along Sunset Blvd., there are far more buses that terminate either at Fairfax or in Westwood than there are buses that terminate in Pacific Palisades. On one recent morning, for instance, I decided to wait with my partner for a westward-bound Sunset bus. He goes all the way to the Palisades whereas I was going to transfer at Fairfax. Well, unsurprisingly enough, the first bus to pass by was one whose sign indicated it would terminate in Westwood. Therefore, I was able to board but Mike was not. I don't know how much longer he had to wait for his bus. I would have liked to be able to ride with him, but we both understand that it makes sense for there to be far fewer Palisades-bound buses, since, we assume, far fewer people ride the bus to the Palisades than ride it to either Fairfax or to Westwood. And between Westwood and the Palisades, I assume that very few people board the bus. I recall taking the Sunset bus one evening out to the Palisades to meet Mike: I can't remember seeing more than two people board between Westwood and the Palisades.
I think it is just extremely impressive that the MTA seems to use such a high degree of logic in planning its bus headways. More service for those who support transit; less service for those who do not: What could be more logical? Way to go, MTA!
Robert
User ID: 9934403 Jul 5th 5:10 PM
More service for the supporters? Or is it more service for the bus riders? I would say the supporters are us SUV drivers that subsidizes the bus riders. I would say that support is major with even less bus service for us. I'm glad that I can help pay your fare so you can have your enjoyable rides on the MTA busses John and that also includes your partner, Mike.
Today I saw TWO (2) MTA busses that were disabled on the highways, one bus was on Silver Spur Road. and the other bus on the 110. The disabled bus on Silver Spur Road did not even make it to the side of the road and was blocking a travel lane on this Major Street.
"Way to go, MTA!"
"Way to go, MTA!"
"Way to go, MTA!"
Bob
Bert G
User ID: 8841313 Jul 5th 6:07 PM
Bob, to what degree do the rest of subsidize SUV drivers? Do you pay fees for the use of the roads? Do you know you can get huge tax breakes to use your SUV for work related purposes? Did anyone explain how the "Freeways" are not really free?
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 6:19 PM
Another of the great silver linings of life in Los Angeles is what I refer to as the Siphoning Effect. By this, I mean what seems to me to be the great tendency of light rail to siphon off many of the extremely rude, crude, and scary passengers from the buses! Hee hee! As a regular Metro Bus rider, I think this is quite a neat effect!
Of course, this is not to say that the buses are free from the presence of rude, crude, or scary people. No, no. I think for that to happen under the present socio-economic-political system, a miracle would have to be worked. But I have noticed far fewer extremely indecent people riding the buses in recent years. Correspondingly, when I have ridden the cramped Blue and Green Line trains, I have noted an increasing presence of extremely rude, crude, and scary people on them.
I think this trend is primarily due to the Siphoning Effect. Secondarily, I think it is linked to the Consent Decree and its attendant reforms, as well as to the nature of the areas in which I generally ride the buses.
Thus, it is primarily because of the Siphoning Effect that I am hesitant to speak out forcefully against light rail. Why would I, if the presence and expansion of light rail helps make the buses a safer and more pleasant mode of transit?
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 6:48 PM
Great questions, Bert! I think the answers are quite obvious; but it's great that you emphasized the important truths of the subsidizing matter anyway!
Robert
User ID: 9934403 Jul 5th 7:49 PM
Bert G.
I'm glad you agreed with JOHN. Last time I agreed with him, he said BYE, BYE. John is now agreeing that WE "SUV" DRIVERS DO SUBSIDIZE bus riders. I don't see where FREEWAY cost and Business Deductions have anything to do with subsidizing bus riders?
The MTA by the consent decree has to provide more bus service for high ridership lines. This is done at the expense of low ridership lines, not the fact that these are the people supporting the MTA. The little part of the world that John lives in is served well, according to John, by the MTA, but for many of us who would like to use public transit, the system sucks! If we had an outstanding public transportation system in Los Angeles, or even a good system, you and the rest of us would not be using this Board!
The Transit Coalition main goal is to improve public transportation for all who live and visit the Los Angeles Region. You can see all we are doing by the various topics on these treads. Some of us on this board remembers' when Los Angeles Had a good integrated transportation system, and not just the Red Car. Much of the talk on this Bulletin Board deals with rail transit, we know that rail is not a means to an end. We know that it takes a coordinated network to achieve this goal of using Highways, Freeways, HOV Lanes, Local Busses, Express Busses, Rapid Busses, Bus Rapid Transit, Lightrail, Heavyrail and Commuter Rail to get around in the Los Angeles' Region. Public Transportation is coming together in the Los Angeles Region, but we still have a long way to go.
The NIMBYs on this board seem to assume that FREEWAYS are free and they don't want to hear where the funding comes from. Many think that the money that Government spends is Funny Money, when the supply gets down, print up some more. Most of us also knows that when one takes a tax deduction, the money one saves must be made up by someone else.
John does not want to PAY HIS SHARE OF THE COST OF RIDING THE BUS. Where do the road funds come from? Do all the TAXES and FEES go back to Transportation?
The bureaucracy to get anything done and lack of proper planning by our elective officials and coordination between agencies, but most of all our own selfishness, has created most all the problems we have today. Proper leadership must at times GO AGAINST THE WILL OF SOME OR EVEN THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE to really solve problems. As long as we let the NIMBYs rule, in 2020, the 136 hours a year Angelinos' spend in gridlock today, will look like bliss.
Bob
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 8:25 PM
Hee hee. I am always so glad that here in Los Angeles, despite what I consider to be all the unjust subsidizing of the car culturists by us ethical transit supporters/users, the car culturist majority does at least allow us to have the good MTA and its/our very fine transit system! And not only will the car culturist majority allow us to keep this very fine transit system, they will also permit it to expand and improve! Talk about silver linings! YaHOO!
Robert
User ID: 9934403 Jul 5th 8:49 PM
I'm glad any LITTLE THING will keep John happy.
Bob
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 6th 1:13 PM
It seems to me that not nearly enough trees have been planted in Los Angeles, thus there are long stretches of sidewalk in which people are exposed to direct, hot sunlight during the Summer. I don't think this should have to be, but I understand quite well the principle of majority rule. And in Los Angeles, as in California and the United States in general, the car culturists are, very, very unsurprisingly, in the majority!
But, the MTA and its/Angelenos' fine transit system being one of the silver linings of life in L.A., it is so refreshing to be able to step out of the heat and onto a comfortable, air-conditioned bus at this time of year! Yesterday, for instance, it was such a delight to ride an air-conditioned bus both to and from Farmers Market/the Grove! Ah! Such luxury!
Now, of course there are many times, such as in the early mornings on the way to work, when I wish the bus driver would turn on the air-conditioning, but I fully understand why he/she does not. How many times have I witnessed passengers emphatically requesting that a bus driver turn off the air-conditioning? WAY too many times to count, of course! Ha ha! And so, on those occasions when it feels sultry on the bus, there is absolutely no way I can blame the bus driver or the good MTA. And this helps, because I remember when I used to blame the MTA (or the RTD when it existed) when I felt hot on a bus, or when a bus broke down, or when I had to wait longer than 20 minutes for a bus, etc. Having taught myself to CORRECTLY assign blame for such conditions, I am able to very much appreciate the MTA and the majority of its drivers!
Thank goodness, many of the MTA drivers DO turn on the air-conditioning on hot days, especially in the afternoons! Way to go, MTA!
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 6th 2:50 PM
Another silver lining of life in L.A. is that, in my opinion, the MTA can't be blamed for trying to raise the bus pass fares! I mean, if lots more Angelenos chose to ride the buses, there would be little or no need to raise the fares; but since the car culturists choose NOT to avail themselves of the city's fine transit system, what alternative does the MTA have but to raise fares occasionally?
Now, I still oppose the fare increase, of course. It's just that I can't blame the MTA for the increase. Gosh, it's a relief to properly assign blame for such things! I'm finding that it's almost impossible for me to blame the MTA for ANY negative aspects of its overall very fine transit system!
User ID: 9510053 May 4th 6:16 PM
Even when Metro Bus service is not up to par, I still think quite highly of the MTA. Why? Well, first of all, because MOST of the time the Metro Bus service IS very good. Secondly, because of the silver linings associated with living and working in lively parts of L.A.
An experience I had just this afternoon illustrates my point quite well. I had planned to go have lunch at the Farmers Market, and then do some shopping both at the Grove and at the shopping center that is located across the street from it, at the southeast corner of Fairfax and Third.
After waiting approximately ten minutes at the corner of La Brea and Hollywood Bl. for the #217, it arrived and kept right on going! This made me just a little bit angry, but only briefly, since I can't even remember the last time a #217 passed me by at that or any other corner. However, I wasn't about to wait another 10-20 minutes for another bus to arrive, since that simply shouldn't be necessary. After thinking over my options for about a minute, I turned and walked away from the bus stop, just behind two of the other three or four people who had also been waiting for the bus there.
And herein lies the silver lining of the experience. Apparently those other two people had alternate plans that they could follow, just as I did. I don't know what their plans were, but I decided to just walk eastward on Hollywood Bl. to Togo's and pick up a delicious hummus sandwich and chips for lunch! That way, I could also get in some walking for the day! Plus, this took me by the Disney Store where I stopped and purchased a couple of nice items. I wouldn't have gotten a chance to do this if the bus driver hadn't decided to pass me and those other people by! So, what a nice silver lining!
True, I didn't get to go to Cost Plus World Market and buy more French wine, French cookies, Volvic water (product of France), and French lemondade and orangeade, but I went there yesterday, so no biggie. And I can go to Ralphs later today and buy more French wine and French cookies; and although Ralphs doesn't carry Volvic, I'll just get Evian instead.
These silver linings are all so great, I'm not upset at all about that bus driver passing me and those other people by! In fact, I think the tiny bit of anger I experienced at the time vanished almost as soon as I turned eastward and began thinking about Togo's hummus sandwiches.
John
User ID: 9510053 May 11th 11:39 AM
Yesterday on the way to work, I arrived at the corner of Orange & Hollywood Bl. just a few seconds too late to catch the #210 bus that preceded me there! So, I had to wait approximately 20 minutes for the next one. But, no biggie: During the waiting time I was able to take my morning medication; enjoy the cool, fresh air; observe the crowds across the street around the Chinese Theatre; and worship (the Hollywood Hills were within view, and, as I said, the air was fresh and cool).
So, in the lively parts of L.A., even when one just misses a bus, this normally does not present a problem.
John
User ID: 9510053 May 17th 5:27 PM
Although I now consider the decision to construct the Blue and Green light rail lines to have been largely unwise, their existence does have its silver linings, especially, I think, for bus riders.
For instance, I usually feel far safer and more comfortable when riding a bus than when riding the little light rail trains. My partner and I have had various harrowing experiences on the Blue and Green line trains.
A long time ago, such frightening/disgusting experiences were also common on some of the buses; but now, the situation seems to have generally reversed itself, and for this my partner and I are indeed grateful!
John
User ID: 9510053 May 18th 9:59 AM
Frequent headways are another silver lining of Metro Bus service. Many times, as I'm approaching Olympic on workday afternoons, I see several buses pass by my stop. Does this elicit a sinking feeling in me? Not at all, because I've learned that from the time I reach my stop, it normally takes only ten minutes MAXIMUM for another bus to arrive! No problem!
John
User ID: 9510053 May 24th 5:49 PM
One of the best silver linings of Los Angeles's car culture is that transit HAS to exist in such a city! Would it not be virtually IMPOSSIBLE for a city the size of L.A. NOT to provide good transit?
Likewise, transit naturally tends to be BETTER in those parts of the city where great numbers of people use and support transit: i.e., in the livelier parts of the city! Talk about something making perfect sense! This does!
There are certain cities of the United States, indeed certain cities in the state of California, in which deep transit cuts will, I suspect, be made due to the foundering economy. But I see absolutely NO reason to believe that such cuts will be made in the livelier parts of Los Angeles! How COULD they be?
Thank goodness,the majority of Angelenos, despite what seems to me to be their great support of the car culture, decided long ago to ALSO provide a very good transit system! I guess they KNEW that any great city requires one!
John
User ID: 9510053 May 31st 11:26 AM
Yesterday afternoon, I waited approximately 25 minutes at the corner of La Brea & Olympic before a northbound #212 bus arrived. Twenty-five minutes is, in my opinion, an unacceptably (and totally unnecessarily) long amount of time to have to wait for a bus in a lively part of L.A.! And although, in the recent past, I haven't had to wait that long for a #212 bus, I naturally was reminded of the times in the somewhat more distant past when I DID have to wait 25 minutes or longer for the #212 to finally show up.
Now, the silver lining of this experience is that I will, quite naturally, begin getting off the Olympic bus far more frequently at Fairfax instead of at La Brea. I can't recall the last time I had to wait 25 minutes for a #217 bus, at least not during rush hours. And, by following this plan, I will be helping to increase patronage of the #217 buses, which, in turn, will help guarantee that THEY never develop the infrequent headways that sometimes plague the #212 route.
John
User ID: 9510053 Jun 1st 9:36 AM
Another silver lining to taking the bus is that one is able to help teach good manners to people who don't have any. For instance, in the past two days I have had the pleasure of requesting that two different women make room for me to sit down on the seats that they were hogging. Oh, yes! I was so happy to help them learn that bus seats are made for TWO people to be able to sit down on; not just one! Ha HA!
One of the women apparently imagined that if she had more than one bag resting on part of the seat, that meant that she was excused from sharing the seat with another passenger. Ha HA! I didn't share that notion.
The other woman had no bag resting on the seat, but complained that letting me sit down would require her to move over. Hahahahaha! I replied that that was okay; I would let her. After several seconds, she finally got up and moved back to one of the sideways-facing seats.
Should one have to be put in the position of helping adult people learn what good manners are? Of course not; but such is life under the current socio-economic-political system in the United States of America. And it does feel good to be an ethical person who helps others.
Ken Alpern
User ID: 0923684 Jun 1st 10:31 AM
We should at times talk to more of the ladies, rather than this male-dominated Board.
After having several girlfriends prior to marriage and after 8 1/2 years of marriage, I can assure you that women really DO like their space as compared to being right next to a strange man.
Women truly do have a fear (and probably well-justified at that) of being in close proximity or even barely touching a strange man as compared to, say, another woman.
It's important that we all fight for the rights of women to use these rail and bus lines--and that means that we start looking at things from THEIR perspective rather than OUR perspective.
Just like having more restrooms at public venues for women than for men, we need to understand that women are quite aware of their smaller size and greater vulnerability than men and will want their space because of it.
John
User ID: 9510053 Jun 1st 11:12 AM
LOL. Thankfully, the vast majority of women bus riders are not like the ones I described above. Most, even when sitting on the aisle side of the seat, are not overly rude when a male passenger wishes to sit down beside them.
There is one lady in particular whom I enjoy sitting next to. Whenever I have joined her, she was sitting on the window side of the seat, thus I have not been obliged to even say, "Excuse me," when wishing to sit down. She seems to realize that the line is heavily traveled and that the bus is not her personal limo. Imagine!
The two whom I described above seem to still be in the minority, thank goodness, although there are far too many in that rude minority!
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 4th 12:37 PM
I think the MTA bus system is one of the best silver linings of Los Angeles's current foundering socio-economic-political culture!
I mean, how neat is it that I have THREE different routes to choose from when commuting to and from work?! (And that's not even counting a FOURTH subway AND bus option.
Now, I rarely choose the quickest route because of the lack of convenient breakfast locations on it. Yes, there is a donut shop across the street from my place of employment, but I no longer even consider going there because of the panhandler who is almost always present either inside the shop or in the parking lot outside it. Nevertheless, when I'm running late, it's nice to be able to take that route and still make it to work on time.
Nor do I usually choose what OUGHT to be the second-quickest route, due to the frequent presence of vagrants/panhandlers at the bus stop nearest to my and my partner's apartment. There IS a breakfast option along at the transfer point of that route, however.
The THIRD option is the one I normally choose due to the infrequent presence of panhandlers at the nearest bus stop and to the THREE breakfast options at the transfer point! Imagine: THREE breakfast options! Also, the scenery along part of this route is breathtakingly beautiful! I love looking at all the magnificent trees and other greenery along that stretch of Olympic Blvd.!
Ah, thank goodness for all the silver linings of life in L.A.: ESPECIALLY the fine MTA bus system!
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 11:05 AM
Another of the many silver linings of life in L.A. is the great logic that guides the MTA's transit operations! A wonderful example of this may be seen in bus headways.
It has been my experience that bus headways are far more frequent in areas of the city where transit support is high, and that they are less frequent in areas where transit support is lower. For me, the cases of the #212 and the #217 routes illustrate this natural occurrence quite well. I have found that the #212 bus generally passes by far less frequently than does the #217. But this makes eminent sense to me, since I assume that there are far fewer bus riders along La Brea than there are along Fairfax. Thus, on the afternoons/evenings when I choose to take the #212 northbound bus instead of the #217, there is no way I can ever get angry at the MTA if I have to wait a full 20 minutes or longer for the #212 to show up! If I want to board a northbound bus sooner than that, I know very well that it would behoove me to board the #217 at Fairfax! If fewer people ride the bus along La Brea than along Fairfax, this isn't the MTA's fault; and indeed, it makes sense that more buses would be placed on the Fairfax route! I love this logic!
Similarly, it seems to me that along Sunset Blvd., there are far more buses that terminate either at Fairfax or in Westwood than there are buses that terminate in Pacific Palisades. On one recent morning, for instance, I decided to wait with my partner for a westward-bound Sunset bus. He goes all the way to the Palisades whereas I was going to transfer at Fairfax. Well, unsurprisingly enough, the first bus to pass by was one whose sign indicated it would terminate in Westwood. Therefore, I was able to board but Mike was not. I don't know how much longer he had to wait for his bus. I would have liked to be able to ride with him, but we both understand that it makes sense for there to be far fewer Palisades-bound buses, since, we assume, far fewer people ride the bus to the Palisades than ride it to either Fairfax or to Westwood. And between Westwood and the Palisades, I assume that very few people board the bus. I recall taking the Sunset bus one evening out to the Palisades to meet Mike: I can't remember seeing more than two people board between Westwood and the Palisades.
I think it is just extremely impressive that the MTA seems to use such a high degree of logic in planning its bus headways. More service for those who support transit; less service for those who do not: What could be more logical? Way to go, MTA!
Robert
User ID: 9934403 Jul 5th 5:10 PM
I think it is just extremely impressive that the MTA seems to use such a high degree of logic in planning its bus headways. More service for those who support transit; less service for those who do not: What could be more logical?
More service for the supporters? Or is it more service for the bus riders? I would say the supporters are us SUV drivers that subsidizes the bus riders. I would say that support is major with even less bus service for us. I'm glad that I can help pay your fare so you can have your enjoyable rides on the MTA busses John and that also includes your partner, Mike.
Today I saw TWO (2) MTA busses that were disabled on the highways, one bus was on Silver Spur Road. and the other bus on the 110. The disabled bus on Silver Spur Road did not even make it to the side of the road and was blocking a travel lane on this Major Street.
"Way to go, MTA!"
"Way to go, MTA!"
"Way to go, MTA!"
Bob
Bert G
User ID: 8841313 Jul 5th 6:07 PM
Bob, to what degree do the rest of subsidize SUV drivers? Do you pay fees for the use of the roads? Do you know you can get huge tax breakes to use your SUV for work related purposes? Did anyone explain how the "Freeways" are not really free?
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 6:19 PM
Another of the great silver linings of life in Los Angeles is what I refer to as the Siphoning Effect. By this, I mean what seems to me to be the great tendency of light rail to siphon off many of the extremely rude, crude, and scary passengers from the buses! Hee hee! As a regular Metro Bus rider, I think this is quite a neat effect!
Of course, this is not to say that the buses are free from the presence of rude, crude, or scary people. No, no. I think for that to happen under the present socio-economic-political system, a miracle would have to be worked. But I have noticed far fewer extremely indecent people riding the buses in recent years. Correspondingly, when I have ridden the cramped Blue and Green Line trains, I have noted an increasing presence of extremely rude, crude, and scary people on them.
I think this trend is primarily due to the Siphoning Effect. Secondarily, I think it is linked to the Consent Decree and its attendant reforms, as well as to the nature of the areas in which I generally ride the buses.
Thus, it is primarily because of the Siphoning Effect that I am hesitant to speak out forcefully against light rail. Why would I, if the presence and expansion of light rail helps make the buses a safer and more pleasant mode of transit?
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 6:48 PM
Bob, to what degree do the rest of subsidize SUV drivers? Do you pay
fees for the use of the roads? Do you know you can get huge tax breakes
to use your SUV for work related purposes? Did anyone explain how the
"Freeways" are not really free?
fees for the use of the roads? Do you know you can get huge tax breakes
to use your SUV for work related purposes? Did anyone explain how the
"Freeways" are not really free?
Great questions, Bert! I think the answers are quite obvious; but it's great that you emphasized the important truths of the subsidizing matter anyway!
Robert
User ID: 9934403 Jul 5th 7:49 PM
Bert G.
I'm glad you agreed with JOHN. Last time I agreed with him, he said BYE, BYE. John is now agreeing that WE "SUV" DRIVERS DO SUBSIDIZE bus riders. I don't see where FREEWAY cost and Business Deductions have anything to do with subsidizing bus riders?
The MTA by the consent decree has to provide more bus service for high ridership lines. This is done at the expense of low ridership lines, not the fact that these are the people supporting the MTA. The little part of the world that John lives in is served well, according to John, by the MTA, but for many of us who would like to use public transit, the system sucks! If we had an outstanding public transportation system in Los Angeles, or even a good system, you and the rest of us would not be using this Board!
The Transit Coalition main goal is to improve public transportation for all who live and visit the Los Angeles Region. You can see all we are doing by the various topics on these treads. Some of us on this board remembers' when Los Angeles Had a good integrated transportation system, and not just the Red Car. Much of the talk on this Bulletin Board deals with rail transit, we know that rail is not a means to an end. We know that it takes a coordinated network to achieve this goal of using Highways, Freeways, HOV Lanes, Local Busses, Express Busses, Rapid Busses, Bus Rapid Transit, Lightrail, Heavyrail and Commuter Rail to get around in the Los Angeles' Region. Public Transportation is coming together in the Los Angeles Region, but we still have a long way to go.
The NIMBYs on this board seem to assume that FREEWAYS are free and they don't want to hear where the funding comes from. Many think that the money that Government spends is Funny Money, when the supply gets down, print up some more. Most of us also knows that when one takes a tax deduction, the money one saves must be made up by someone else.
John does not want to PAY HIS SHARE OF THE COST OF RIDING THE BUS. Where do the road funds come from? Do all the TAXES and FEES go back to Transportation?
The bureaucracy to get anything done and lack of proper planning by our elective officials and coordination between agencies, but most of all our own selfishness, has created most all the problems we have today. Proper leadership must at times GO AGAINST THE WILL OF SOME OR EVEN THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE to really solve problems. As long as we let the NIMBYs rule, in 2020, the 136 hours a year Angelinos' spend in gridlock today, will look like bliss.
Bob
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 5th 8:25 PM
Hee hee. I am always so glad that here in Los Angeles, despite what I consider to be all the unjust subsidizing of the car culturists by us ethical transit supporters/users, the car culturist majority does at least allow us to have the good MTA and its/our very fine transit system! And not only will the car culturist majority allow us to keep this very fine transit system, they will also permit it to expand and improve! Talk about silver linings! YaHOO!
Robert
User ID: 9934403 Jul 5th 8:49 PM
I'm glad any LITTLE THING will keep John happy.
Bob
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 6th 1:13 PM
It seems to me that not nearly enough trees have been planted in Los Angeles, thus there are long stretches of sidewalk in which people are exposed to direct, hot sunlight during the Summer. I don't think this should have to be, but I understand quite well the principle of majority rule. And in Los Angeles, as in California and the United States in general, the car culturists are, very, very unsurprisingly, in the majority!
But, the MTA and its/Angelenos' fine transit system being one of the silver linings of life in L.A., it is so refreshing to be able to step out of the heat and onto a comfortable, air-conditioned bus at this time of year! Yesterday, for instance, it was such a delight to ride an air-conditioned bus both to and from Farmers Market/the Grove! Ah! Such luxury!
Now, of course there are many times, such as in the early mornings on the way to work, when I wish the bus driver would turn on the air-conditioning, but I fully understand why he/she does not. How many times have I witnessed passengers emphatically requesting that a bus driver turn off the air-conditioning? WAY too many times to count, of course! Ha ha! And so, on those occasions when it feels sultry on the bus, there is absolutely no way I can blame the bus driver or the good MTA. And this helps, because I remember when I used to blame the MTA (or the RTD when it existed) when I felt hot on a bus, or when a bus broke down, or when I had to wait longer than 20 minutes for a bus, etc. Having taught myself to CORRECTLY assign blame for such conditions, I am able to very much appreciate the MTA and the majority of its drivers!
Thank goodness, many of the MTA drivers DO turn on the air-conditioning on hot days, especially in the afternoons! Way to go, MTA!
John
User ID: 9510053 Jul 6th 2:50 PM
Another silver lining of life in L.A. is that, in my opinion, the MTA can't be blamed for trying to raise the bus pass fares! I mean, if lots more Angelenos chose to ride the buses, there would be little or no need to raise the fares; but since the car culturists choose NOT to avail themselves of the city's fine transit system, what alternative does the MTA have but to raise fares occasionally?
Now, I still oppose the fare increase, of course. It's just that I can't blame the MTA for the increase. Gosh, it's a relief to properly assign blame for such things! I'm finding that it's almost impossible for me to blame the MTA for ANY negative aspects of its overall very fine transit system!