[PRCo] Re: Mass transit usage

[Jim Keener]

That's just sad:(  I'm glad I haven't noticed anyone like this, though 
I'm sure I've encountered them in the past 6 years.

Jim

On 12/6/10 11:03 AM, Phillip Clark Campbell wrote:
> Mr.Keener,
> Best of wishes for your career;  this is a tough time to
> be 'thrown' into the job market.  Trust you have found
> satisfying and rewarding employment.
>
> Being an imperfect world there isn't any one reason
> for 'not riding' is there.  Some use 'anything' as an
> excuse not to ride;  others do have legitimate concerns.
> As already mentioned elsewhere, 'we' are our own
> worst enemies.  I have been on buses where an individual
> spreads out to prevent others from sitting 'near.'
> They sit cross wise on a double seat, feet on the seat.
> They literally lay down across a double seat allowing their
> feet to block the aisleway and complain if someone touches.
> Packages are placed on a vacant seat and they refuse
> to move them even for seniors.  These are not people
> 'of color.'  This was totally unthinkable let alone doable
> in the 1940s and 1950s;  feet on the floor and not the
> seats.  Sit up and act properly;  speak softly.
>
> Crime is not unknown on public transit;  some places
> have more trouble than others.  Pick pockets regularly
> ride tourist lines;  bus drivers make announcements
> about this.  Many drivers come to know or suspect
> such and the individuals behind the crime.
>
> On a much lighter note it was several years ago near this
> Holiday late in the evening when a couple very attractive
> women boarded the bus,  very nicely dressed.  It is
> assumed they were college graduates working professionally.
> One was local; her friend was visiting from out of town.
> The local lady rode the bus to and from work;  she chatted
> amiably with the bus driver.  The other woman stated she
> didn't ride buses;  she couldn't bring her nose down from
> its lofty heights.  She couldn't look at the driver when spoken
> to or speaking to him.  It was clearly beneath her dignity
> to be on 'public transit.'  When asked the driver said he
> didn't know either of the ladies.
>
>
> Phil
> Without  a   'coast'   but  not  a   'cause.'
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Jim Keener<jimktrains at gmail.com>
> To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
> Sent: Mon, December 6, 2010 8:09:14 AM
> Subject: [PRCo] Re: Mass transit usage
>
> I'm just out of college. Most of the people I know will take
> the bus if a car isn't available. Why? They don't consider
> the busses reliable enough. Also, certain routes,
> Shadyside and squirrel hill routes are heavily used most
> hours of the day. That's probably a mix of frequent
> service and higher density. Even then i/we count on the
> busses not running on schedule.
>
> Even I'm hesitant to take a bus off the peninsula
> because of how infrequently they run.
>
> My friends in philly use septa, especially regional rail heavily.
>
> I really think it all comes down to service. I pay septa
> fare over renting a zip car because I count on septa
> to work. I take a cab from the airport, when with
> someone, because I don't trust the 28x to be on time.
>
> I guess my point is that for my circle I've never heard
> the argument about the people you meet, its about service.
>
> PAT needs to re-organize. The tdp wasn't enough.
> The whole system needs to ne optimized. Better
> service is the only way to get more customer.
> You have to (smartly) spend money to make money.
>
> Jim
>
> "Dennis F Cramer"<trombone at windstream.net>  wrote:
>
>> Outside of this list, I know no one who uses mass transit.  Most are
>> terrified of the
>> "types" of people the think they will encounter. It is not just people
>> in
>> the rural areas, but also people in the two largest metro areas of
>> Pennsylvania.  It never ceases to amaze me how something so practical
>> is met
>> with such derision.  I guess Mr. Ford and cheap gasoline spoiled many
>> of us.
>> I also suspect many of us are not quite as willing to accept the
>> "melting
>> pot" (I prefer the term "salad bowl") that is the United States of
>> America.
>> In their cars they can avoid those types of people whom they do not
>> understand.
>>
>> When I visit Delaware County, people respond to where I live as being
>> "out
>> West".  I guess Kittanning and California are close enough.  When I was
>> going to school in Westchester County, NY, anything across the Hudson
>> was
>> way out west.  I can say though the understanding and usage of mass
>> transit
>> in the NYC metro area is well ingrained.  Even the students who never
>> used
>> it at home learned quickly. It was nice to get on the train and ride
>> into
>> Manhattan without the tolls, traffic and parking.
>>
>> If you live in an area that has mass transit, treasure it.  Living over
>> 80%
>> of my life in an area that is void of mass transit makes one realize
>> how
>> lucky others have it.
>>
>>
>>           Dennis F. Cramer
>
>
>
>
>