I take the N train to and from school every day. My round-trip commute takes about two hours; maybe a little more because of rush hour traffic. The only problem I have with the MTA is when it is super crowded and they still provide slow service. Instead of spending all our fare-hike dollars on making bus stops appear more luxurious, the money should be allocated on providing faster and more frequent service. Everyone is trying to catch the crowded train and delaying the trains because passengers try to hold the doors open, trying to squeeze in. Other than that, I have very little to complain.
If I manage to get a seat on the train and am not traveling home with friends that keep me awake, I wind up at Coney Island 1 out of 10 times. The N train has become a comfort zone for me to sleep. I was never a victim of being robbed while sleeping on the train and I never feel insecure when I doze off. Riding on the train is actually very productive for me because I get most of my work done there. If I decide not to do work, I can catch up on my Z's, especially now, during midterms week, when sleep is a luxury.
Driving a car to work or school with rush hour traffic can actually take you longer to get to your destination. Plus, even when there's traffic on the train, you can use your time to read a book or sleep. When you drive, you always have to keep your eye on the wheel. Of course it's more comfortable being in your own car, but the travel time is longer, the money economy is more expensive, and you can't direct your attention to working on-the-go.
Many of my friends complain about obese people on the train, the seat-seeking Chinese ladies, and the stinky bums, but I've grown used to it and it never bothered me as much as it bothered them. One thing that does bother me are people that take up the whole walkway when they tread slow. If I had to choose one thing that values most to me, it has to be time-efficiency.
Do you like traveling through public transit? What do you like about it? What ticks you off? What should the MTA do to improve their services?
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
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We have the same feelings towards public transit (except growing used to stinky bums). I do like the fact that someone else is driving and i could do my readings that are required for classes right before I get there, so the readings are still fresh in my brain. Driving to school does not allow you to do this. In addition to the traffic and the costs of traveling, the parking around schools also cost alot and it can be hard to find a spot because there are so many students! -- I agree that public transits should invest their money on faster services instead of the glassy and glossy bus stops then maybe they would have enough money to keep the fare down instead of cutting bus/train routes that help people get to work and/or school. Ultimately, I believe their service is moderate. It comes about every 5-10 minutes, the reason why I believe it takes longer to get home is because no one wants to wait an extra 10 minutes for the NEXT train. After a long day of class or work, I would like to get home ASAP.
ReplyDeleteI hate fat people.
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