Do you like public transit?

[Justin]

i get this because i've seen it before but i also disagree, only because i know people who have moved specifically to places that have it.

look at japan for example. if that kind of public transit was available everywhere, i do sincerely believe LOTS more people would be in favor of it. it's quick, cheap, runs frequently and usually set up for major areas to get wherever you'd want.

I have visited Japan five times — I already know it’s very good and enjoy it very much whenever I’m there! Even as just a tourist though, I’ve observed shortcomings (Kyoto is an utter disaster in terms of transit lol) and I imagine as a local it would be more noticeable. Some of the examples I had in mind are the same as what Flyfell mentioned: transporting larger goods and getting farther out of the city. I suppose it depends on your personal tastes, but nature is quite important to me. Another important one is end of service time where many cities have their trains shut off not long after midnight, even on a weekend night.

There are also societal aspects that make the experience less desirable here too I think. As an example, NYC has relatively speaking good subway service (all night service too!), but I was shocked by how much noise disturbance and uncleanliness there was. Some better funding could make minor improvements sure, but I believe a lot of is just cultural differences and you can’t simply copy paste Japan over here.

To be clear, I still think public transit is great and we need better services everywhere. I just tire of the attitude I see in online spaces sometimes that it’s somehow a magic bullet without faults and nobody would ever possibly want a car. I don’t think that’s anyone in this thread for the record, more of a general thought from say Reddit or Twitter.

By the way, I’d be curious to know what country you’re from Flyfell — I don’t have too much experience with transit in Europe and wouldn’t mind learning more, I’ve only used it in Paris and Barcelona.

 

[Hyoon]

yes i generally like public transit. i wish it was cleaner or more on time sometimes but it's a cheap method to getting around instead of ubering so it's necessary for someone who doesn't drive. the only thing i honestly really hate is when people try to talk to u on the bus/train when u clearly don't want to ugh that's the worst

 

[Khaoticnoize187]

no especially in my area with the ttc yeah a huge no honestly.

 

[cornimer]

I used to take public transit frequently and didn't mind it (other than how long it took to get places), but several recent events that happened aboard my local public transit system have made me wary of taking it. Thankfully I work from home most of the time and can avoid it.

 

[seliph]

in theory yes but the transit system here sucks. strongly agreeing with everyone saying that places need better, faster, and more affordable public transit everywhere. an aspect i don't see a lot of people taking into consideration is accessibility - not everyone has the physical capabilities or is comfortable with driving a car, so reliable public transit is a necessity all places should have.

when you think of it, controlling a giant heap of metal at high speeds and hoping no one crushes you with their own high-speed heap of metal is kind of horrific, and yet we have cities where it's impossible to get anywhere in decent timing without a car. it makes zero sense, people love to scream "if you're too scared to drive get off the road" but there's no alternative. we'd have much less anxious driver-related problems if we had reliable transit.

 

[nightglow]

Hmm, well I rode a train a couple of times in my life. I have rode on a bus a couple of times outside of school, but we were in a group so it was technically rented and not "public". It seemed to be fine. This was many many years ago though.
I would be open to using public transportation. I normally drive to where I need to go. It is ok, but really busy areas in big cities is not fun at all. Luckily, I don't need to go to those kind of areas often.
Realistically would I use public transportation though? Sadly, probably not unless I felt I had to. People tend to be gross and leave things behind. Some places are better than others. Unlike some places, we (our nation) don't really have an unsaid rule of being mindful of others and the environment unless it is corporations attracting customers in feel good ads. I wish it was more mindful here. I mean throwing away your basic trash isn't that hard, or putting it in your pocket or packing it away in your overpriced suitcase looking bag you call a purse that is probably hoarding receipts from last year anyway.
But it is unlikely for public transportation to be a reliable large scale thing here. Many places are really far from each other. It is common for the next town to be anywhere from 20min-45min away. And yes, sometimes you do need to go the next town over. Many towns don't have a big store that may carry something you need that a small store near doesn't. Or you have a doctor's appointment, or work, or something.

 

[Chris]

I like trains, trams, and subways. I strongly dislike buses.

I live in a city with excellent public transport links (when they actually run!) so I've never actually felt the need to learn to drive. Every now and then I do think it would be nice to just to have the increased freedom that comes along with it.

 

[g u a v a]

yes and no. on really busy days the transit here is unbearable, it’s crammed and since it’s usually during the summer it’s super hot. for a couple years i didnt own a car so i was limited to only taking transit and it wasn’t too bad. it definitely meant i could go less places than if i had a car but all my needs were met with the destinations that were near me.

one of my biggest complaints is sometimes i’d get on and there would be people tweaking out doing drugs or just being generally incapacitated and not well and that was always very disturbing.

 

[Bluelady]

Voted no.

Pros:
-Is cheaper than owning a car
-Depending on line it may be faster than being stuck in traffic
-Better for the environment

Cons:
-Unreliable. There was a threat at my college one time and A LOT of students and faculty were stranded because the nearby bus station shut down due to the threat.

-Quality varies by location and may basically be nonexist at times.

-Aggressive bus drivers make balancing difficult.

-Weird and dangerous people. It gets tiring being on alert for an hour or more.

 

[Midoriya]

It surprises me how most of the voting in the poll is "no."

Most of the comments here seem to just be because it's not "safe" or "regulated enough" I guess. Although I do understand the concerns and why people are voting the way they are. It'd be interesting to see a thread with a poll with the question, "Would you like more reliable and available public transit?" I feel like an overwhelming majority of votes would be "yes."

Cars are honestly so much more dangerous and unsafe, not just for us, but for the environment. If only all the funding being put into construction on new roadways, cars, etc. was being put into public transit, I think things would be better. But sadly that's not looking like it would happen anytime soon, especially with fossil fuels being closely tied in with politics. Anyway, I digress. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Reginald Fairfield]

Not the local busses. The Last time I rode was before covid. A guy on there smelled like strongly of crap, then a lady got on smelled strongly of popcorn butter. That fragrance combination was somehow far worst than just the first one,

 

[xlisapisa]

I don’t mind it when I have to use it, but I guess it could be better and safer in some areas. i honestly would prefer my own space but since I haven’t used public transit in a while, I’m not sure if much has changed since then. I use to take metro to work all the time when I was working in DC because driving a car in downtown DC is a nightmare. The route I took to work had some iffy stops (esp southeast dc) and I always tried to only use metro if I was working morning shifts because riding metro at night made me very anxious, a lot of sketchy and creepy people. I took bart a couple of times when living in Cali but not enough to comment on how well it is for the daily commuter. I’ve never been on a public bus before now that I think about it or anything other than metro and Bart. Where I live now public transit is not the best option for me so I have to rely on my own vehicle.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

When I was in Madrid and Taipei, I used public transit to go to a few places. I don’t mind it over there. In NYC, it’s sort of iffy because the subway is far more crowded than the metro in Taipei and much dirtier too. It’s hard to explain in words and you’d know what I mean if you ever used the metro system on Taipei.

 

[Neb]

As someone who’s afraid to drive out of fear of losing focus, but still want to be independent public transit is something I prefer to have. I used to live in a city with excellent public transportation and it was great for getting around. For now I’m stuck in a more rural area and while the bus is free, bus stops are very far apart, the routes only cover some of the town, and it only goes until around 4 p.m. I usually don’t bother with it and either walk long distances to do things or have my parents drive me. I’m apparently eligible for a free Uber-like service for people with disabilities and I plan on using it, but I have to be out of the house for at least two hours per trip to use it. I hope to use it soon since it’ll open up a lot of opportunities for me.

 

[oak]

Transit is great in the city within the sky train loop but not so much in the far out towns where there are only buses. You might see some wild stuff on transit though. Some of my friends don't feel comfortable taking transit alone but I'm beefy so I'm all good

 

[Kitsuragi]

okay, after being in Minneapolis for a weekend, I can absolutely say YES. wow, the public transit in Minneapolis is fantastic. it's relatively affordable (sometimes they don't even check if you bought a bus pass which is hmmm but whatever) i was only there for a short while but we used it EVERY DAY, multiple times, and it was only late once and that was because of someone being weird on the tracks of the tram (recording a music video...?)

Anyways, it was super convenient, fast, didn't have to wait TOO long (~7 minutes was the longest wait) and all in all it was a comfy experience. i felt surprisingly safe and comfortable the entire time. also the tram was just kinda fun to ride lol

Compared to my state (Michigan,) our public transport is horrible. We have one bus route that's always super late and only takes you to one spot. Minneapolis has it so good, but only really if you stay in the city. Some busses take you outside of it but it's the same amount of time as driving. However... It's cheap!

I am def a fan of public transit and wish it becomes more available. More transportation options is incredible for everyone.

 

[Envy]

TBH, I get a bit nervous with it. Perhaps that's because most of my experience with it has been using it alone, and as a woman, I do not like being by myself surrounded by strangers.

Anyway, public transit is pretty sparse where I currently live. I think public transit should be solid everywhere. I loved Washington D.C. and the Metro (underground subway system) when I visited there. If public transit is less solid than that I get nervous about making it work. The public transport I used where I live was buses. In order to make it work, there was lots of waiting around at places. That means lots of time wasted, lots of time spent outside of my comfort zone, which leads me toward burnout quickly.

I will have to navigate the public transportation in my new state until I get brave enough to learn to drive, and I'm not looking forward to that. Alas, sometimes sacrifices have to be made for happiness later on.

 

[dizzy bone]

Depends where. I've lived in cities with great public transit that's reliable and convenient, and others where I'd avoid at all costs if possible. The city I live in currently has no subway and a very unreliable bus system and I don't think we will be developing a very organized public transit any time soon. I much rather they just develop the roads properly and implement bike lanes.

 

[Autumn247]

I primarily use public transport (buses) because I don’t have a car. Anything within like a mile or so though I walk to. I don’t mind them but occasionally they’re extremely crowded and it makes my anxiety super bad when they’re like that. When they’re not crowded I don’t mind them. Occasionally you’ll come across an obnoxious person on them. Like one time there was an extremely drunk guy on the bus that was being obnoxious. But usually it’s fine. That’s how I do my grocery shopping and whatnot. By bus. The buses are good here. I live in the capitol region of New York state. I will add that I’m glad it exists because I don’t plan on ever driving due to my panic attacks