From: ewong@ucs.ubc.ca (Eldon Wong)
Newsgroups: bc.general
Subject: Re: Car culture
Date: 23 Nov 1992 20:24:09 GMT
Organization: University Computing Services, UBC, Canada
Distribution: bc
NNTP-Posting-Host: swiss.ucs.ubc.ca
Keywords: cars, public transit, SkyTrain

In article <1er8q0INN513@cs.ubc.ca> coatta@cs.ubc.ca (Terry Coatta) writes:

[other stuff deleted]
>
>Make the transit system more convenient (a principle consideration of
>which is speed) than automobiles and people will CHOOSE to use it.
>

I agree whole-heartedly.  I am in that situation exactly.  I live in the
Port Moody/Coquitlam area and the transit system is just not convenient
for me.

To get to UBC on time (8:30am) , I must catch the 6:30 am fast bus (#160) at
the corner of St. John's and Ioco.  To get to that stop, I either have to
walk almost 2 km or catch the "connecting" bus.  The connecting bus comes
every half hour starting at 6:30am during the morning rush hour and
doesn't run at all during non-rush-hour times.  As you can see, the
connector bus does me no good.  Even if I do catch the bus (#160), it will
take me as far as downtown and then I have to transfer to one of the buses
going to UBC, which is usually already packed with commuters going to UBC.
The exact routine takes place going home from UBC.  If I don't get back to
the connector stop by 6:00pm, I am left with the option of walking home (up
a big hill, hitchhiking or taking a cab. :-( 

Secondly, when both my wife and I are working (my wife works shift work),
I am responsible for dropping my daughter off at day care.  Unfortunately,
the day care doesn't open until 7:00am (in Port Moody).  Transferring
buses with a crankly child (being woken up) is not the most ideal situation.
Also, since I cannot arrive home in time to pick her up from the daycare
(regulations do not allow her to be left there for more than 10 hours), I
have to pick her up from a friend's house on the way home.

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike public transit, it's just that it has
to be more convenient for me than driving is, to make me want to use it.
When my wife works her day shifts downtown, she takes the bus.  I have to
drive her to the stop and pick her up after work since neither the morning
or afternoon connector bus is right for her.  I would love to save the wear
and tear of everyday driving on my car(s).  I have already "worn" out one
car with the commuting that I do :-); and cars don't come cheap.
Unfortunately, at the moment, taking public transit is not as easily
feasible for me.  I am eagerly waiting for the time when/if the proposed
Skytrain route from Coquitlam Centre into UBC will be finished.  I will
indeed take public transit when that is available (if I am still working at
UBC by then :-) .  Assuming it will take about 1 hour of travel each way,
along with the availability of a Park and Ride lot, everything would work
out perfectly.

Now if anyone flames me for wanting convenience rather than "doing my part
for the environment", I hope you get the chance to experience
"inconvenience" first-hand: you might change your perspective (I did).  
Conveniece is a reason for many people to drive their own cars instead of
taking public transit.

-- 
 Eldon Wong - Site-license Coordinator  |  email:ewong@ucs.ubc.ca      o o  
     University of British Columbia     |  phone: (604) 822-9272        >   
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