FenderTL5

I started using public transportation in Nashville 12 years ago. I've only been biking regularly since 2012.
Most of the riders I encounter are working folks - Vanderbilt employees and students get subsidized or free usage of the MTA, as does state employees. The bus I ride on mostly has college students, state workers with a few hospital employees.
Just to get the picture; there more business casual and scrubs than there are jeans/shorts and t-shirts.
Most of the time; I'm the weirdo no one wants to sit next to.

My bike route(s) are the same roads or just over from the MTA route. I can shorten a route with bad weather or use it as a wrecker service if I have mechanical problems.

Locally, there's been a fight over a proposed BRT line, which happens to be proposed to run along the same route I currently use. I've read numerous inane and stupid reasons from the well-to-do opposition (the opposition is centered in a "high-rent" community along the proposed route) as to why the BRT or bus isn't used and should be prevented. Such as; the bus doesn't come frequently enough (it's every 10 minutes during AM & PM rush hours). Another, BRT specific, was that having middle of the street stations is too dangerous because the citizens would have to cross the street. Of course curb-side service doesn't prevent crossing the street either.
As you said, it is absolutely clear from reading their comments that few, if any, have been on a bus - ever - and if they have ridden a bus it was a school bus 30 years ago.

I support public transportation, even though I ride a bike most of the time.

Ekdog

BRT=Bus Rapid Transit. I had to look that up.

Very cool. I hope they're able to build it.

cooker

Let's put it this way. There's a reason the bus up Yonge St after the subway closes at 1 am is called the "vomit comet".

fietsbob

Here Oregon $3, Astoria to Seaside (zone 2) $6, .. Astoria to Ilwaco Washington. it's 50 cents

enigmaT120

Even with free buses (I didn't know about that.) Corvallis is full of bicyclists. I love it. Even recumbents.

The buses in Salem are fine, as are the CARTS regional buses that I use as part of my multi-modal commute. My employer (USDA) pays for my transit pass, but most of the regular passengers are state employees. Oregon doesn't subsidize their transit passes.

mannie3moon

Before I started cycling, I regularly took the bus to work. It was a clean and comfortable ride, and I got to read/crochet/listen to music on the way to work. The bus drivers were empowered to take care of obnoxious passengers, so I'm sure that helped ridership a lot. The main reason I stopped riding was that the driver of the bus who picked me up in the mornings annoyed me. I won't say what she did, for fear some people on here might also take offense, but it annoyed me, so I started cycling to work instead. Six months later, I moved and changed my working hours. I thought about taking the bus to work again, but found out that that route stopped running before I would get off work.

BadBoy10

Roody, exactly...unfortunately due to widespread hedonism and a broad social acceptance of aggressive behavior (i.e. reality tv)....no, I do not count on the other adults to support me telling teens and young adults to shut the blankety blank up.

I buy a monthly pass...I get a discount but every time I ride my anxiety increases. Yesterday, commuting by train a conductor "threw" a passenger off the train and another passenger exited screaming "YOU SHOULD DIE! JUST DIE!". And of course monthly someone commits suicide by jumping in front of the train. A conductor told me it is bad but kept hush hush.

I wont stop commuting by bike and train...overall lol it is convenient.

Roody

Drivers here are empowered to throw people off. Of course not all the drivers have the skills or personality to deal with unruly people. I think the drivers should get more training in how to deal with bad behavior. I wish there was some way to train the public to at least act as backups to the drivers. Sometimes a passenger will be the "good cop" who can persuade an unruly person to act right. I work at a job that requires me to deal nonviolently with very disturbed people, but I still don't feel comfortable using my skills on a bus where I'm unsure what kind of backup I will get--if any.

We had cameras on the buses for several years. The company did a study and concluded the cameras weren't effective so they took them out.

BadBoy10

I totally agree...I think as a society we have become almost conditionally desensitized to ignore out of order/disruptive conduct. When an issue escalates everyone looks perplexed but frankly an increased collective front would help dissipate the behavior. The perps pretty much know...most are afraid and don't want the issues so acting out comes with little consequence unless law enforcement are contacted. Then when law enforcement handles the issue ---officers are vilified for being TOO aggressive.

Did you see in India ---the guy holding the sign, "Kill the Poor"?


What happened when Indian spoof campaign was taken a little too literally | Mail Online

The tolerance for the poor is declining but I think quite often the poor/homeless are not the issue--the working class/middle class are the ones "acting out".

Roody

Not even a hardened criminal could withstand the power of 20 citizens on a bus just looking at him. Bullies can't tolerate people looking at them and judging their bad behavior. They thrive when ordinary people ignore them.

Weatherby

Why don't more people take the bus?

1. Some people do not have access to the bus
2. Some people prefer to walk
3. Some people prefer to cycle
4. Some people prefer to drive
5. Some people do not believe in socialized transportation

I take public transportation in Europe but even if I had access to it where I lived in the States, I would avoid it like the plague unless it was a Shall Issue state.

Ekdog

Is walking, cycling or driving on public roads and highways "socialized transportation"?

cooker

Research suggests that publicizing subway suicides leads to copycat suicides, so it is not reported for that reason.

cooker

So is that why it is tolerable in Europe?

BadBoy10

[QUOTE=cooker;16780350]Research suggests that publicizing subway suicides leads to copycat suicides, so it is not reported for that reason.[/QUOT

What research? Crime is reported daily...I have no empirical evidence but I disagree....people do what they want...the blame game ...like blaming music, video games--the lack of accountable ownership of anti social or mental health related conduct really frustrates me. It is an easy postulation but I disagree with "research".

In any event there is a reason children dont take public transpo to school...the new superintendent recommended this as a savings and there was public outrage. HOW DARE HE SUGGEST MY CHILD
RIDE THE. CITY BUS TO SCHOOL!

gear64

[QUOTE=BadBoy10;16780575]It's kind of funny you mention that. It was a different time, but I rode the city bus to school; highschool anyway. Elementary was close enough to walk. Things happened then too, but I think people are just more sensitive and over protective now.

cooker

...but not their own facts.

From a recent review article on causative factors in suicide:
"The evidence on the impact of media reporting was moderately strong,"

Http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24405530

Roody

Yes, this was first seen after the Golden Gate Bridge opened. To this day, the media rarely report suicides unless a famous person is involved.

FenderTL5

I biked in to work yesterday, had to rush back home, so I put myself and the bike on an express route home last night. I get home in about a half-hour by this method where it usually takes around an hour (hour 5min - 15min depending on conditions).

As the bus made it's turn from the interstate, under the overpass, and headed up the street toward the park and ride - it was right hooked.

Yes, just like bicyclist get. A van was in the left lane and made a right turn across in front of the moving, articulated, bus. The driver had to make a serious evasive maneuver to avoid a collision, turning (skidding) part of the bus off of the roadway onto the ramp.
There were two bikes on the front at the time, mine and one other.. for a moment it was actually difficult to tell if there was a collision or not from where I was seated. It was that close.
The driver indicated that sort of thing happens to buses routinely.

Weatherby

Cleaner, less crime, runs on time, more reasonably priced, faster, better network, etc. Had too many incidents with muggers, knives pulled on me, and other incidents on public transport in the US. It is not for me. I'll ride my bike or a motorized vehicle as the trip or my desire warrants.

The reasons listed in my original post on this thread answers why I do not use public transportation.

BadBoy10

I constantly restate the same refrain: Sociological albeit human behavior research is dependent on 1) Who is paying for the research 2) What is the anticipated outcome 3) See #1 . 4) How many were involved in the study 5) Has the study been repeated 6) See #1 .

Psychology Today reports: research supports social media can prevent suicides

Can Social Media Help Prevent Suicide? | Psychology Today

If someone wants to kill themselves by train, bus---social media, news media, the radio announcing someone else already "Did the Deed" may or may not have an impact (pun intended).

People do what they want. If they want an excuse to kill themselves....they will find one.

So does not hearing about crime on the bus increase your riding time? If you heard crime increased on the bus would you stop riding? I mean these are really broad/sweeping thought patterns...similar to...watching a lot of crime shows like ID lead to increased fear of crime. For some, perhaps...but everyone, no. So should we stop televising crime shows?

*The article you provided was peer reviewed and the author's stated no competing interest in the research.*

cooker

I'm not sure what we're arguing about. You said rail suicides were "kept hush hush" as if it was some kind of conspiracy. I pointed out the reason why - concern about inducing more suicides. If you disagree with the research, you will have to take it up with the researchers. If you disagree with the policy, you will have to take it up with the media.

So what is the reason?

BadBoy10

Cooker:

Every disagreement of opinion is not an argument. Pipe down. Geez! I said I disagree---you provided an academic journal/research--I still state I disagree. Research is like the Bible...anything you want to justify/rationalize/prove/condemn you most certainly can.

Reason:

The superintendent wanted to lower spending and proposed district wide city bus riding for students and/or privatization of school transportation.

Basically disband the government supported transportation department---because of this>>>>Broward school bus system under investigation - Sun Sentinel.

The superintendent is from Chicago and advised ....the city busing worked in Chicago---he was met with widespread horror and this>>>>>

Broward Schools bus routes disrupted - Sun Sentinel

cooker

I'm still not getting your point. The school bus system is possibly corrupt and inefficient and the superintendent suggested the students ride the regular city bus instead. So why did the parents react in such horror?

Null66

We are also a status oriented species.