So, I totally had a cool music-related post ready to go for today, but then something newsworthy affected my day, so I'll blog about that and save the music for when the most exciting part of my day is that I find a nice pencil on the floor or something.
After a very busy day at work (as usual), I heard from a coworker that the subway was closed between Bloor and Eglinton. Of course, that stretch makes up part of my way home. They had shuttle buses running. However, this would mean standing outside forever and ever in a huge irate crowd. No, thank you.
I considered taking an alternate route that would involve a bus, but I figured out a lot of people would do the same thing, so I decided to walk it. Sure I was in work clothes (thank goodness not a skirt) and not wearing shoes particularly appropriate for walking 5+ km in, but it was a really nice evening; not too hot and not too cold.
So, I hiked up Yonge Street for awhile with the masses. There were so many people. It was crazy getting around the crowd of people waiting for the shuttle bus. I'm glad I walked. So much more pleasant than a crowded bus. I had my iPod and I was happy.
Here comes my rant: why the eff are people so negative about the TTC? I have been taking the TTC to work for 5 years now, and I have been late for work *once* because of delays. Once. I'm reading all of these comments about people complaining about the *constant* delays on the TTC and I wonder if I've been taking a different transit system than they have been. Constant delays? I would say very *occasional* delays, perhaps. Seriously, five years of commuting and I have very few complaints. Granted, I live on a bus route with very frequent buses (that I only take in the morning; I walk after work), and the rest is on the subway. I suspect that other bus routes and streetcar routes might be worse.
My point is that I'm highly satisfied with the TTC after five years of very frequent use. It's not perfect, there are occasional delays, but I know I'm less frustrated that I would be if I drove. And I can nap on the way. I'm pretty sure that I would be inconvenienced by construction, accidents, and traffic far more often on the road than I would be on the TTC.
This is perhaps the second or third time I've had to do the walk up Yonge due to transit problems. The other two times were for perhaps half hour closures. (I'm too impatient to wait in these situations so I choose to walk.) This time, the subway was partially closed for six hours, I believe, but they had it fixed ahead of time. I already had an alternate route planned for tomorrow morning, but thankfully everything's fixed.
In closing, nothing's perfect, but the TTC isn't as bad as a lot of people make it out to be. And I had a nice walk this evening. And I don't have to feel guilty for not going to the gym tonight.
Rant out.
7 comments:
i would *love love love* to live in a city that had mass transit as awesome as the Tdot! the time we used it it seemed very commuter friendly. perhaps the folks complaining should spend an hour trapped in a tiny car on a stretch of highway that's turned into a parking lot.
glad you had such a nice walk home. :)
People just LOVE to complain.
I am amazed at how speedy the new Canada line is over here - I mean I can go from downtown to my stop in FOUR minutes. FOUR MINUTES! That's insane and I'm sure people still have a problem with it.
The problem with the TTC is not whether or not it works, the problem is how it has the ability to cripple a city by shutting down 3 stops. By closing 3 subway stops on Yonge Street, the best alternative is walking. That means that moving people around the city is so fragile that if one thing goes down, the other things cannot withstand the increase in demand.
The University Line south of Bloor is too close to the Yonge Line. The city needs more north/south subway lines. It needs more east/west lines. One won't do. Toronto is a city of 2.5 million people with an exceptionally high amount of non-locals employed in the city. Toronto's people moving system is not robust enough to handle the current amount of people trying to move around the city.
I have similar feelings about the transport system in London. So it's not perfect and the tube strike meant that it took me more than two hours to get home on my usual bus route (as the people who normally take the trains got buses) but I think it is really cool. And I have a big crush on the DLR trains going through Canary Wharf but people seem to love to complain.
This week I have been a little bit late twice but by late I mean in at nine (when I start) not at eight thirty (when I aim to be in)
But mass transit systems rule. I liked the system in Toronto when I was there and equally rated the systems in Chicago and New York.
Basically this whole comment could be summarized as "I agree"
this reminds me of the louis ck clip about how everything's amazing now, and nobody's happy. especially the part where he talks about delays on flights which could pretty much apply to any type of transit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOtEQB-9tvk
I miss the TTC!!! Here there is only one bus an hour after 9pm...and after 11pm it is mostly only sketchy guys who ride :P
Oh jeez people love love love to whine and moan. I'm glad you took advantage of the shutdown to enjoy an evening stroll home.
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