The problem with public transport

[Crispy]

The moral is
Don't move to edinburgh if you like buses.


tbh, don't move out of london if you like buses.

 

[editor]

There are plenty of people out there who can't walk to a bus stop, or who can't use public transport for any number of legitimate reasons.

That's a very small minority and those people should be able to get door-to-door transport, but I can't see any massively overriding reason why the rest of us should need door to door.

 

[catrina]

I cycle, and the odd time I do need to get the bus, dealing with other people does drive me a bit mad, and I am thankful that I don't have to do it every day.

But I see the bigger problem with public transport as reliability. If I cycle in, I will be at work in 22 - 26 minutes. If I get the bus, I could be here in anything between 35 minutes and an hour and a half. Tube, 30 minutes to an hour.

So, if I want to avoid being late and being broke, I have to get the bus and leave two hours early to err on the safe side.

That's just a big waste of time. I get bus sick, too, so doing work on the bus is out of the question.

 

[_angel_]

The moral is
Don't move to edinburgh if you like buses.


tbh, don't move out of london if you like buses.

You ARE kidding aren't you?

 

[Crispy]

london buses are incredible compared to any other city I have been to in the UK.

 

[_angel_]

london buses are incredible compared to any other city I have been to in the UK.

There's nothing wrong with Edinburgh buses. I wouldn't want to have to bus it across London.

Leeds buses are crap too. The city with best public transport (well buses anyway) is Oxford.

 

[Cobbles]

There's nothing wrong with Edinburgh buses.

Correct - but only if you have all the time in the world and you enjoy the company of shell suited neds.

 

[bodach]

Correct - but only if you have all the time in the world and you enjoy the company of shell suited neds.

I sometimes get the flyer from the airport into town and it's far quicker than driving.

eta: I don't fly into Edinburgh, I drive down from the NW

 

[editor]

Correct - but only if you have all the time in the world and you enjoy the company of shell suited neds.

Bless. King Snob is off again.

 

[_angel_]

Correct - but only if you have all the time in the world and you enjoy the company of shell suited neds.

 

[Cobbles]

Do they have public transport in Springfield?

If so, is it "world Class":

 

[Crispy]

Do they have public transport in Springfield?
If so, is it "world Class":

Of course.

 

[geminisnake]

Go live in the country then because cities have been full up with 'people you don't know' for hundreds of years.

I do live in the country, partly for that reason

I agree with soulman's first line in the op.

As I only ever use the airport bus in Edinburgh I've managed to avoid the shell suited neds but I do remember it being a bit worrying getting the bus from town out to Broomhouse 20 odd yrs ago. I doubt it's improved.

 

[Brainaddict]

Reading this thread makes me think that everyone should be forced by government decree to ride the bus from time to time, if only to force them into closer contact with the poor people they despise

Fortunately for the snobs of the world, I am not in charge around here

 

[soulman]

Reading this thread makes me think that everyone should be forced by government decree to ride the bus from time to time, if only to force them into closer contact with the poor people they despise

Fortunately for the snobs of the world, I am not in charge around here

That's three times now you've managed to spectacularly miss the point.

 

[goldenecitrone]

How come we haven't all got cheap, reliable jet packs by now? Those boffins should buck their ideas up and get them onto the market as soon as.

 

[tommers]

How come we haven't all got cheap, reliable jet packs by now? Those boffins should buck their ideas up and get them onto the market as soon as.

weird isn't it? almost like the development of the humble jetpack (as seen at the Olympics in 1984!) has been squashed by a mysterious government agency and all the scientists working on it either killed or forced to develop new oil pipelines.

it's almost exactly like that. I mean, 1984 for fuck's sake! 20 years ago! We barely had VHS in 1984!

WHERE's MY JETPACK YOU EVIL HONDA FUCKS!?!?

 

[Crispy]

Jetpacks are a stupid idea, if you do the maths. The 1984 jetpack had enough fuel for a few minutes of flight. Put enough in for a decent commute and it would be too unweildy. Not to mention costing a fortune for all that fuel.

Plus, they're incredibly unstable. Piloting one is an incredibly difficult job. Note that computers are not yet up to it with 100% reliability (which you'd want, right?)

Flying cars are just NOT going to happen, unless some revolutionary technology comes along to make it easy.

 

[Geri]

I avoid getting the bus to work unless I have to - I generally walk or cycle. They are always full by the time they get to my stop, so I invariably stand at the bus stop and watch 2 or 3 sail by full. If I do manage to get on, there is nowhere to sit, last week I had to stand on the stairs and I was almost suffocated by some woman's vile BO wafting up towards me. I couldn't wait to get off.

Weekends are not too bad though, although last time we went to the Mall (two buses away) we spent over two hours waiting for buses to turn up - every single one was at least 1/2 hour behind schedule.

I would definitely use a car if I had one.

 

[Brainaddict]

That's three times now you've managed to spectacularly miss the point.

Well with that I was more replying to the people who were expressing their distaste at having to mix with the hoi polloi, which did not include you.

But help me out - what is your point here?

 

[soulman]

Well with that I was more replying to the people who were expressing their distaste at having to mix with the hoi polloi, which did not include you.

But help me out - what is your point here?

An alternative form of public transport that car users will want to use rather than trying to force them to use what's available now. What do you think of the idea of those pod things in the guardian piece?

 

[Geri]

Well with that I was more replying to the people who were expressing their distaste at having to mix with the hoi polloi, which did not include you.

I don't mind mixing with anyone, as long as they don't stink. Some people look like they have just crawled out of bed and got straight on the bus. What's wrong with at least brushing your hair and making sure your clothes don't have the remains of last night's tea on them?

 

[chymaera]

Some people look like they have just crawled out of bed and got straight on the bus.

That is probably because that is what they have done.

 

[_angel_]

Buses are one thing, but being trapped on hells coach for several hours is another.

I can sort of see where Soulman is coming from, especially when my (then) 2 year old child erupted in a torrent of dayglo yellow vom.

 

[geminisnake]

Well with that I was more replying to the people who were expressing their distaste at having to mix with the hoi polloi, which did not include you.

Just in case I was in that bit, I wasn't showing distaste for hoi polloi. I don't like people or being social very often, couldn't give a shite what class you are

 

[pogofish]

if only to force them into closer contact with the poor people they despise

No, it is very rich scumbags like these who tend to keep me off buses:

I've laso been on a bus with both of them before. Back in the days before they became too high & mighty to mix with ordinary folk. One burned me & the other sent a henchman along to threaten to cave my head-in after I asked for a bit of air.

 

[Cobbles]

No, it is very rich scumbags like these who tend to keep me off buses:

Why - do they persistently book the seat that you wanted?

 

[Gromit]

Taking two buses to work in Merthyr can take anywhere from 70 minutes - 120 minutes and costs me £36 a week.

My car costs me £26 a week and takes 20 minutes. Public transport fail.

Which is a shame as I alway used to take it to my old office. The train to Cardiff was cheaper and faster than driving.

Its very hit and miss depending where you live. Public transport in Torronto is made of win. The Welsh valleys made of fail.

 

[chymaera]

My car costs me £26 a week and takes 20 minutes. Public transport fail.

Tax, insurance, depreciation, maintainence, petrol ect ect ect £26 a week. I think not.

 

[roryer]

I met an ex-girlfriend on an extremely packed train once, admittedly she was Chinese so I could chat her up in a language that I imagined very few of our fellow travellers understood.

If there are spare seats one has the opportunity to choose to sit down next to the person who you believe will provide you with the best conversation, I have also gotten dates by this method too.

This is something possible only on public transport.

And its not just good for picking up girls, its also nice to have a chat to some random individual once in a while, if only to complain about the service.

A quick note about boats too.. the overnight ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland is awesome, and only £75 single with private cabin from London to any station in Holland.

I'll never go Easy Jet to Amsterdam again!