Its definitly a mixed blessing. I live in Sacramento and take Light Rail to work daily. Saves gas and makes for a stress-free commute (if it were not for some of the other riders), and I work downtown so parking is expensive if you can get it at all.

The problem is the people who use it. Besides state workers like me (who generally behave themselves), the ridership consists of students and then a whole raft of low-class characters. The students are more of an annoyance than a real problem; I can tune out the impromptu rap concerts, but the constant loud shouting of "nigger" and "motherfucker" around families is harder to take.

The real problem is the low-life clientele. This includes drunks, homeless, thugs and the lower classes in general. If you are not a racist then using Light Rail regularly just might make you one once you are subjected to the constant disruption these people practice. There is no consideration of other people's life and no respect for cleanliness. Trash and anything else they have no further use for is simply dropped to the floor or left on the seats. Feet are usually propped up on the opposite set, even if other people need to sit. Benches that are meant to seat two are claimed by one rider for themselves or their baggage, even if other people are standing. One gentleman was chowing down on fried chicken legs; once he was finished he sucked his fingers clean of grease, gave me a toothy grin, and carefully laid the bones on the window sill. Another lady was chomping down on sunflower seeds; she spat the shells out on the other riders sitting next to her, and when they politely asked her not to do this she stood up and started shrieking at them. A young couple had the young man constantly saying "shut the fuck up bitch" and "I'll beat the shit out of you" to his partner for the whole ride. And this is the line that goes out to the better neighborhood (East Sacramento). The line that goes to the South Area is said to be even worse but I've never set foot on it. Security is non-existant. Too bad we cannot be divided into classes oficially so I would not have to be subjected to their chaotic lifestyle.

Interesting development recently. Our light rail was just extended to the next town out (Folsom); now the hobos of that town are upset that the hobos of Sacramento can now travel out there and compete with them for trash and god knows whatever hobos think is important. Hobo Wars lol!

I would agree to an increase in taxes to hire a guy that would go around with a suppressed .22 and get rid of all the homeless.

Quoted: Its definitly a mixed blessing. I live in Sacramento and take Light Rail to work daily. Saves gas and makes for a stress-free commute (if it were not for some of the other riders), and I work downtown so parking is expensive if you can get it at all. The problem is the people who use it. Besides state workers like me (who generally behave themselves), the ridership consists of students and then a whole raft of low-class characters. The students are more of an annoyance than a real problem; I can tune out the impromptu rap concerts, but the constant loud shouting of "nigger" and "motherfucker" around families is harder to take. The real problem is the low-life clientele. This includes drunks, homeless, thugs and the lower classes in general. If you are not a racist then using Light Rail regularly just might make you one once you are subjected to the constant disruption these people practice. There is no consideration of other people's life and no respect for cleanliness. Trash and anything else they have no further use for is simply dropped to the floor or left on the seats. Feet are usually propped up on the opposite set, even if other people need to sit. Benches that are meant to seat two are claimed by one rider for themselves or their baggage, even if other people are standing. One gentleman was chowing down on fried chicken legs; once he was finished he sucked his fingers clean of grease, gave me a toothy grin, and carefully laid the bones on the window sill. Another lady was chomping down on sunflower seeds; she spat the shells out on the other riders sitting next to her, and when they politely asked her not to do this she stood up and started shrieking at them. A young couple had the young man constantly saying "shut the fuck up bitch" and "I'll beat the shit out of you" to his partner for the whole ride. And this is the line that goes out to the better neighborhood (East Sacramento). The line that goes to the South Area is said to be even worse but I've never set foot on it. Security is non-existant. Too bad we cannot be divided into classes oficially so I would not have to be subjected to their chaotic lifestyle. Interesting development recently. Our light rail was just extended to the next town out (Folsom); now the hobos of that town are upset that the hobos of Sacramento can now travel out there and compete with them for trash and god knows whatever hobos think is important. Hobo Wars lol!

I fortunately, don't live in a metropolis the requires public transportation.  There is the city bus line and other than the 2 cab co.  that's it for public transportation.     I had the thrill of spending 15 hrs on a Greyhound, 4 of those was at the Chicago bus terminal.   Any longer and I would have had to retreat into my "happy place'.     Never again

I don't live in an area that would lend itself well to public transporation, so no. Even when I did, the answer was still no.

I work in Maintenance for a public transit system.  Your observations are accurate.  I sometimes fill in for guys on vacation and have to send mechanics out to get buses that have shit (human and animal), piss, beer, puke, foul odors (passengers and drivers) and damage from vandalism.  Most of our passengers are upstanding citizens regardless of income level, but the lowlifes can make it miserable for all.  I wish we could provide nice rides for the decent people and cattle cars for the rest.

I take public transportation...

For just a few bucks I can go just about anywhere in South Korea via public transportation...
It is clean, and very orderly...and at times extremely crowded...
You get a few panhandlers in the subway cars, but they are not agressive, most are very polite.
Nothing like public transportation in the states... I feel extremly safe using the rail system here.

Gasoline is over 5 bucks a gallon here and having a car is very expensive. Also, the roads are extremly crowded, so most people use rail or bus lines to go places...

Sounds like the rot has not set into S. Korea yet.

I can sympathize with you. I take the Metro into DC everyday for work. I live about 2 miles from the subway station, so I take a bus to the station and the bus home at night.

During the mornings, the bus / Metro is filled primarily with military personnel / professionals. Everything is orderly.

The evening commutes are a different story, however. I also am an unwilling audience member to impromptu rap concerts, and the low-lifes of DC are on the Metro in full force.

The evening bus rides home are quite interesting. Busloads of Mexicans, hoodrat kids who are disrespectful, and people who are rather dirty.

I like public transportation here, but not those things. I can't wait until I can move closer to a Metro station to at least eliminate the bus commute.

I've been using the BART system for ~12 years and I've seen it all.
- swampy bum's and crazies sleeping on the trains, in pissed in/crapped in clothes.
- psyco's running screaming through the cars, chased by BART cops.
- stations closed for bomb threats and BART SWAT teams, with FA MP-5s, M4s and dogs, sweeping the area's
- fires on trains and at stations
- train breakdown's, even in the transbay tunnel
- had my truck vandalized in one parking lot, had a car hit in another, and fought/won an incorrect parking ticket
- had altercations with various "cultually diverse" passengers
- half length trains run at high commute times, leaving cars packed over capacity
- "urban youths" smoking pot on the trains
- trains going out of service and stranding passengers at random stations

and countless other issue's makes riding the BART a daily experience. I long for BART to raise their fares high enough to no longer justify using their system, and just drive in to work. But then that brings up the whole finding/paying for parking issue's.

Quoted: I've been using the BART system for ~12 years and I've seen it all. - swampy bum's and crazies sleeping on the trains, in pissed in/crapped in clothes.+1 - psyco's running screaming through the cars, chased by BART cops.+1 - stations closed for bomb threats and BART SWAT teams, with FA MP-5s, M4s and dogs, sweeping the area's - fires on trains and at stations+1 - train breakdown's, even in the transbay tunnel+1 - had my truck vandalized in one parking lot, had a car hit in another, and fought/won an incorrect parking ticket+1 - had altercations with various "cultually diverse" passengers+1 - half length trains run at high commute times, leaving cars packed over capacity+ eleventy billion - "urban youths" smoking pot on the trains+1 - trains going out of service and stranding passengers at random stations+ eleventy billion

I've taken the bus a few times when planning to go out and get drunk.

Quoted: ... I long for BART to raise their fares high enough to no longer justify using their system, and just drive in to work. But then that brings up the whole finding/paying for parking issue's.

oddly enough, raising fares to actually pay for itself (instead of relying on .gov subsidies) would probably put usage out of the range of a lot of the riffraff (along with the working poor, who are not the problem) cleaning up the system in the process.

Problem is, in this litigious society, we are not allowed to do anything to the miscreants to get them to behave. Self-destructive spiral.

Hey I did my best to fit in last Tuesday.

I was at work when I was STRUCK DOWN with a migraine headache.

I barfed twice there so decided it was time to go home. On the train ride back I tried to go to sleep so as to minimize the waves of nausea and pain from the light blazing into my eyes. But, halfway there an impromptu rap concert started and woke me up. Mintues later I felt a barf coming on and stood up to try to get off on the next stop; however, two Mormon missionaries with bicycles were blocking the nearest exit. Before the train could come to stop I let loose in the doorway, but is mostly saliva and dry heaves by then. One of the Mormans handed me a card that said Jesus loves you. I got off the train, barfed some more, then had to stand there in the pouring rain for another 15 minutes till the next train came.

Migraines are not a lifestyle choise however

Other than a few times while in the military(in S. Korea) and a few times heading into a big city where parking was at a real premium, I haven't used public tranportation in 34 years. If I can't drive there I usually won't go unless theres no choice in the matter.

Used to take public transportation. But for some strange reason, crazy people always wanted to sit next to me.

Quoted: Its definitly a mixed blessing. I live in Sacramento and take Light Rail to work daily. Saves gas and makes for a stress-free commute (if it were not for some of the other riders), and I work downtown so parking is expensive if you can get it at all. The problem is the people who use it. Besides state workers like me (who generally behave themselves), the ridership consists of students and then a whole raft of low-class characters. The students are more of an annoyance than a real problem; I can tune out the impromptu rap concerts, but the constant loud shouting of "nigger" and "motherfucker" around families is harder to take. The real problem is the low-life clientele. This includes drunks, homeless, thugs and the lower classes in general. If you are not a racist then using Light Rail regularly just might make you one once you are subjected to the constant disruption these people practice. There is no consideration of other people's life and no respect for cleanliness. Trash and anything else they have no further use for is simply dropped to the floor or left on the seats. Feet are usually propped up on the opposite set, even if other people need to sit. Benches that are meant to seat two are claimed by one rider for themselves or their baggage, even if other people are standing. One gentleman was chowing down on fried chicken legs; once he was finished he sucked his fingers clean of grease, gave me a toothy grin, and carefully laid the bones on the window sill. Another lady was chomping down on sunflower seeds; she spat the shells out on the other riders sitting next to her, and when they politely asked her not to do this she stood up and started shrieking at them. A young couple had the young man constantly saying "shut the fuck up bitch" and "I'll beat the shit out of you" to his partner for the whole ride. And this is the line that goes out to the better neighborhood (East Sacramento). The line that goes to the South Area is said to be even worse but I've never set foot on it. Security is non-existant. Too bad we cannot be divided into classes oficially so I would not have to be subjected to their chaotic lifestyle. Interesting development recently. Our light rail was just extended to the next town out (Folsom); now the hobos of that town are upset that the hobos of Sacramento can now travel out there and compete with them for trash and god knows whatever hobos think is important. Hobo Wars lol!

 

The city I live in has two public transportation systems.  One is subsidized by the university (was the largest university in the country in 2004 and for many year prior) and is for students, staff, and faculty - I use this one daily.  The other one is used by homeless, and other unsavory characters, I have used this one once.