More thoughts on Riding the Metro

So it's been two weeks that I've been without a car and had to utilize the bus system in Seattle. I know I sounded all giddy with excitement before... at the "great opportunity" to learn the bus system around town. I must admit that my attitude has changed a bit now... and riding the bus is more of a frustration most days. Mapping out the bus routes and trying to make connections takes some time and planning. Even though the Metro Trip Planner (http://tripplanner.kingcounty.gov/) helps make it easier, I have found a few faults. For example, I was sitting next to a young girl and she was asking me about the bus route we were on. She had used the Trip Planner to make her way from Wedgewood/Sand Point to North Seattle Community College. The Trip Planner had actually taken her all the way downtown, then she had to transfer, to get onto the bus we were on. Her total trip time was pushing two hours! It was ridiculous. I told her I was pretty sure she could get the 75 bus from Lake City to NSCC directly. Or take any bus to the Northgate Transfer Station and then hop on the 345 over to NSCC. (Internally I was kind of surprised at myself for sounding like such a seasoned bus rider! She, on the other hand, probably thought I was drunk since I had just come from the dentist where I got a filling and my mouth was still numb. I knew I was slurring, but didn't realize I was also drooling until after she got off the bus. Ooops....) Basically, I learned you can't always trust the Trip Planner. The Trip Planner lets you choose the "fastest" routes, the "least amount of walking" routes, and the "least amount of transfers" routes. Sometimes choosing one or the other gets you a completely different trip. Today, I am heading to the airport for a work trip. I used the Trip Planner and I got completely different routes each time I did it. None of which were very convenient considering 3 transfers, and having to walk & wait around with luggage and a laptop. New tip for riding the bus: If the ride is longer than 1.5 hours and makes you transfer three times.... take a cab instead!

I've also learned that it's not that fun to be on the bus when it's hot. Even with the windows open, you can only get a breeze when the bus is in motion. Last Friday I took the bus downtown to meet some friends for drinks. There was an accident on the Aurora bridge so we sat there for what seemed like forever before all the traffic could be diverted into one lane and get past this wreck. When the bus is not moving, there is no air flow, and that means everyone gets hot, sticky, sweaty. Which is NOT how you want to feel before meeting friends in a trendy Belltown establishment! Don't even get me started on the dude who smelled like manure. I am not trying to be politically correct by saying "manure". If he smelled like poop, I would say poop. But he smelled like manure... cow manure. Trust me, this girl is from Ellensburg, so I know what manure smells like. Put it on a hot bus with no air flow, and now I want to vomit. New tip for riding the bus: bring Kleenex, Purell, and something to fan your self with.

Can I also vent about bus etiquette for a minute? If someone doesn't give you eye contact, they don't want to chat. If that same someone is avoiding eye contact AND highly engrossed in a book, they really don't want to chat. If that same person has to put down her book, look you in the eye and TELL YOU they don't want to chat about your get-rich-quick real estate ideas, then they don't want to chat. And if that same person says NO I AM NOT GIVING YOU MY PHONE NUMBER, that means they don't want to chat with you now, or ever! Geez, what is so hard to understand. Look, I try to be nice and polite as much as possible but it can only last so long when dealing with idiots. Especially if your unwanted conversation starts like this... "So, you are pregnant, right?" (Seriously don't ever ask a woman if she is pregnant if you are not 100% sure.....)!

Update on my car. Still in the shop. Won't be ready until the 27th. Police still haven't found the driver who hit me so don't know if they have insurance or not. This means two more weeks of riding the bus. Neat!