Mason  🏃‍♂️ ✂️

Not if you'd come from where car-culture people came from Which is, y'know The entire point

As a member of the class you refer to, I appreciate the call for understanding, but I don't think you're right on the degree of perceived difficulty of transit schedules. It's hard only for those without pocket computers. Instead, I think there are bigger objections.

- I grew up within car culture. - Generally speaking, I find it really, really tough.

I can handle the scheduling bit of getting on a bus, but the biggest barrier for me is knowing how to act on the bus: how do I tell the driver I need to get off? Will they stop at my stop without asking? How do I pay? It's different in every city and not outlined explicitly.

Honestly, every city should track a few first-time bus users and take note of where they hesitate or get confused. Make up some placards & pamphlets with the highlights. It's simple enough if you go with a friend, but not everybody has a community when they land somewhere new!

Have you tried it in any non-US cities? Just wondering if it's any better elsewhere. Busses seem particularly poor compared to the UK (but I also grew with walked, busses & rail as my transport options)

I’ve taken a bus from Oxford to London once — I gave him rough change, which he dawdled in counting, so I started walking to the back. The change didn’t matter to me. He yelled at me until I returned, then asked me to do the math to determine what I was owed. Deeply humiliating.

I’ve lived in both cultures—I’ve even lived in NYC w a car—but grew up a transit rider. I see what you mean—especially when I’m in a foreign city riding an unfamiliar metro. Curious: Are you a good driver?

I don't know if I'm a *good* driver, but I'm a very comfortable driver. I grew up in an extremely rural area and drove absolutely everywhere until I moved to NYC in my early 20s.