It's been a few months since I lasted posted and I wanted to share some updates. I haven't stopped using public transportation. I think I drove for about two straight weeks to work and realized that I wanted to take the bus again, or at least the bus up and down the 405. Or it might have been only one week. More than anything else, I just didn't want to deal with the stop and go the 15 miles up and down the 405. I realized that when I took the bus going up and down the 405, I was actually calmer on my drive on the 101. This was because I didn't have to deal with the thirty minutes to hour's worth of stop and go traffic averaging a whole 5 miles an hour. The traffic on the 101 is bad, but always seems to have a higher average speed than that on the 405.
I started driving over to the Encino Park and Ride and taking the bus a few days a week, when I didn't have things to do after work (just in case I missed the bus or it was late). That has happened a few times. And sometimes, I still take the Metro down to Mosaic or other events in Hollywood (especially with the Hollywood Bowl traffic at nights)!
It's interesting, because people continue to look at me funny when I tell them that I continue to use the bus. The Commuter Express buses are awesome though - well air conditioned and generally on schedule, they are a very convenient mode of transportation. The other thing I realized when I started driving again was the amount of time that I spend in the car not actually doing anything. When I ride the bus, I have forty minutes to an hour to read, begin writing entries to my blogs or other projects, edit friend's work or do something else. That is each way, so that is an hour and half to two hours each day. And although I try to get books on CD, so I am listening to a book, I honestly feel as though I am wasting time when I am driving.
The system isn't perfect, and there have been days where the bus was late or there were issues (one morning we waited for the bus to be in the proper gear to travel down the freeway). But it has been an experience I have really enjoyed and would suggest whole-heartedly to everyone. Any fun stories I have, I will continue to share with you.
Take care and use the public transportation near you! And please share any experiences you have had!
