Son moving to Minneapolis (Robbinsdale: university, live in, costs)

[davephan]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

This is total fear mongering that makes downtown sound like something out of a movie like I Am Legand. Have you ever been downtown or on a bus? The skyways do not shut down after dark. Most bus routes are fine. Are there bad spots/people downtown? Sure. But if you have common sense and don't make yourself an easy target, it's fine. The son is coming from Chicago, so I'm sure he's seen worse things.

Yes, I've ridden to downtown countless times on the bus. When I was going to college at the University of Minnesota, I took the bus exclusively for six months while my car, which has severe rust problems, was being repaired at a technical college. The car was kept by the technical college for six months! The work was very extensive, replacing a lot of the metal on the car! The parts were cheap or free and the labor was free. But the car was unavailable for six months while the work was being done. After the work was done, the severely rusted car looked like new, and it was very cheap! That kind of work could never have been done at a normal body shop because the work would have cost almost as much as a new car at the time.

During that six months, I took the bus exclusively. The bus is a "second class" or "lower class" transportation system. The people that ride the bus are a mix of people. Poor people, some students who couldn't afford a car or parking, some downtown workers that didn't want to pay for parking downtown, criminals, trouble makers, and gang members. I took the notorious "5" line. There were two "5" lines. Both went through rough parts of the near north side of Minneapolis. I rode until near the end of the lines near Robbinsdale.

I had to transfer and wait in downtown Minneapolis because I had to take the "16" line between downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota. When waiting for the bus in downtown Minneapolis, you had to be careful where you waited. Never in a isolated place by yourself. There were criminals, trouble makers, and gang members that would occasionally prey on people that were waiting for the bus. When on the bus, you'd have to try to sit away from the people who looked like the criminals, trouble makers, and gang members, who rode without a bus pass and didn't pay with cash for the bus ride. The same thing happens today, those people do not pay for riding the light rail, and make the light rail more dangerous to ride, especially after the normal commuting hours. I also worked part time in downtown Minneapolis parking lots while going to college, sometimes at nights. We'd have to let the criminals and gang members park for free, so that they wouldn't threaten or attack us. Today, the crime problems in downtown Minneapolis are much worse than they were decades ago.

I also rode the bus on bad snow and ice days to and from the University of Minnesota, because I didn't want to get my car damaged in an accident by one of the many reckless Minnesota winter drivers. Over the years, I had three accidents, all caused by poor Minnesota winter drivers that crashed into my car.

My bus riding experience was decades ago. I never ride the bus these days because I can afford to drive my car and park, even if I have to pay the high parking costs in downtown Minneapolis. Public transportation is a a "second class" or "lower class" system that I choose to never ride anymore. Some of the people on the bus are really undesirable people that you'd never want to associate or be near. Some of the people on the bus also have a very strong body odor. I rarely go to downtown Minneapolis now, and I avoid going to downtown Minneapolis whenever possible, like most of the people who live in the suburbs. There's no need to go to that area that is sometimes occupied by criminals, trouble makers, and gang members.

I know what Chicago is like too. It is much much worse. I've visited Chicago many times and I've even accidentally driven through the south side of Chicago, while driving around Chicago. Chicago is a cesspool of run down and destroyed buildings, criminals, trouble makers, and gang members. Those visits to Chicago were decades ago. The crime is much worse in Chicago today. I would never ever consider visiting Chicago anymore.

[gweilo845]

Originally Posted by davephan

During that six months, I took the bus exclusively. The bus is a "second class" or "lower class" transportation system. The people that ride the bus are a mix of people. Poor people, some students who couldn't afford a car or parking, some downtown workers that didn't want to pay for parking downtown, criminals, trouble makers, and gang members. I took the notorious "5" line. There were two "5" lines. Both went through rough parts of the near north side of Minneapolis. I rode until near the end of the lines near Robbinsdale.

There are a couple of routes that are not great, I agree. But to rate the entire transit system as "second class" based on your experiences over a few months many years ago is ridiculous and smacks of classism. Before COVID, I rode the bus into work and it was full of professionals in business/business casual clothing who simply did not want to deal with the hassles of traffic and parking. Are these people "lower class"? Many young people do not want to have a car for various reasons; the transit system needs work, but it's a viable alternative, especially for people living in the core areas of the Twin Cities.

Originally Posted by davephan

Today, the crime problems in downtown Minneapolis are much worse than they were decades ago.

It was much worse downtown in the 70s and 80s.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

There are a couple of routes that are not great, I agree. But to rate the entire transit system as "second class" based on your experiences over a few months many years ago is ridiculous and smacks of classism. Before COVID, I rode the bus into work and it was full of professionals in business/business casual clothing who simply did not want to deal with the hassles of traffic and parking. Are these people "lower class"? Many young people do not want to have a car for various reasons; the transit system needs work, but it's a viable alternative, especially for people living in the core areas of the Twin Cities.





It was much worse downtown in the 70s and 80s.

^This. The 1970s were a half a century ago. Totally irrelevant to today.

Also, the commuter express buses are a whole different world than the locals. Rode the 146 for many, many years and never had a issue bigger than an occasional late or missed bus.

[gweilo845]

True, but most of the local routes are ok. I've been riding the bus for almost 40 years and have never really had an issue. Ranking the whole bus system as for "second class" citizens because of the 5 route (which admittedly is probably the worst one that I've been on) is pretty ridiculous IMO. If say the son ends up living in Uptown and has to take the 4, 6, or 17 into/out of downtown for work, there would be no issues besides the buses being crowded during rush hours. Also, I don't know if it's still the case, but when I worked at Target HQ, they offered a really good deal on bus passes, I think it was $50 a month.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

True, but most of the local routes are ok. I've been riding the bus for almost 40 years and have never really had an issue. Ranking the whole bus system as for "second class" citizens because of the 5 route (which admittedly is probably the worst one that I've been on) is pretty ridiculous IMO. If say the son ends up living in Uptown and has to take the 4, 6, or 17 into/out of downtown for work, there would be no issues besides the buses being crowded during rush hours. Also, I don't know if it's still the case, but when I worked at Target HQ, they offered a really good deal on bus passes, I think it was $50 a month.

I agree completely. I’ve ridden the 4 and 12 routes many times with no issues. I think the 12 also runs between downtown and Uptown on its way to/ from Hopkins and Minnetonka.

[ben young]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

There are a couple of routes that are not great, I agree. But to rate the entire transit system as "second class" based on your experiences over a few months many years ago is ridiculous and smacks of classism. Before COVID, I rode the bus into work and it was full of professionals in business/business casual clothing who simply did not want to deal with the hassles of traffic and parking. Are these people "lower class"? Many young people do not want to have a car for various reasons; the transit system needs work, but it's a viable alternative, especially for people living in the core areas of the Twin Cities.





It was much worse downtown in the 70s and 80s.

Mary Tyler Moore loved the Twin Citys

[poorlittlefish]

my husband rides the bus from the south metro to Target HQ. Target subsidizes bus passes. Also, he will probably be working from home for a while since there is no on at HQ right now and won't be for quite a while.

[MrMinneapolis]

i stay off public transportation. too many creeps, wierdos, scum, bums, poverty, crime etc. Id rather be driving in my european luxury vehicle.

[Kayekaye]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

This is total fear mongering that makes downtown sound like something out of a movie like I Am Legand. Have you ever been downtown or on a bus? The skyways do not shut down after dark. Most bus routes are fine. Are there bad spots/people downtown? Sure. But if you have common sense and don't make yourself an easy target, it's fine. The son is coming from Chicago, so I'm sure he's seen worse things.

No fear mongering about it. Just the truth. I have a son who works downtown and it’s a nightmare getting from the park and ride to his building 5 blocks away. There are hold ups and robberies constantly on the way to work in the morning! Minneapolis is not safe. OP you are right it’s a ghost own at night, unless you are with a group. The people I know that live downtown scurry home and stay there, no venturing out at night, especially in the skyways. Just not worth it trying to not make yourself an easy target.

Target HQ pays very well, go to the 2nd ring suburbs and enjoy life. I know people that live at the metro areas edge and drive to Target HQ. Well worth it.

[Kayekaye]

Originally Posted by gweilo845

It was much worse downtown in the 70s and 80s.

I worked downtown from 68 to 95 and it was MUCH safer than now. Much. No comparison. I could go anywhere alone and not be bothered. Day and night. I can’t imagine why you would think it was worse?