Transplant Pittsburghers: Do you feel you drive less in Pittsburgh? (Oakland: weddings, live in)

[JLeigh2182]

Originally Posted by algia

What does that mean?

Vehicle Emissions Testing in Pennsylvania | DOT

[Scientist Mom]

I drive less here than when we lived in the Houston suburbs but this is largely because of our choice to live in the city. Also, I usually take the bus to work. In Houston, I was driving 20 miles to work each day. On a typical weekday here, I drive less than 10 miles total.

We have alway had a good reception to our kids on the bus. Our son has only ridden a few times but we have taken our daughter on the bus regularly to get home from afterschool or to get to and from summer camps in Oakland. Unfortunately, after the last round of cuts/ service modifications, the buses just became too far-spaced and unreliable to depend on them to get to nearby activities and to deal with at the end of the workday.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Hmm, they are very welcoming of our kids on our bus, but it is a very neighborly bus route (we even have a holiday party with other riders).

Oh, now that's my idea of a great bus route. I suspect it's an advantage of seeing the same passengers on a regular basis--which I think is more likely in a city like Pittsburgh. The one time I tried taking more than 1 kid on a bus, it was in LA. I don't know, maybe I'm completely wrong but sometimes I think mass transit in bigger cities is less friendly. Also, we weren't regular passengers, which may have been a factor.

[greg42]

Originally Posted by JLeigh2182

In fact, I'm exempt from the emissions test when I get inspected for staying under 5k.

Wow, I never knew about that exemption. Now I've never driven anywhere near that low in a year (I'm lucky if I keep it under 15k!) but it's nice to know that exists.

[BrianTH]

Originally Posted by Caladium

Oh, now that's my idea of a great bus route. I suspect it's an advantage of seeing the same passengers on a regular basis--which I think is more likely in a city like Pittsburgh. The one time I tried taking more than 1 kid on a bus, it was in LA. I don't know, maybe I'm completely wrong but sometimes I think mass transit in bigger cities is less friendly. Also, we weren't regular passengers, which may have been a factor.

Yeah, the same people have been seeing our son on the bus since he was a baby, and the same thing has now started with our daughter. That happens because it is a commuter route with a fairly limited core service area.

I'm sure there are routes like that in other cities, but Pittsburgh lends itself to that sort of thing because of its micro-neighborhood development pattern, which is in part a function of topography, and also of the timing of its development (meaning a lot of it was pre-WWII, in the "streetcar suburb" era).

[cheezit34141988]

Yes, much less. In Detroit, my work commute was maybe half of what it is here in Pittsburgh. But, everything else in Detroit is so spread out, thats what drove up my mileage. In South Side I can walk to most places. Also - I dont know many people here/have my friends so its less travel in that regard, more time to stay at home.

In Pittsburgh, I really only use my car for commute to work (South Side to Wilmerding) using 376-30-Ti Boro...and practice when its in Manchester. I can usually go about two weeks between fillups, whereas before it was every 5-7 days.

[Aqua Teen Carl]

If you want to have a life that's fun and interesting (basically wanting to go out and actually do things) you're going to be running a lot of miles up on a car here. Now if you going from work, home, getting some groceries once in awhile, then yeah maybe you can use public transportation and cut down on car use.

If you like staying at home then public transportation is fine.

[CaptainPittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

If you want to have a life that's fun and interesting (basically wanting to go out and actually do things) you're going to be running a lot of miles up on a car here. Now if you going from work, home, getting some groceries once in awhile, then yeah maybe you can use public transportation and cut down on car use.

If you like staying at home then public transportation is fine.

Not necessarily. I think this is much more an ideological issue than a practical one. If you live in the city and do things in the city, you can definitely have a fun and interesting life with a bus pass and a bike. Granted, you have to be willing to use a bike, haha, which I think most people don't want to do.

Granted, if you live in the suburbs, or hang out in the suburbs, you might be in trouble, haha, but the city is really easy to navigate via bike and small enough that it's quite doable.

Like I said, I put about 3,000 miles a year on my car and that's including road trips. And I'm not even hardcore, haha, I do drive around town quite a bit in lieu of cycling.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

I really detest driving in the South Hills.

I don't really have a point, other than to perhaps note that is arguably the worst part of the core area for people who don't like driving on congested, confusing, older roads.

It is awful. The first time I drove rt 51 during rush hour I could have had a panic attack. Thankfully I rarely have to drive down there.

[bradjl2009]

Originally Posted by greg42

Wow, I never knew about that exemption. Now I've never driven anywhere near that low in a year (I'm lucky if I keep it under 15k!) but it's nice to know that exists.

Its true. I'm hoping I can qualify for that when I get my car inspected in May (I bought in last year) as the only serious long driving ive done is a trip to Nashville, and a couple drives up to butler. Besides that I never drive more than 10-14 miles a day.