Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
call me shallow then, but I would never be caught dead on a bus...even if you were paying me millions of dollars. I hate to say it, but people who ride the bus are generally stereotyped as being "low-class"...I'm not saying they all are, but people certainly think that...and I don't want to be thought of that way.
Why do you care what other people on the bus think about you? They and the driver are the only ones who are going to "see" you on the bus. When I am driving, I certainly don't crane my neck up to look into the bus and see if I recognize one of the "losers" on there and laugh, "Ahahahaha! I recognize a loser on the bus!"
I also do use the bus myself for part of my commute and sometimes to go to the eye doctor instead of dragging another person with me to drive me home (since I won't be able to drive myself). It's not so awful.
Ok, so it seems people on here are not willing to give up their cars or the convenience of multiple cars here on LI. I understand this is a luxury that people are passionate about.
So, what are the solutions for the horrendous volume of cars we have on the road and littering the streets?
The scariest thing is that on LI, especially in Nassau, we actually have much BETTER public transportation than in many suburbs across the country where people are totally stranded without a car, yet our options are still viewed as not quite good enough!
Why do you care what other people on the bus think about you? They and the driver are the only ones who are going to "see" you on the bus. When I am driving, I certainly don't crane my neck up to look into the bus and see if I recognize one of the "losers" on there and laugh, "Ahahahaha! I recognize a loser on the bus!"
I also do use the bus myself for part of my commute and sometimes to go to the eye doctor instead of dragging another person with me to drive me home (since I won't be able to drive myself). It's not so awful.
I want people think of me as "classy"...wouldn't anyone? Plus, I own a car...no need for the bus. They annoy me when I am behind them b/c they stop everywhere and they drive at the pace of a snail. I do have places to go...which is why I am on the roads in the first place.
I believe in many cases, multiple cars are a necessity, not a luxury.
As for solutions:
Crack down on illegal apartments.
Develop transportation hubs to create a more efficient public trans system.
Develop high density housing near transportation or along main roadways.
Restrict garage conversions.
Build sidewalks along main roads to provide a safe place to walk. (My friend was hit and killed by a car while walking to the bank 2 years ago this month. Many areas in Suffolk are without sidewalks.)
I disagree...it is a luxury. If you forced people to go without that extra car, do you think they would survive? If course they would. They would be resourceful and find another way. It CAN be done...it's just that people don't want that inconvenience. When certain luxuries become so engrained in people's lives, they feel as if they are necessities.
I wonder though...if we poured millions into a new bus system...would LIers actually ride it? Or, would the stigma still be so strong that it would be a waste of money?
We have an extra car seat from when my niece was young. If they use my friend's car, they pop out one of the car seats. They really aren't that difficult to swap.
It's not difficult, however it's not exactly convenient to have to re-install a car seat every time you leave the house with a baby. Again, what percentage of their trips together are coordinated? Most moms with infants are not going to schedule trips to the store every time they need forumla, diapers, whatever.
Quote:
The reason traffic is brutal is because of the extra cars. Nassau population hasn't grown much over the last couple decades, but the amount of cars sure has.
it's not the cars, it's the drivers. There are more two-income families these days which obviously requires two commutes. Not sure how you get around that.
Quote:
If public transportation was so inadequate, then why are many of the buses half empty or more? The truth is that people here are embarassed to take the bus. It's all about image. "I'm not taking the bus...do you know who rides that?" It's funny...because whenever I go to Europe...everyone takes buses...even in smaller cities. They don't think anything of it. Bankers, Oxford professors, you name it...they all take the bus. So, stigma is part of our problem here too.
There is no stigma. Within the 5 boroughs, commuting via bus is very popular and often a better alternative to the subway or driving. When buses become more convenient, ridership will increase. The simple fact is the traveling via var is MUCH more convenient in Nassau/Suffolk.
I want people think of me as "classy"...wouldn't anyone? Plus, I own a car...no need for the bus. They annoy me when I am behind them b/c they stop everywhere and they drive at the pace of a snail. I do have places to go...which is why I am on the roads in the first place.
I own a car too, but sometimes the bus is a good option for me. (I certainly wouldn't go grocery shopping on the bus, for example.) For many people apparently it is never a good option.
call me shallow then, but I would never be caught dead on a bus...even if you were paying me millions of dollars. I hate to say it, but people who ride the bus are generally stereotyped as being "low-class"...I'm not saying they all are, but people certainly think that...and I don't want to be thought of that way.
My parents were city people who moved to LI. I grew up utilizing public transport when possible (as a teen to the malls, beach, etc.) I saw it as a cheap way to get where I wanted to go without asking a parent for a ride.
My husband is born and bred LI guy; he believes that buses are for the 'low class', but then again, he was raised by a mother who was concerned about image and what others thought.
Yes, to a certain extent the people riding the buses on LI are working class, some immigrants, some minorities, and there are some who are none of the above and are doing so for environmental reasons.
The buses themselves are dirty and grimy; I've ridden them out here a few times. To get from point A to point B required patience, planning, and with some luck, good timing so one wouldn't have to wait around for too long. When DH worked out east, I would take my oldest (then a preschooler) on the bus to the Sayville LIRR to head out to meet him for lunch and then carpool home. I'd walk a mile to SUNY Stony Brook, catch a campus bus to South P lot, catch a Suffolk Bus from there to Smithaven Mall, catch a connecting bus to Sayville and then wait for the train out east. I had to allow 3 hours for what was about 1 hour drive with a little local traffic. Imagine what that must be like for someone who has to do that everyday?
When people come to this site asking about good places to live with reasonable commutes, many of us will argue that anything over an hour is not humane, that it steals time from the children/spouse/dog, etc. I couldn't imagine spending X hours a day on one of those awful buses!
My parents were city people who moved to LI. I grew up utilizing public transport when possible (as a teen to the malls, beach, etc.) I saw it as a cheap way to get where I wanted to go without asking a parent for a ride.
My husband is born and bred LI guy; he believes that buses are for the 'low class', but then again, he was raised by a mother who was concerned about image and what others thought.
Yes, to a certain extent the people riding the buses on LI are working class, some immigrants, some minorities, and there are some who are none of the above and are doing so for environmental reasons.
The buses themselves are dirty and grimy; I've ridden them out here a few times. To get from point A to point B required patience, planning, and with some luck, good timing so one wouldn't have to wait around for too long. When DH worked out east, I would take my oldest (then a preschooler) on the bus to the Sayville LIRR to head out to meet him for lunch and then carpool home. I'd walk a mile to SUNY Stony Brook, catch a campus bus to South P lot, catch a Suffolk Bus from there to Smithaven Mall, catch a connecting bus to Sayville and then wait for the train out east. I had to allow 3 hours for what was about 1 hour drive with a little local traffic. Imagine what that must be like for someone who has to do that everyday?
When people come to this site asking about good places to live with reasonable commutes, many of us will argue that anything over an hour is not humane, that it steals time from the children/spouse/dog, etc. I couldn't imagine spending X hours a day on one of those awful buses!
Exactly. Again why I walk almost 3 miles to get to the train station everyday.
Once my 2 year old is either in his nap or asleep for the night it really isnt an option to wake him up. My daughter has activities like Dance, T-ball, Lacrosse and more which make it difficult in many of these situations and we also like to get her to sleep on a decent schedule during the week with school and so much going on. I believe you will see this one day...
We are only 1.5 miles from the Greenlawn station (very walkable) but there are not many trains that come in there. Usually if he works late he has to come into Huntington and as Jetties said, once my 2 y.o. is in bed I can't wake her. A baby and a toddler are totally different animals when it comes to sleep.
Suffolk definitely needs more sidewalks. I'm a runner and I can't tell you how many near misses I have had with cars, usually bcs of stupid drivers not paying attention, talking on the phone, etc. Different than Queens where it seemed like they were trying to run you over, but not much better.
I disagree...it is a luxury. If you forced people to go without that extra car, do you think they would survive? If course they would. They would be resourceful and find another way. It CAN be done...it's just that people don't want that inconvenience. When certain luxuries become so engrained in people's lives, they feel as if they are necessities.
I wonder though...if we poured millions into a new bus system...would LIers actually ride it? Or, would the stigma still be so strong that it would be a waste of money?
I wish it were a luxury; perhaps in your world it is, but in my reality it is far from it.
When my husband's working in Remsenburg, and my youngest's school calls that she is sick -- would you propose I bicycle two miles, trailering her bike, and expect her to bike home vomiting? Or should I wait 30-40 mins for a cab? My neighbors work, my closest relative doesn't drive, sometimes friends are home, sometimes they aren't.
Many of us walk when we can. We do not have sidewalks out here, which makes things hazardous to those of us who walk.
Many of us do not have 9-5, M-F careers. Many of us have children who have activities both in school and elsewhere.
When your child is older, you will understand why some of us are rather outspoken on this issue. I have two children who have activities which take them in opposite directions on the same days. Some competitions are out of state -- would you suggest DH and I draw straws to see who gets the car? I can see the conversation now: "Honey, I know you have to work, but your son's martial arts competition is in Springfield this weekend. Would you mind strapping your tools to your back so that I may borrow the car?" Or "Honey, I realize that your in the middle of a proposal and running late, but I need to borrow the car to take your little one to dance lessons. Can you catch a ride home from the prospective client?"
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
