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Old 03-29-2013, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Silicon Valley, CA
13,561 posts, read 10,353,441 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by munchitup View Post
Probably doesn't make a difference, but it was Light Rail most of the time in Boston.
Is that what you call the "T" or is that a different system?
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Old 03-29-2013, 04:43 PM
 
Location: Hollywood, CA
1,682 posts, read 3,298,066 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by munchitup View Post
My point is that when I walk or take public transportation, the trip is what matters a lot of the time too. I guess I could try to will the bus to go faster, but that never works So I just sit back and observe.
I co sign with this. You can observe more of the city riding the bus than on car. Alot of people are usually stuck in thier cars in a LA freeway, not really seeing much of the enviroment.
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Old 03-29-2013, 04:47 PM
 
Location: Pasadena, CA
10,078 posts, read 15,853,364 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by silverkris View Post
Is that what you call the "T" or is that a different system?
The "T" is the entire system, including Green Line, Red Line, Blue Line, Orange Line - the equivalent term here is "Metro". It is run by MBTA, which is our LACMTA.

And somehow "Charlie" got introduced, I believe by a folk song - and now the cards in Boston are called Charlie Cards (our TAP Cards - there is place Boston transit has us killed, TAP sucks).

The Light Rail portion of the T is the Green Line, though from Kenmore Station on into Downtown Boston and Back Bay it basically functions as a subway (preview of our Regional Connector).
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Old 03-29-2013, 08:12 PM
PDF PDF started this thread
 
11,395 posts, read 13,414,536 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by munchitup View Post
The "T" is the entire system, including Green Line, Red Line, Blue Line, Orange Line - the equivalent term here is "Metro". It is run by MBTA, which is our LACMTA.

And somehow "Charlie" got introduced, I believe by a folk song - and now the cards in Boston are called Charlie Cards (our TAP Cards - there is place Boston transit has us killed, TAP sucks).

The Light Rail portion of the T is the Green Line, though from Kenmore Station on into Downtown Boston and Back Bay it basically functions as a subway (preview of our Regional Connector).
What's the Charlie card like? I've heard of it, but don't know anything about it. I've been really impressed with the TAP card, much better than what NYC calls a transit card.
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Old 03-29-2013, 08:33 PM
 
Location: Pasadena, CA
10,078 posts, read 15,853,364 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PDF View Post
What's the Charlie card like? I've heard of it, but don't know anything about it. I've been really impressed with the TAP card, much better than what NYC calls a transit card.
Easier to load fare on the bus, easier to buy weekly/monthly passes with, can 'tap' multiple times. Those are the things I've noticed.
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Old 03-30-2013, 05:44 PM
 
25,556 posts, read 23,969,355 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charles View Post
If your time is worth $5 an hour then it is doable.

Also, about public transportation, nobody (or very few) wants to take public transportation anywhere, west coast, east coast, big city, etc. They take it because cars are prohibitive due to traffic, parking, costs, disabilities, etc. If parking and traffic weren't problems, and cost was not a factor, then very few people would actually want to be in a crowded smelly anonymous dirty bus or train with a bunch of strangers vs sitting in a nice comfortable car knowing you can stop and detour to wherever you want whenever you want.
I'm from New York and I like taking public transportation. The thing is, even if you drive to wherever, when you walk out on the street in Manhattan the sidewalks are likely to be crowded with lots of people. So what, I'm used to crowds.

If I do come back to LA long term, though, I would rent a car. I spent three winters in a row in LA and got around by public transportation. Not happening again, it was too inconvenient. And to tell you the truth, there are some trips in NY itself where its better to have a car.
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Old 03-30-2013, 05:50 PM
 
25,556 posts, read 23,969,355 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by disgruntled la native View Post
I hear you. Something i'm facing myself. I've had a car since I was 16, but the costs of maintaining and keeping a car is getting tiresome. Car insurance is astronomical, regular services, gas is only going up, constant fear of speeding tickets/parking tickets/fender benders, paying for parking, getting stuck in traffic. Going carless would save me several grand a year EASY.

But it only makes sense to go carless if you live in a central area where public transit will get you from pt a to pt b easily. Like Santa Monica to Westwood, or even Santa Monica to Downtown. If you're living in Beverly Hills and working in Burbank, you're SOL. 3 buses and 3 hours. Therefore, going carless will save you tons of money and headache, but limit where you can work.
I spent three winters in LA, and its why I didn't stay longer. I wasn't making enough money to get a car. Getting better jobs could have meant going all over the county, and I wasn't about to do 3 hours on the bus. So I came back to NY. If I'm ever in LA again for more than a week I will rent a car.
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Old 03-30-2013, 05:53 PM
 
25,556 posts, read 23,969,355 times
Reputation: 10120
Quote:
Originally Posted by munchitup View Post

One thing I noticed is that people complain about it taking too long to get from LAX to DTLA via transit. However I was messing around with Google Maps in NYC and realized it takes nearly as long to get from JFK to Midtown as it does LAX to DTLA (ignore that they have a better connection via the People Mover for now ) - Is there something I am missing?

It is just funny I think Los Angeles sometimes faces a double standard or harsher criticism than other cities that are considered to be superior transit cities. I guess in the long run it is a good thing because Los Angeles is working extremely hard to improve its system (to varying degrees of success ) while other cities may be resting on their laurels.
A lot of New Yorkers take taxis to the airport. For people who regularly have to go to different parts of metro NY, often they drive. Waiting outside for the bus or the commuter train in all kinds of weather is not particularly pleasant, especially if you're not traveling during peak hours.
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Old 03-31-2013, 01:18 PM
 
292 posts, read 569,316 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PDF View Post
What do you (or anyone else) think the effect the completion of the Expo line will have? It's supposed to be up and running to Santa Monica in 2015 or 2016, right?

I'm looking forward to it. LA Live/Downtown LA to Santa Monica in 45(?) minutes. One person here said it will just invite more homeless
They should stop treating the homeless like they are sub-human :\. Anyway, I'm glad to hear of the extention. Having to take the 704 on congested Santa Monica blvd is a real pain when someone wants to go to the beach from Downtown&immediate area.




[/quote]
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Old 04-08-2013, 01:56 PM
 
108 posts, read 307,601 times
Reputation: 242
Hi guys - I plan on moving to L.A. from Baltimore this summer. I've lived car free in Baltimore for 3 years - I plan on living car free in L.A. I've been reading about your metro system and its expansion plans, as well as your burgeoning bike network, and it seems things are really at a point where non-hardcore transit/cycling geeks can live car free relatively comfortably (assuming you don't live too far from where you work).

I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all once I move. I'd like to hear from others who live car free in L.A. as well.
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