Public Transportation

I don't know why, but to me there's something empowering about taking public transportation. It gives me feelings of being able to take care of myself without help from anyone, and yet you'd think the opposite would be true. After all, the bus rider is dependent on the bus driver to get him/her to their destination and back again. So if someone can explain to me why riding the bus would make me feel all-powerful, I'd appreciate it.

This is the weekend of our Regional Sweet Adelines competition, and this year it's here in town. Rather than deal with parking and paying an arm and a leg for it, or hoping to find a parking place on the street and then going out to feed the meter every so often, I opted to take the bus. I caught the bus to downtown shortly after 7 a.m. The Regional breakfast was at 8, and I needed to get there early enough to walk the few blocks to the Hilton Hotel and get my registration packet. I was there in plenty of time, the ride was pleasant and not crowded, the bus driver was friendly and informative. He told me where to catch the bus for my ride home, although I had forgotten exactly what he said so I ended up walking a few extra blocks to catch it on Evergreen & Broadway anyway. I was at the Hilton by 7:45, including the couple block walk from the bus stop. Coming home, I was in the door by 12:30 p.m., having caught the bus about 11:55. Including the walk home from the bus stop.

Now had I driven my car, I would have been in the downtown area in 15 minutes, but then how long would it have taken me to find a parking place or parking lot, then walk however many blocks to the hotel. I surmise that I would not have made any better time driving than I did on the bus. And for a whole lot less money, factoring in gas at $3.67 gallon and whatever parking would have cost me.

I could give up my car and get around very nicely, for the most part. And some day, I just might do that.