"riding around in city buses for a hobby is sad"

i had some errands to run today so i decided to make an adventure of it. i caught the metro bus 4 from the corner right outside my house and rode it to downtown where i took care of all of my business pretty efficiently. i picked up the red line subway back to vermont/sunset and wandered my way around the neighborhood until i reached home.

i'm always amazed how e m p t y the subways are here in el lay... they are clean, efficient, and fun to ride on compared to other cities that i have lived, but on a friday afternoon the amount of riders was very very light. after some research, i came across an article from city beat that says:

"Despite more than 73 miles of rail, the Metro system only serves about 217,000 people on an average weekday and much less on weekends. In a city notorious for its smog, car culture, and abundant highways, trains offer a much-needed alternative to driving. However, putting the “mass” in “mass transit” will depend on a massive extension of the current system – especially to both East L.A. and the Westside."

so pretty much the "the L.A. Metro Rail is clean and safe, in part, because it just doesn’t go anywhere."

there is, of course, a west side extension in the works (there was a groundbreaking ceremony in late september 2006) ... but don't count on riding on it any time soon. the expo line will is set for completion in 2010 and will only get us from downtown la to culver city, with the second phase of development eventually extending the line to santa monica. luckily we have the friends 4 expo who have played a big role in keeping this project going, and will continue to push for the full expo extension to the beach...i just hope to ride it in my lifetime.

the los angeles metropolitan transportation authority (mta) was voted america's best recently. even though they obviously have quite a ways to go, i do appreciate their efforts in bringing safe and cohesive public transportation to a city that desperately needs it. you can plan your own el lay adventures on the metro website.

p.s. the title is a quote from a belle & sebastian song :)