What surprised you most about transportation in your city or state?
Posted by Kwinicole@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 189 comments
I’ve heard that in many parts of the U.S. having a car is almost necessary, but I’m curious about personal experiences.
For example, what surprised you the most about how people get around where you live? Is public transportation usable, or do most people rely on cars?
MoriKitsune@reddit
I was surprised that it takes +2hrs to make a journey that would take 20mins by car
cat_prophecy@reddit
Exactly this. My commute was 10 miles and there was a light rail station right in front of my office building.
Travel by car could be 20-40 minutes depending on traffic .
Travel by transit was 60-90 minutes and required a transfer from a bus to another bus to light rail.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That gap is actually wild. It really shows how public transport in some places isn’t just slower it’s uncompetitive. I can see why people default to cars if the time difference is that extreme.
Crayshack@reddit
Public transit basically doesn't exist in my city. It technically does, but it's horrifically unreliable. The nearest stop from me is a mile away (there are no sidewalks), so I can drive anywhere in the city faster and safer than I can get to the nearest bus stop. There is no connectivity to other cities, so any intercity travel requires driving to the other city.
stuck_behind_a_truck@reddit
Can take a train to L.A. or drive to L.A. and either way it will be 2.5 hours in rush hour. We don’t have express trains.
L.A. is 60 miles from me.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
The biggest problem with most public transit in the US is getting to the location of the transit still requires a car of some kind and then once you've taken the transit to the other place you don't have a car to get around now that you're there.
So while it is technically possible to take a train or a bus between cities, it is not actually useful because you can't do anything once you're there because you don't have a car to get around.
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
Here, if you drive to the metro stop (to catch the metro), you then have to pay to park at the metro.
Or you can take a bus to get to the metro, then take the metro.
Either way, logistically and financially it’s not worth it.
And then there’s the weather…
PacSan300@reddit
This shows how “last mile” public transport connectivity is importantx
MoriKitsune@reddit
On top of the absurd time difference, stops are few and far between (more and more stops are being removed from actuve routes,) so you'd probably have to walk/bike an additional 10-30mins to your destination unless it's a very popular location. Plus, buses are commonly late and occasionally don't show at all.
PacSan300@reddit
Yeah, comprehensiveness of public transport has to also take into consideration frequency of stops/locations and schedules.
anclwar@reddit
Using public transit, my commute to work was twice as long and my commute home was even longer. I really want to go back to taking transit, but I'm reminded daily how much more free time I have at home when I roll up to my house and realize that I'd still be waiting for my train if I hadn't driven to work.
mdavis360@reddit
You would also have to sometimes drive 20 minutes to get to that Public Transportation that would take you 2 hours. Instead of just driving 20 minutes to your intended destination.
Sensitive-Chemical83@reddit
It's not cost effective. I think thats the biggest killer for me.
It's slower than driving, obviously, cause you have to make other stops for other passengers and it probably doesn't take you right to where you want to go. So there's some walking too. So it's slower. For my daily commute I can drive it in 30-40 minutes depending on traffic, but if I take the bus or train it's over an hour.
But it's also more expensive than driving. It costs me $24 to go to and from work using public transportation. Or I can drive for about $4 worth of gas and $2.25 in depreciation on the car.
Taking public transportation is almost 4x more expensive than driving for me. And it's slower.
kinggeorgec@reddit
That they can't build a high speed rail after billions of dollars and decades have passed.
nowhereman136@reddit
A few reasons why they can't build high speed rail in the US
I don't mean to disparage trains. I've traveled across the US on trains and have done high speed rail in Asia and Europe. I'm just saying it's not practical to spend billions on a train system people won't use. Instead we need to focus on commuter rail systems and electric vehicle infrastructure
kinggeorgec@reddit
You can say we don't want it but it was voted for and as a proposition. The state is just to incompetent to make it happen.
nowhereman136@reddit
A few reasons why they can't build high speed rail in the US
I don't mean to disparage trains. I've traveled across the US on trains and have done high speed rail in Asia and Europe. I'm just saying it's not practical to spend billions on a train system people won't use. Instead we need to focus on commuter rail systems and electric vehicle infrastructure
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
Yeah this one surprises me too. For a country this developed, you’d expect something closer to what you see in Europe or Japan. Do people around you actually want high-speed rail?
Arleare13@reddit
High-speed rail makes sense on the densely populated East Coast, but elsewhere, our population is so spread out that it's really just not incredibly efficient.
Sadimal@reddit
There were two proposals for Maglev lines in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic. One for Baltimore-Washington and one for Baltimore-New York.
The Federal Railroad Association killed the Baltimore Washington Maglev. The Trump Administration killed the Northeast Maglev (Baltimore to New York.)
So unless the railroads get more funding, we won't be getting anything faster than Amtrak's Acela.
ThrowRA_72726363@reddit
A lot of people want it but also a lot of people are just fine with taking their car, and would probably keep taking it even if rail was an option. Most of the US is not as dense as European countries or Japan, high speed rail just doesn’t make much sense for most areas.
manicpixidreamgirl04@reddit
The main barrier is that we have lower population density than Europe and Japan.
Gudakesa@reddit
In Ohio they’re spending more money on research, planning, and lobbying than they are on actually building. If the government would have just started it when they first started talking about it years ago it would be done and we wouldn’t be wasting tax payer money on yet another feasibility study.
I’d love a high speed rail system with the main terminal in Columbus going to Toledo, Cleveland (through Akron) and Cincinnati (through Dayton.)
Sensitive-Chemical83@reddit
I live in a city that has great public transport, like some of the best by American standards.
It's still hard to lead a normal life without a car unless you live and work in the heart of downtown.
-Shes-A-Carnival@reddit
the city i grew up in has great public transportation that no one who can avoid it takes because it is like entering the bowels of hell
possums101@reddit
In New Jersey public transit just isn’t a priority for politicians. So our public transit suffers. If you want to travel into NYC for work or fun you have many options. But if you want to travel throughout the state it isn’t very accessible or functional.
Zealousideal_Crow737@reddit
I don't own a car and haven't needed one. People outside the city can't comprehend this. It's easier to not have a car here.
GOTaSMALL1@reddit
I can kinda comprehend it… The things I can’t comprehend are… do you just never buy things you can’t physically carry? Does your dog ever go to the vet? Does anybody golf or play in a rock n roll band? Do you camp? When it’s freezing cold or blazing hot… y’all still just walk down to the bus/train?
anclwar@reddit
I didn't own a car for several years and weather was the least of my concerns. You learn how to dress for really cold days and really hot days. I used an umbrella to shield myself from the sun on hot days, and would change clothes at work if necessary. You learn to grocery shop for two or three days, not a whole week or more. If you have a pet, you find a vet nearby or use Uber/Lyft pet options. People without cars aren't usually the golfing type, in my experience, and people who play in bands usually have at least one band member with a van or car that can pick them up. Also, car rentals still exist, and not owning a car doesn't necessarily mean you don't have a valid license.
It's more common for city people to not own a car than someone in the suburbs or a rural area. Especially in the Northeast, our cities are designed to not need cars because cars didn't exist when our towns and cities were being established.
saberlight81@reddit
This comment is so funny to me lol. Everything you asked about has solutions that, all put together, cost less than buying and maintaining a car.
How often are you buying furniture or TVs that paying a delivery fee every time you need to is so unimaginable that it didn't even cross your mind before asking?
If you live so urban that not owning a car is easier than owning a car, the vet might be in walking distance. If that's not feasible you uber or taxi.
I'm guessing golfers usually prefer to live in suburbs where it is easier to own a car for this reason. And people in the NYC music scene get by with public transit just fine, I'm sure Boston and anywhere else are similar. Maybe the drummer owns a van.
I guess the main thread here is that people who live in dense cities tend not to have a lifestyle where they really need a car, and people who really need a car tend to live elsewhere. City folks who want to get out into the countryside might rent a car for the once or twice a year they do so but how many people is that really? How often do you go camping?
Yes. You dress appropriately for the weather and are a little uncomfortable for more than 90 seconds, it's really not a problem.
GOTaSMALL1@reddit
This is the main thing and it may come off “judgy” but I don’t mean to judge. It’s about lifestyle… and how much convenience one is willing to pay for.
And… I live in the land of National Parks… :)
I venture out to see the sights, hike, go shooting or overnight camp 20+ times a year.
WrongJohnSilver@reddit
Believe me, I wish it could be 90 seconds when it's freezing out. I'm constantly in some weird temperature dysregulation situation when it's freezing out, even when I'm dressed for it.
No-Lunch4249@reddit
...yes?
"There's no bad weather, just bad clothing" as the saying goes
LupercaniusAB@reddit
No, you take a cab/lyft/uber.
Or you rent a car. I lived without a car for 18 years. I rented when I needed one. I can tell you that I spent a LOT less money on car expenses when I rented them three or four times a year than I do owning one.
3catlove@reddit
That is my question. Sometimes I go to Costco or Sam’s Club and I need a way to haul everything. Do you just get what you can carry in a tote for groceries and shop more often? I’m genuinely curious and not trying to be snarky at all. I’ve never been to Boston but my husband has been for work once and loved it.
3catlove@reddit
That is my question as well. Sometimes I go to Costco or Sam’s Club and I need a way to haul everything. Do you just get what you can carry in a tote for groceries and shop more often? I’m genuinely curious and not trying to be snarky at all. I’ve never been to Boston but my husband has been for work once and loved it.
No-Lunch4249@reddit
I have a small cart I use. My nearest grocery store is about a 20 min walk and I can get enough groceries for a week for my wife and I in the cart. Lots of people in my neighborhood have them because 20 min is definitely a bit too far to walk with a heavy tote bag over your shoulder or in hand.
If I need something small midweek like pasta or eggs or something, there are lots of little corner stores that have what I need much closer than that.
Arleare13@reddit
Yep. It's easier when there are grocery stores every few blocks.
Personally I do a major shopping about once a week at a standard supermarket, which is about two tote bags worth -- easy enough to carry. (In the rare event it turns out to be more, I take a taxi.) That's supplemented by smaller as-needed purchases from a smaller grocery store that's just a minute or two walk from my home. I also have multiple specialty stores (butcher shops, fish stores, bakeries, etc.) within easy walking distance, so I can go there when needed as well.
witchy12@reddit
Exactly this. There's usually a grocery store within a 10-15 minute walk from you. It's a lot easier for me to walk 10 minutes and get a totebags worth of groceries for a few days rather than buying two weeks worth of groceries at one time.
ThrowRA_72726363@reddit
One of my coworkers who doesn’t have a car has a wagon thing that she uses to grocery shop. The store isn’t a far walk so she doesn’t mind it. Minneapolis
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
This is exactly the contrast I was curious about. It seems like in dense cities, not having a car is actually easier, but once you leave that bubble it flips completely. What city are you in?
Lothar_Ecklord@reddit
I did this in New York for 15 years. It’s fine for going anywhere public transit goes, but if you need to go outside that area, you’ll need a car or prepare to spend a day traveling. That said, frankly, you can take a metro train from Coney Island to Midtown and (while the schedule says otherwise) it will take about 90 minutes. More if there are any delays (there always are). You could also drive that in about 45 minutes, in moderate traffic.
No-Lunch4249@reddit
Not who you asked but I'm in the Baltimore area and have had a similar experience since moving back to the city proper. If my building didn't have private parking included with the lease I'd probably sell my car because I only drive it once every two weeks right now
vanbrima@reddit
I lived in Minneapolis for 15 years without owning a car. I used a wagon for groceries, used the bus/train/uber to get to places I couldn’t walk to. I love to camp and would rent a car for that.
Dr_Watson349@reddit
Well his flair says Mass, so probably a good guess is Boston.
NeverRarelySometimes@reddit
I was a tourist in Boston with a disabled kid in a wheelchair. Half the T stations are not accessible, including the one near the Children's Museum - so you're walking a lot of extra miles before you even get into the place. Half the accessible T stations require use of elevators which are down sometimes, and always have urine on the floors! (Why are Bostonians peeing in elevators?) Maybe you get used to this stuff if you're a local, but it was downright disgusting to out-of-towners. Oh, and then there was the day when the train just stopped in the middle between stations. No one moved. We just sat there, sweating on each other, talking about how crazy Californians are for choosing to spend time in traffic in their air-conditioned cars. It was over in less than half an hour, but "easy"? Not by my standards.
mayonnaisejane@reddit
I experienced the inverse!
My father grew up in Manhatten. Much of his family is still there. I got cousins who clearly think I have money to burn because I own a car.
No, dad just left Manhatten when he married my mom and moved someplace with 0 public transit. No car, no work. I drive a 2010 Honda Fit. Lol.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
I am assuming that you have a handy parking space too. Thinking about trying to park a car every night in Manhattan sounds like a nightmare. Either it would be a hassle or you would pay for through the nose for a parking space, in my understanding.
mayonnaisejane@reddit
Yepp. Ain't a single place around here, residential or commercial that don't have a lot or a driveway for folk to park.
Fire_Mission@reddit
Nothing surprising. Mostly rural and suburban. No public transport. Distances are generally too far for walking. Everyone drives.
RedSolez@reddit
I grew up with NYC as my closest city. I could get there entirely without a car if I wanted to- I could bike to the train station, then ride regional rail and connect to the subway to go wherever I want. Then I went to college in Boston and lived carless for 4 years. Owning a car in Boston would definitely be a liability.
But here's what people who have never lived in a major city don't realize when they whine about lack of public transit: unless you're rich, there's a lot of downsides to being reliant on public transit. Trains get delayed. The subway leaves the platform a few seconds after you arrive and you have to wait another 10 min for one which has to be factored into your plans. You sometimes get on a train and it breaks down. You sometimes avoid a train car because there's a scary, clearly mentally ill person in it or you're a woman and alone at night. When the weather is bad you're still stuck hoofing it in the rain and wind and cold. When you have anything big to haul that can't be delivered it's a pain. It can easily take 30 min to an hour to go only a few miles. Now if you can afford to take cabs or Ubers (which didn't exist last time I lived in a city) then you can avoid a lot of these problems. But even if you have a good income you're likely not spending good money on Ubers willy nilly just because it's raining outside.
So yeah, I'm happy living in a car dependent suburban town but take regional rail into major cities/airports. Win win.
mrsrobotic@reddit
I've lived in two places where people complained about the lack of public transportation, only to find out that there was decent bus service. The first place it was limited but low cost, the second place is my current home and it's free, with a stop two blocks from my house.
Sadimal@reddit
When I lived in HarCo, the bus system was pretty decent. You could easily get to any major locations in the county. It was only $3 a day.
But if you didn't live within walking distance of a bus stop you were pretty much out of luck.
jrhawk42@reddit
Most people prefer to commute rather than live near work. It seems like nobody lives near their work, and for some places that makes sense because housing costs are high, but I've also noticed that people that are living in high-cost housing areas mostly work somewhere else also. This has caused some of the property value of some rural homes nearby to skyrocket just as high.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
People call people crazy for owning 4x4s and AWD Subarus until their first blizzard.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
We built a house on a hill with a fairly long driveway. The first winter we were in it we had a lot of snow. I told my husband that we either needed to get a four-wheel-drive or a sleigh.
stuck_behind_a_truck@reddit
I have relatives in MN (who grew up in ND) who bought a home with a steep driveway. The first time they watched their car go bye-bye on its own down that driveway was eye-opening even for an experienced winter family.
No_Report_4781@reddit
Nice. I have no trouble with a fwd minivan or rwd hatchback in blizzards, but to each their own
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
Sure...and I can too...but you have to admit AWD is objectively better in poor and low traction conditions.
A wut
No_Report_4781@reddit
Subjectively, not objectively.
And it depends on the vehicle and tires. During this winter season, I avoided using my AWD car because it’s bad in low traction situations
Google it
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
Objectively. All wheel drive is better.
No_Report_4781@reddit
Yes, I’ve heard that opinion before
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
Yeah it’s a fact though. There isn’t some gray area here.
No_Report_4781@reddit
Cool opinion
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
Fact
No_Report_4781@reddit
Thanks!
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
Do you not know what an opinion is?
No_Report_4781@reddit
I know a cool opinion when I see a cool opinion.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
Can you explain what a cool opinion is then because you're not using the term in a way that most of us recognize. Your usage appear Non-Standard or simply incorrect, at least to the rest of us.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
No, not subjectively. Other things being equal it is objectively better to have all-wheel drive.
Which part of RWD hatchback is confusing to you?
Rwd means rear wheel drive and hatchback is a style of car.
No_Report_4781@reddit
Cool opinion.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
Can you clarify what you think an opinion is? Because you're not using the term in a way that makes sense with how most people use the term.
No_Report_4781@reddit
Oh, I didn’t know we’re getting a sea lion show today!
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
There is nothing subjective about it.
All other things being equal, AWD is better in low traction situations.
No_Report_4781@reddit
Cool opinion.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
eyeroll
rawbface@reddit
I have an AWD Subaru and I wouldn't drive that shit in a blizzard. It's not a good vehicle for the snow.
GhostOfJamesStrang@reddit
A lot of the new ones are not good.
Which I understand. They've gone a different direction as far as comfort and driveability.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That makes sense tbh. I didn’t even think about how much weather changes the equation. In places with heavy snow, a car isn’t just convenience it’s survival. Makes me realize how “car dependency” isn’t the same everywhere.
Steel_Airship@reddit
Buses in 1/4 of all Virginia transit agencies are still fare-free (a trend I believe caught on during COVID)
Norfolk has the only light rail system in Virginia.
The Charlottesville to DC route is one of the most profitable Amtrak routes.
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
And Amtrack DC to NYC is fairly cheap and quick.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That’s actually really interesting especially the fare-free buses and the profitable Amtrak route. Feels like small policy choices like that can make a big difference in whether people actually use transit.
unknowingbiped@reddit
How many cars kill bicyclist and pedestrians - Arizona
I've seen a dead body every year I've lived hear
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
2 children were killed near where I live, riding bikes. It’s dangerous riding a bike here.
A friend was on his bike on a sidewalk, waiting for the cross light. A driver drove up onto the sidewalk and hit him. Massive injuries, in the hospital for months.
A woman ran my husband (on a bike) off the road. He fell, his hemut cracked. The woman stopped long enough to yell “Get off the road!”
This isn’t a safe place to bike.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That’s actually really disturbing. I didn’t realize it was that severe. Is it more of a road design issue, driver behavior, or just lack of pedestrian/bike infrastructure?
RedditWidow@reddit
All of the above
unknowingbiped@reddit
Don't forget it is a dark sky city so people walk on the white line they can see in the dark and they all wear black or dark colors.
ericbythebay@reddit
I am always amazed at how much money is spent on public transit for little results.
Millions of dollars per mile, then service is infrequent and slower than driving.
Or big empty diesel busses polluting on an empty route.
huhwhat90@reddit
Public transit technically exists where I live. It's just really, really poor and limited. Alabama is the only state that does not provide any funding for public transit, which means that it's up to municipalities to provide funding.
HairyDadBear@reddit
I'm surprised that people here (Phoenix) are regularly biking even in 100F heat. A strong argument for putting in bike lanes if I ever seen one.
sneezhousing@reddit
When I lived in big city in the south I had no car. It was very inconvenient but doable
Then moved to Midwest and didn't have a car for a few years. It was more than inconvenient it was miserable.
My job would be 30 min cat ride on free way took my 90 min during the week and 120 min on weekends. There was no direct route. Not to mention three to four months of below zero Temps with wind chills. Feet and feet of snow for weeks on end. I'm 6'3 and snow would be to my calf at times.
However there are places even further out than where I am where there is no public transit at all so impossible to get by without a car.
GandalfTheGrey46@reddit
Children on ebikes.
Blue387@reddit
Many people do not know the city doesn't run the subway system or buses
Cjtorino@reddit
There is no public transportation close enough for me to use. The closest grocery store is 3 miles. A car is an absolute necessity.
cathemeralcrone@reddit
A lot of urban people are surprised that many small towns and rural areas have public transportation. There's dial a bus and a variety of types of town busses. They are clean and safe, and often will take you door to door from home to destination. This has been the case in all of the towns I've lived in, ranging in size from about 900 people on up. They do run limited times with limited stops, though. It must be said that they are heavily dependent on federal and state funding. Dont know what the current administration is doing to screw it up. All I know that the three little busses in my current home of 10,000 ish people are running just fine. Never believe the urbanites who claim that only large cities have public transportation.
MuchDevelopment7084@reddit
When I lived in Chicago. Public transportation was convenient, and a lot less expensive than a car.
Outside of the city. Public transportation is spotty, unreliable, and only runs during limited hours. Making a car essential.
So it really depends on where you live.
paddlepedalhike@reddit
In OK and most of TX a car or bicycle is an absolute necessity. There are no buses w widespread routes and schedules or trains. They aren’t an option. And, particularly in TX, a 45-90 minute drive each way to work is not unheard of. It’s a huge state and the cities are spread out. The US is a transportation nightmare.
Comedeorologist@reddit
I was surprised how many DC people felt put out that they needed to drive to the suburbs of DC for their job.
They were so accustomed to busses and trains, even walking to work. But now they had to drive a car. But they didn't have one. So they had to buy one. And, oh boy, they had to concentrate for like 30 minutes as they drove to work. Meanwhile, I made 1/4th their salary and commuted 4x as long.
GoCardinal07@reddit
While far from ideal, the LA Metro is better than people give it credit for.
PacSan300@reddit
It definitely seems to be improving lately as well. Much needed and overdue change, honestly,
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
I’ve heard that too like it’s not perfect, but better than its reputation. Do you think it’s more of a perception problem or actual coverage gaps?
yozaner1324@reddit
I'm amazed by how poorly they manage to run our public transit. It must have been difficult to design such poor routes.
Basically, if you want to get to or from the city center (most jobs and things to do are not there anymore) it'll take twice as long as driving. If you want to get between places people actually live and places people either work, eat, or shop, it'll be 4x as long as driving. Biking is always faster than transit and walking is faster more often than you'd expect.
eyelikturtles@reddit
I live in New Hampshire which even in the “bigger” cities (in quotes because none of our cities are big) the public transit is lacking. I live in a small town and you absolutely could not survive without a vehicle. It’s a 45 minute/30ish mile commute one way and there is absolutely nothing that could get me here other than a private vehicle. It is like this in most rural and suburban areas of the US. I’ve spent time in New York City and Washington DC for work and vacation and I’d say you could quite easily get around those areas on public transportation but it does seem expensive.
CLG-BluntBSE@reddit
Usable public transportation is confined to, basically: Philly, Boston, NYC, DC, Chicago, Seattle.
Outside of these regions, a car is basically mandatory. I lived in a pretty wealthy town in Florida and it was a 40 minute walk to the nearest grocery store, unsheltered, in 95F and 100% humidity.
PhilTheThrill1808@reddit
Add Denver to your list, RTD out there is great. But beyond that, yeah.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
I've been to Denver and very much disagree. Without a car it is very difficult to get to any place that a tourist wants to go.
PhilTheThrill1808@reddit
It’s really not. I lived in the area for 7 years.
witchy12@reddit
RTD is a huge step down compared to those other cities though.
The12th_secret_spice@reddit
People like to shit on RTD for reliability, but it’s a pretty robust system (by American standards). They’re also installing a bunch of bus rapid transit (brt) systems to cut down on travel times.
Throw in the winter park express for ski season and you don’t have to drive much if you live close to city center.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That Florida example paints the picture perfectly A 40-minute walk in that kind of heat basically forces you into owning a car. It really shows how infrastructure + climate both play a role.
LupercaniusAB@reddit
Add San Francisco to that list as well.
eugenesbluegenes@reddit
I'm kind of surprised how few people use bicycles in my local area. It's flat, rarely below 50 degrees or above 75, basically doesn't rain from April to October and even through the winter most days are dry with wet (but rarely drenching) periods interspersed.
Compared to the vast majority of the country, a lot do. But it's still a rather tiny proportion of local trips.
MainelyKahnt@reddit
Not where I live but I visited a friend in Peachtree City Georgia and was astounded that most people get around the town on golf carts using the public trail network. Some even had wild custom carts or ones made to look like Lamborghinis and stuff.
Cinisajoy2@reddit
We didn't get busses until about 15 years ago.
MobileOrdinary6827@reddit
Pub transportation doesn't exist in my hometown. You have to drive 1.5hrs to get to the gas station or grocery store. The nearest public transport is at the state university 2hrs away.
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
For my west Texas property, I don't know if a lot of people comprehend how vast the land it. It's almost an hour drive to the nearest paved road, and from there another almost 2 hours drive to the nearest town over 5,000 people. Transportation options are 4x4 truck, a side by side, dirt bike, or horse.
ndubitably@reddit
Most places I've lived are generally built around cars.
When mine broke and I had to take the bus, I was impressed at how well Google Maps was Integrated into the bus route. It would tell me when the next bus was late/arriving, and his many stops you had left.
Confetticandi@reddit
As an adult, I’ve chosen to live in Chicago and now San Francisco because those are both cities where you don’t need a car.
I kept my car in storage before finally selling it. I haven’t owned a car for 7 years now and it’s great.
If I need to go on longer road trips or want to go camping or something, I rent a car.
PlanningMyEscape@reddit
Moved from Arkansas to the DC metro area and the distinct lack of pickup trucks was a bit of a shock. Not as shocking as the traffic though. I was terrified to drive on the beltway and I 270 for the first few years.
The-Cursed-Gardener@reddit
How badly it sucks compared to what the standard is around the world and even in better developed parts of the U.S.
In other regions you can walk places and people won’t speed up to try and hit you.
Deep-Hovercraft6716@reddit
"almost" is not accurate. Lol
Unless you were saying almost everywhere.
The vast majority of us have no access to any transportation in any meaningful way. It's simply doesn't exist.
Many of us would use it if it was available But they'd have to build it first.
Electrical-Ad1288@reddit
Salt Lake City isn't too bad for transit by American standards. The light rail (Trax) is very useful for getting to the airport unless your flight is super early or late. Good pick for a cheap sober ride home in the city limits as well.
RedditWidow@reddit
Where I live, we have lyft drivers SA-ing single moms who are just trying to get to the grocery store, and psychos shooting people on the greenways, so yeah, no, I'm not trusting anyone else to drive me anywhere and I'm not walking or riding a bike. We have a lousy bus system that takes forever to get anywhere and doesn't go everywhere, and everything is spread out, so cars are necessary.
TheBimpo@reddit
Why would I be surprised by the things that surrounds me? Am I supposed to be surprised that I don’t see methods that exist elsewhere? I’m not sure I’m monorail would be functional in a rural wooded area.
PPKA2757@reddit
The vast majority of people rely on cars.
We have public transit, and it has its uses (I used the light rail a bunch when I lived near a stop to get downtown, I know a few people who took a rapid transit bus for the same purpose), but it’s inconvenient for the majority of residents of the Phoenix metro.
Like a ton of other American cities, our once thriving public rail transit/trolly system was gutted in the National City Lines fiasco/corruption/ploy in the 40’s-60’s.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That lines up with what I’ve been hearing transit exists, but it’s not convenient enough for most people. Also interesting you mentioned the old rail systems being removed. That probably shaped how cities developed long-term.
PPKA2757@reddit
It absolutely did.
It should come as no surprise that one of the reasons we’re so reliant on cars is because auto manufacturers rigged the system to make it that way.
You can read about it here but the TLDR is GM (at one time the largest auto maker in the world, certainly when this story takes place) bought a bus company (National City Lines).
So GM figured; if a person can’t afford one of our cars, we can still make them customers by having them to use our bus company. Problem: Lots of US cities had trolley systems as the main form of public transit, and for those who didn’t own cars this is how they got around.
So what does GM and their auto industry friends do? They start buying up all of these public transportation companies (all locally owned/operated - not really controlled by the government as we’re used to today) under the national city lines and subsidiaries there of and started closing them down. Conveniently introducing bus systems at the same time to replace them. They violated anti trust laws to do this, but in a tale as old as time: corporations got away with a slap on the wrist, GM paid a small fine and that was it (fine of $5,000, equivalent to $62k today).
The few cities that held out are now somewhat famous for their trolly lines (San Francisco, New Orleans to name some examples).
Tron_35@reddit
I was suprised to find out city busses made it all the way to my college in a small town. I didn't think they got far out of the city
rawbface@reddit
I grew up here, so nothing was surprising. I thought it was how all transportation was.
ChoppedUnc-SF@reddit
Nothing is surprising. We grow with cars from an early age. The bus is for poor people.
ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit
I'd say it's the rise of electric bicycles. They've really common in just the last few years near me.
marchmay@reddit
The highways of NC were built by prisoners. Modern day slavery.
AcademicSavings634@reddit
I’m Grateful we have a bus system on Sundays. I guess in most states it just doesn’t run on that day.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That’s surprising honestly I would’ve assumed Sunday service was standard everywhere. You’re right though, people still need to move around regardless of the day. Feels like a basic but important thing.
Stressed_C@reddit
Unless you live in a large city like NYC, Chicago or Boston. A car is needed in most cases. My town is pretty walkable and we have a bus service to take us to the nearest city, but most still use cars but e-bikes and e-scooters have been popping up more around my area.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
This seems to be the consistent pattern dense cities vs everywhere else. Interesting that e-bikes and scooters are growing though, feels like a middle ground starting to emerge.
Stressed_C@reddit
I have a e-bike and once you buy it, it does end up cheaper then the long term upkeep costs, insurance and gas prices for a car. So I see how there is a middle ground appearing especially for young adults who might not have the money for cars.
Perdendosi@reddit
Here's what shocks me:
I travel a good amount for work. Most of the cities I travel to have average or above average public transportation for the downtown core and tourist areas of the cities. Sometimes that public transportation is actually really good. And it almost always connects with the airport that I fly into.
Yet, many of my colleagues that I travel with refuse, or don't even think about, using public transit, choosing either to rent a car or take cabs or Ubers all over.
Why? I get that some times they may be a little bit faster. But they're more expensive; they're less environmentally friendly; and they (generally) stop you from being able to see the city the way you can on a bus or above-ground train.
I suppose some people think that public transportation is less convenient, and can sometimes require walking in less good weather, and some people may be nervous about public transit either for safety or "am I doing it right" kinds of things. But come on people! If you're going where public transit takes you, and if you actually believe in expanding public transit (which many of my very liberal friends do), then everyone needs to use it.
I adore going to cities with amazing public transit, and I will take it even if it's slightly more annoying (lugging luggage through a light rail train isn't fun, and standing outside waiting for a bus when it's hot or raining or whatever is sometimes not fun).
So I guess what surprises me is how people who aren't used to public transit because it doesn't work for their lifestyle or in their home city just never think of it as an option any time, even when visiting a new place where public transit would work for them.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
This is a really good point. It sounds less like availability and more like mindset. If someone isn’t used to transit in their daily life, they probably don’t even consider it an option even when it’s right there. Kind of shows that improving transit isn’t just infrastructure, it’s also behavior and habits.
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
People here merge way too early when there is a lane closure
Ms-Metal@reddit
Nothing has surprised me because I've always had a car. I don't understand how people survive without a car in the US unless you live in New York City but even then, you just rent a car to go on day trips? or I've never relied on mass transit. I've lived in my current city for 30 years, there is a bus system, I wouldn't know anything about it because I've never taken it and neither has anybody I know. I think it's mostly for homeless people or something. That's the only people I see never waiting at bus stops when I drive around.
The last time I've ever taken a bus that regular people used it, like commuters, was in the 80s in Minneapolis. Not to drive into the city, I still drove into the city but getting around downtown, it was a dime zone and so if I was tired I didn't want to walk or the westher was bad, I would take the bus for a dime. It was mostly business people downtown. Then at one point I had a condo downtown and I worked downtown and I would take that same dime zone bus, although it became free at that point to commute the 10 blocks are so from my condo to my office. The skyways did not go all the way to my condo. I still had a car though and I still used it all the time, that wasn't really any grocery stores downtown or Target back then. So I still needed a car and I still used it every week at least, I just didn't use it to commute back and forth to work. Then I moved to the suburbs and I haven't seen the inside of a bus since. I've never been on the commuter train in my life, except on vacations. Like I said, the city I live in now, almost 30 years here, cross country from Minneapolis and I know buses exist cuz I've seen a few but it seems like it would take forever to get anywhere and they only have a couple of routes I think. Honestly I got them tell you though I've never checked into it because I have no need to. Outside of a couple of very large cities in the us, people don't take buses or trains and they have no need to and quite honestly, they have no desire to. It doesn't make any sense! It would take you easily three times to four times as long to get where you want to go and honestly I've only met one person in my life that didn't have a car.
PhilTheThrill1808@reddit
The high propensity for violent road rage incidents in my city. I believe we rank first in the country on a per capita basis.
Having driven here for years now, I get it. There have been many incidents where I felt like punching someone for their incompetent driving. Deep breathing helps.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That’s intense. Sounds like frustration from traffic and bad driving just builds up over time. Definitely adds another layer to the “car dependency” conversation people don’t always talk about.
uberphaser@reddit
After "The Big Dig" successfully buried the highways in and around Boston underground (and still didn't come close to solving the traffic problems around the city) the Deval Patrick administration buried something like $2B of Big Dig debt into the MBTA's books, effectively destroying their ability to effectively maintain public transportation in and around the city of Boston.
So now we have a highway project that was out of date before it was finished, and a public transit system that is permanently crippled! Hooray!
RockStarNinja7@reddit
It's not the public transportation options (or lack thereof) that shock me, but the sheer number of people who have lived here their whole life and have zero idea what the limitations are because they've never used them, while telling people to just use XYZ when commuting so you don't have to drive.
I live in central California and for a few years I would commute from Modesto to Pleasanton. Now in theory there are public transportation options to get from one place to the other, but they would extend the travel time from roughly 90 minutes-2hrs to 4+. This would also mean going from bus to train to BART to another bus and then finally a 20 min walk.
Just because there are options doesn't mean they're actually functional, it was also about the same cost compared to driving to get bus passes in multiple cities, a train ticket, and BART tickets, all daily. It also didn't take into account that these services don't all run on holidays, weekends, or early mornings/late nights that are often needed for a work schedule.
cheekmo_52@reddit
I live in a suburb. If I worked in the city nearby, all public transportation options would be convenient. You can pick up a commuter train, the city’s subway system or several bus routes. The problem is, I work in a different suburb, not the city. There is no convenient public transit within the suburbs. (I’d have to ride into the city, transfer lines, and ride back out. It would be a nightmare.) In the suburbs, buses only run during commuter times. So a car is absolutely necessary in the suburbs.
Ok-Energy-9785@reddit
Nothing about it surprises me because it's what I'm used to
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
Fair enough when you grow up in it, it just feels normal. I’m starting to realize a lot of this is about what people are used to rather than what’s actually efficient.
Adventurous_Cloud_20@reddit
Depends entirely on where you are. I live in rural Iowa, the nearest town is 10 miles from my house, mostly via gravel roads. There's zero public transportation so a vehicle of some kind is a definite necessity, and something that can deal with poor roads during winter is what most people have.
Prior-Soil@reddit
I'm from rural Iowa, and you left out the fact that most people have a spare vehicle too.
3catlove@reddit
Also Iowa and my teen son is starting to drive. I’m hoping we can get away with two vehicles for the three of us. I have a brother that has multiple vehicles though. His garage is upper and lower and at least as big as his house.
The12th_secret_spice@reddit
Definitely usable but takes twice as long to get to your destination. Basically American public transportation in a nut shell
Duck_Diddler@reddit
Nothing really. We have a bus and train system in our major cities but a lot of South Carolina is rural and suburban, so it makes 0 sense to have train systems that you would see in Japan and Europe.
People tend to forget how big the US is and how rural it is.
katrinakt8@reddit
I live in the metro area of a city which seems to boast about their public transportation. It takes me about 20 minutes to drive into downtown, so I’m pretty close in, but unless you live right in the city limits, basically, it’s anything but good.
My drive to work is 15 minutes. To get to work using public transportation, I would have to leave my house 2 hours before my job begins. Taking public transportation takes 1.5 hours, with a 2 mile walk. A 1 mile walk would get me home over 2 hours after I get off work. I would have to leave my house at 7:39, work 9:45-6:15 and arrive home around 8.
ArkansasTravelier@reddit
The city I work in has a public bus and a university bus but it doesn’t cover the entire NWA metro, just the actual city, I live a 40 minute drive by car from my work so I’d only ever drive myself, even if it were an option to take the bus I’d need to get up so incredibly early to make it to my job that starts at 6am that life would frankly be hell for me.
From what I know, the only people that take the bus really are the homeless and people in EXTREME poverty.
I’ve never visited NYC, LA, Chicago or Philadelphia where public transportation and subways/ trains in general are big but I have spent a significant amount of time in Atlanta and rode the Marta to and from work daily and it was great, of course there are some seedy people at the stations and on the train but it got me to and from work and the station was near my hotel, I loved it actually, I definitely got to and from work way faster than I would have in a rented car, and it was a new experience for me so that was kind of fun.
I think if I lived somewhere with trains I’d use them sometimes for sure, but I likely never will live somewhere like that.
dgmilo8085@reddit
That we don't have any. I didn't realize that we didn't have public transportation until I started traveling. I thought, "duh, we have busses?!" Then I found out that public transportation doesn't mean a single buss that runs in a 50 mile circle carrying 20 people.
OneNerdyLesbian@reddit
Nothing surprised me about where I live because I was born here, and it's all normal to me. We don't have public transportation, and almost everyone owns a car.
But I do remember going to DC as a kid, and it was the first time I'd visited a city where you could easily get around with public transportation, and I thought it was so cool that it was like going on a theme park ride every time we got on the Metro. (The only other train I'd ridden before that was probably the Monorail at Disney World.)
WowsrsBowsrsTrousrs@reddit
I grew up in NY, and lived in Boston for 10 years. Then when I moved to Texas, the almost complete absence of public transportation shocked me. Moving to Baltimore, I was so relieved to be back where there's buses, light rail, a Metro system, and Amtrak that runs every day!
freecain@reddit
I moved to a suburb known for having extensive biking paths through a planned community. Over 100 miles for a town of only 100k people is pretty insane.
After getting here, I'm shocked how few places I can actually take those trails for practical riding.
Example - I had to have PT for a shoulder injury, so I chose a place 2 miles from my house. Once I could bike, I thought it would be nice to take the trails there. They dumped out on a fast traveling road a few blocks. No bike lane or sidewalk on the side I came out, so I had to cross at a crosswalk going in the wrong direction and at the bottom of a steep hill. After a few blocks I then had to cross four lanes of traffic without a crosswalk. The office park it was in only had one bike rack sized for 2 bikes, put in grass not next to a sidewalk on the wrong side, and completely in the sun.
And, that was one of the more successful practical biking outings. The main drag of shopping is completely inaccessible by bikes. There is a highway that cuts the town in half, with only 1 bikeable bridge across it, and a second one with a narrow sidewalk and a fairly blind crosswalk getting to. This makes short drives into very long bike rides.
Dr_Watson349@reddit
Our high speed rail lines loves killing people, its even got its own website.
https://brightlinekillcount.com/
MiddlePop4953@reddit
I get pretty anxious when I travel out of my somewhat rural area and have to go to a city. The driving is confusing, but the public transportation confuses me even more 😅 I'm always terrified I'm gonna get on the wrong bus or light rail and end up way off from where I'm supposed to be. It blows my mind people can keep track like that.
I had to take a taxi to work when my car was dead. It was less than 4 miles, so I could have walked, but it was nearing blizzard conditions and I worked overnights so I didn't want to risk that. It cost $25 one way. That shocked me, too.
hypo-osmotic@reddit
I grew up in and still live in a small town in a rural county. It's car-dependent in the sense that most adults need access to a car to reliably commute to a nearby city for work or certain amenities, but anywhere that a kid would need to go (e.g. school, park, convenience store) was perfectly walkable. I was surprised to learn at around the age of 10 that this isn't the case everywhere and that there are places where for reasons other than pure distance you can't safely walk to. I have a cousin who lives in a first-tier suburb of a major city and she frequently comments about how easy it is to walk everywhere in town when she visits us
Dio_Yuji@reddit
There are people here over the age of 50 who have lived their whole life here, who have never taken the bus….and probably never will
Gold_Telephone_7192@reddit
I've lived in several cities in the US, including a couple that are considered extremely car-centric, and I'm always impressed with how much better the public transportation is than people make it seem. Most of our cities don't compare to good public transportation regions in Europe or East Asia, and public transit between cities is very lacking in most of the country, but public transportation absolutely exists and can get you from A to B within most city limits, and in many suburbs.
ThrowRA_72726363@reddit
I come from somewhere where cars are a necessity (Tennessee) but I just moved to Minneapolis, which has a significantly better transport system than anywhere in TN even Nashville. This was a pleasant surprise for me. I actually have coworkers who don’t own a car and use the bus/train to get everywhere. Or they bike/walk. The city not only has good public transit but also has sidewalks and bike lanes everywhere.
I live in a suburb of minneapolis 15 miles out and even i could take the bus to work if I wanted. My car is faster but the option is there.
sics2014@reddit
We have a bus system here. Lots of people do use it.
Kwinicole@reddit (OP)
That’s interesting so it works, but it’s more of a time tradeoff than a convenience one. I can see why avoiding parking in Boston would make the bus worth it though. Sounds like a “choose your pain” situation
TsundereLoliDragon@reddit
Yeah, I'm out in the Philly burbs and both the SEPTA regional rail and bus systems are pretty large.
BlazingSunflowerland@reddit
I grew up in a quite remote rural area. There was absolutely no public transit so the idea of public transit was odd to me. I have always expected to get myself around in my own car.
Great_Chipmunk4357@reddit
If you’re American (“Ask an American”) nothing surprises you. I grew up in a large city where you had to have a car. We had four cars: my dad’s, my mom’s, my nephew’s and mine. I then moved to a university town in Florida that had no public transportation. Now I live in a city of 200,000 that has no public transportation. It’s the way my life has been for 80 years. No surprise whatsoever.
dragonsteel33@reddit
I’ve never primarily used a car to get around, and I don’t really intend to start anytime soon honestly. I grew up in a suburb of Seattle and took the bus pretty much everywhere, which was easy and reliable — the King County Metro bus system is really underrated IMO — and whenever I was in the city I could also take the light rail, which is a genuinely excellent rail system.
I went to college in Orange County, California, and dealt with the bus system there for three years, which was actually hellish and sort of the floor for how bad a bus system could be.
And now I live in NYC, which obviously has the best public transit in the US. One thing that did surprise me is that the busses are a little less reliable/pleasant than what I got used to coming from Seattle, actually, but I think that’s mostly because the subway carries so much weight and has for so long that the busses are most stopgaps, and some bus lines that are really key to getting around (B52, M125, etc.) are great.
Kels121212@reddit
America is very big. Its not a one size fits all.
RedditBeginAgain@reddit
I was surprised when my county government passed a law banning bus services. It's a semi rural, car dependant place, so I wasn't at all expecting them to suddenly come up with funds to implement functional mass transit. I was however surprised that they'd put effort into a law trying to ban future local governments from doing so.
I totally get "mass transit isn't a budget priority." I was surprised to hear "Mass transit will bring black people from the city here to commit crime and scare people away from our dead mall."
ZaphodG@reddit
I can walk 10 minutes to the town library and get on a free regional transit authority bus for the 4 mile run to my local city of 100,000. From there, I can hop on commuter rail to Boston. I have something in Boston in a couple of weeks where I get off the train, walk to the Red Line, transfer to the Green Line, and pop out above ground 100 feet from where I need to be. I drive to the commuter rail station instead of taking the bus but it's possible. On weekends, we drive instead of doing commuter rail and park in an underground garage. It's half the travel time.
We drive to the Amtrak station and take Acela to Manhattan four times per year. Acela through Connecticut and Westchester County NY is really slow so the train ride is twice as long as it should be.
Most years, I use mass transit less than 10 times per year.
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
Nothing at all. I'm nearly 60, and in my entire life I've only lived in cities with any sort of public transit at all for a sum total of about six years. Where I live now we don't even have Uber or Lyft, as the town is just too small.
We own cars and trucks because we have to drive to do anything.
No_Butterscotch_5612@reddit
I currently live pretty far out in the middle of nowhere. Getting to the grocery store involves crossing a small mountain. There is a bus that the county runs, about 3 or 4 times a day, but not practical for things like grocery shopping.
Practically, a car is very necessary here, but note this isn't typical for most Americans.
Willing_Calendar_373@reddit
I recently moved to a rural location that is part of the Seattle area (King County). the transit options here are decidedly better than I would have expected. That said, I still am 100% car dependent. Grocry shopping would be 3-4 hours round trip vs. 1 hr by car.
the_real_JFK_killer@reddit
Theres a surprising amount of busses, even to small villages up here.
Free-Sherbet2206@reddit
I went from a place with very inaccessible public transportation to another place with inaccessible public transportation. Have had to use a car to get everywhere my whole life except my freshman year of college.
RedStateKitty@reddit
Almost necessary? Other than taxis, senior and handicap buses and Uber you need a vehicle to do most anything here in east AL.
3catlove@reddit
How everyone in the Midwest forgets how to drive when the first snowfall hits. Even though many of us are born and raised here. A car is definitely needed where I live. The nearest place to get groceries is a 10 minute drive. My son is 15 now and I am hoping that we can get away with two vehicles for the three of us as my husband works from home.
merp_mcderp9459@reddit
Car ownership is optional in DC proper. You can normally get around the city on foot or by bus and train, and can rent a car or Uber on the occasion that you do need one. And Amtrak connects you to New York, Philadelphia, and Boston, all three of which are cities where you also don't need a car, making weekend trips easy.
I get around by transit because it saves me a ton of money, and because driving often isn't the best way to get around DC even if you have a car.
kbmoregirl@reddit
Surprised how God awful transit is in Baltimore after years of being spoiled by the DC Metro. They keep promising an expanded light rail, but now it might just be... more busses. Won't be surprised if it just becomes a new bike lane atp.
SenseNo635@reddit
I’m told we have public transportation but I don’t know anyone who uses it, how much it costs or where to find it.
CaptainGreyBeard72@reddit
Where I live and grew up in a suburb of Minneapolis, there basically is no public transport option, we could drive a short distance (2 to 5 miles) to a place to park then we could ride a bus, but the bus only went to the city center and mostly around business hours. The closest store to me is over 1 mile away and I am surrounded by homes.
This is the way for the vast majority of the US minus the large cities.
Upstairs_Highlight25@reddit
I grew up in a rural area and unless you lived in the three streets of homes that were near to the historic downtown and grocery stores their was no way to get food with out a car. If you didn’t have a car or know someone who did and was willing to drive you places you would starve to death unless you grew your own food. There was public transport available in the form of a bus that went to the nearest city in the morning and came back in the evening but that was it. The bus had one stop in town and it was next to the grocery store.
TiFist@reddit
I live in a city that *explicitly opted out* of the regional mass transit plan because mass transit is just not useful for most of the residents. It keeps buses from crowding our streets and allows tax dollars to go to public works instead of paying for a bus fleet.
Physical-Incident553@reddit
In many areas there are no buses and no trains. The most you might have are mini buses for seniors or disabled individuals.
PhilTheThrill1808@reddit
Heavy reliance on cars down here. There are select parts of my city where you could get by without one, but you’d be inconvenienced in a lot of ways.
We have busses that run throughout the city, and a tiny light rail train that runs through about 1/32nd of the city (I’m making up the fraction, but it’s very small in scale) and is only ridden really by the homeless and hospital workers.