Public Transport

[snowdrop]

Spot on Paul. LoL

You mentioned high-speed trains, I'm sure we were promised bullet-trains a few years ago, whatever happened to that idea?

[JoanB]

Some bus journeys are worse than others:

40-year-old suspect held in gruesome Manitoba bus killing

Originally Posted by djackso

It could be better - children make the passengers from HELL and I avoid the buses at school home time - erm, like the plague!!!!

But there have been good improvements to the services I use in recent years.

[dragonfly]

it awful in hull quicker to walk

[JW]

My nearest town is 10 miles away. It costs £5 for a return ticket. For all of my family to go into town (2 adults and 3 children) it costs more than fuel, car park and refreshments put together.

I simply can't afford to go totally green.

Why can't green taxes go to subsidising public transport? If they were cheaper and more reliable I would ditch my car, at the moment I'd be bl**dy mad to!

[ron1863]

I was last on a bus about 8 years ago and never again. A 20 minute car journey into Glasgow took 90 minute and was £1.50 for a single fare then, god knows what it is now.
Give me the car any day, you begin to see all the pitfalls of public transport when you no longer have the use of a car.

[nightshade]

Pre Beeching the trains and buses linked everywhere to everywhere else,
People were important then now ONLY MONEY IS IMPORTANT.
Lip service covers most government statments regarding transport plans only
Nationalisation will give us back a comprehensive transport system

[BloomingMarvellous]

I nearly got thrown off my local bus for complaining that It was late. It turned up fifteen minutes before the next bus was due and they only run every hour. I was well fed up when the bus arrived, the doors opened and everyone got on but no one had said anything. I asked the driver why he was so late and he turned round and said " don't you go having a go at me now " so I reminded him that I'd been waiting 45 minutes for this bus and was sort of expecting some form of apology from him after he opened the doors, " a Sorry I'm Late Folks " would of done. Then he told me If I continued to harass him he would chuck me off the bus. I'm a 46 year old women not a kid of 14 I reminded him and then went and sat down. When I got off the bus I quietly said to the driver, I now know why people don't complain as to why the bus Is late, and he said " Whys that then " so I said " You'll chuck them off the bus.

[Jim Ford]

I missed the poll so:

Do people still use public transport on a regular basis for serious journeys - y'know, journeys where you need to get to a place on time and not have to disembark from a train onto a bus, because there was a piece of chewing gum on the line?

The last time I contemplated using a train it was for a trip to London. Unfortunately it was at a weekend and they didn't do trains then! London appeared to be cut-off at the weekends - I guess Londoners had to stock up in the week with fresh food and vegetables to see themselves through the weekend to Monday.

And the cost! Years ago you could make a half-hour journey with the loose change in your pocket. Now you need to visit a cash point before you buy a ticket!

Jim

[oitsnik]

Last time i used public transport was back in 1980,Then i passed my car test quickly followed by my HGV licence [thank you army],And eventually my motorcycle licence.
So theres no way on earth am i going to stand in a bustop/railway station wondering what time there likely to arrive i would even go as far to say if they banned private motor vehicles i would rather use my pushbike.
Not that theres anything wrong with public transport But its just not for me,regards Nick. [petrolhead]

[svenrufus]

I use public transport all the time - I have a car but rarley use it, so little in fact that it has moss and lichen groing on it, whenever I do get in to start it up the handbrake has seized up on the back wheels, and the crowning glory for me of being told that the tyres all needed replacing not because they were worn, but because the rubber had corroded with age and they were about to fall apart was a sweet moment.

Basically, apart from having to lug stuff about, or go to a variety of far flung places off the public transport network, I will not use the car. When I'm on the train or the bus, I can read, rest, or look out the window as I gather my thoughts. Time spent driving is dead time. Even if I can drive somewhere quicker than the bus gets me there, I am still better off because of the work I have done on the way.

I know I'm lucky to have such good access to public transport living in a town, and I'm sure my views would be different if there was one bus a week coming past my door, but as it is, I have that choice and I take it willingly.