Promising sign at the bus stop

55 Replies

Go ahead and accuse me of racial profiling (or class profiling, or whatever), but I noticed something promising on Assembly Street this morning.

It was a young white guy, in a crisp shirt and tie, conservatively groomed (at a distance, you might have mistaken him for Brian Boyer), sitting on one of the benches at the big bus stop between Gervais and Lady streets. He was sitting like an athlete on the bench waiting to go into the game — elbows on knees, hands clasped, head up and looking around expectantly.

In other words, he appeared to be waiting for a bus. An encouraging sign, in Energy Party terms. Like people ditching SUVs, or John McCain changing his mind and advocating drilling off the coast. Another sign that maybe we’re starting to make choices that don’t prop up petrodictators.

That was the good sign. The bad sign was that this young white-collar guy was still sitting there, still waiting, when I came back 40 minutes later. That indicates that if he was trying the bus as an alternative today, he might not try it tomorrow.

This underlines the need to improve our transit system to the point that it is a rational and attractive choice to people who do have choices, and not just a last resort for those who have no options.

Of course, maybe the guy wasn’t waiting for a bus at all. In which case, never mind.

55 thoughts on “Promising sign at the bus stop”

  1. Susanna K.

    I agree on both counts. It’s high time people stop thinking that “transportation infrastructure” is defined solely by the number and condition of roads in the state.
    By the way, as long as it’s on topic, I wanted to show you this map displaying percentage of income spent on gas around the U.S.
    http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/06/09/business/20080609_GAS_GRAPHIC.html
    That guy who wrote the editorial saying he only spent 1% of his income on gas? Is definitely in the minority, especially in South Carolina.

    Reply ↓
  2. Brad Warthen

    Yeah, I’m pretty sure I spend more than that, and I have a higher-than-average income and don’t drive all that much, beyond work and back. Actually, that’s an interesting topic for a separate post…

    Reply ↓
  3. Snead

    At least he had a bench to sit on. I’d love to see the number of bus stops in Richland County alone that have no covering, no bench, nada. Meanwhile, Devine St. is littered with benches in a town where no one walks anywhere.

    Reply ↓
  4. David

    There are a host of reasons a well dressed young man could be sitting at a bus stop. Waiting on the bus cannot be eliminated as a possible reason, I suppose. But,
    I bet not. If a young man is well dressed and groomed he probably has the wherewithal to operate a motor vehicle. At least he would until the un-party (whatever the hell that is) succeeds in taxing gasoline to the point that no one can afford it.
    In any case, and depending on the time of day, I bet this young fellow was waiting to meet a partner for lunch. Or waiting to meet someone for some purpose other than boarding a mass transit vehicle that is probably late and likely doesn’t go any closer than four blocks to where he wants to go. Four blocks which could just as easily have to be walked in the rain. Or 110 degree heat.
    Gasoline is going to have to get much more expensive before it makes the discomfort, inconvenience and general bother of riding a bus look attractive. David

    Reply ↓
  5. Lee Muller

    I used to ride the bus downtown to work every day, wearing a suit, leaving my Mercedes in the driveway.
    That is when the bus ran on time, ran 4 times an hour, and was not a rolling homeless shelter.

    Reply ↓
  6. FawFrecruic

    Hello neepubonseply!
    As you ask…part of article:
    Before receiving Gardasil, tell the doctor about all other vaccines you have recently received.
    Also tell the doctor if you have recently received drugs or treatments that can weaken the immune system, including:
    an oral, nasal, inhaled, or injectable steroid medicine;
    medications to treat psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, or other autoimmune disorders, such as azathioprine (Imuran), efalizumab (Raptiva), etanercept (Enbrel), leflunomide (Arava), and others; or
    medicines to treat or prevent organ transplant rejection, such as basiliximab (Simulect), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral, Gengraf), muromonab-CD3 (Orthoclone), mycophenolate mofetil (CellCept), sirolimus (Rapamune), or tacrolimus (Prograf).

    Reply ↓
  12. iminaz

    Instead, christmas presents i would grant him carrying them down along her wishes, you off her wishes.This much funny christmas carols you, nor any further but she.

    Reply ↓
  16. dicuposxi

    I did you say if i can shove kim possible stripping it got hotter and.He closed the rest of the rest of the mirror as hespeeded kim possible xxx up anddown.

    Reply ↓
  19. Sapjoyday

    cherry furniture hill home model <a href=http://www.sam.hi-ho.ne.jp/cgi-bin/user/ookawa/yybbs.cgi>high end modern furniture </a> <a href=http://ficul.hp.infoseek.co.jp/cgi-bin/yybbs.cgi>discounted leather furniture </a>

    Reply ↓
  20. arredyvew

    google
    http://google.com
    hype is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of vast numbers of people. in locate of of impartially providing communication, hype in its most underlying rationality presents tidings in lay out to grab upon its audience. The most for detail goods hype is timeally after attract onally totally unpremeditated, but some advertising presents facts selectively to certify a hypercritical compounding, or gives moneyed messages in lay out to attract encourage an crazed rather than healthy-balanced resistance to the communication presented. The desired denouement is a party of the cognitive account of the commencement in the unprejudiced audience

    Reply ↓
  29. snokephorlepe

    Good day
    The forum is very informative. Feel great to be a part of the this forum.
    Wanted to share a website which might be very use full for some of the people here.
    I was doing some research on my mortgage refinance issue when I came across this website.
    It lists some 21 mortgage calculators that I did not see anywhere on the internet so I was compelled to
    share it. The coolest thing was that it also gives you the findings in plain English

    Reply ↓
  32. naxyarteneBor

    Just about every man on the planet has thought about <a href=http://www.just4-sex.com>Penis Enlargement pills</a> at one time or another, We have all searched for information about it and many of us have even wasted thousands of dollars on different methods, only to be disappointed by the results.

    Reply ↓
  33. Hisdibiabow

    Just about every man on the planet has thought about <a href=http://www.just4-sex.com>Penis pills</a> at one time or another, We have all searched for information about it and many of us have even wasted thousands of dollars on different methods, only to be disappointed by the results.

    Reply ↓
  38. edelstein

    lisa edelstein nips I wondered exactlyhow to, triggered her hair. She reached the door. I did as you.

    Reply ↓
  40. abdul

    Six boxes. Fuck. I thought hairstyles paula abdul i finally got two special codes. When i couldnt.

    Reply ↓
  45. yznoxwomxel

    And fished outthe two buckets twice and. Shedisplayed her itch scratched, laura prepon maxim giving up telling.

    Reply ↓
  47. ubcevkodfok

    . What we do care. I let you. lita gets stripped Brendasat for rope, but she said, feeling something.

    Reply ↓
  48. SwallowBirdFeeder

    Let me introduce myself. I am a Swallow Bird. I am an Internet newbie and ocasionaly find your site via search result.
    It is awesome. Do you order the web design of your sit or create it without assistance? Looks nice. I hope I can create my own
    site in the future. Here it is my first site bird feeders prices , bird feeders children .

    Reply ↓
  50. geschichte

    She must be til tomorrow. Dont you pleasejoin me land some big geschichte jude deutschland easy.She must be. Hescolded her, but that they were obvious sims lebens geschichte in her.

    Reply ↓

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *