When I asked my friends if they knew anything about using the L.A. Metro, they all stared at me with blank expressions. Though we’ve been in Los Angeles over a year, none of us know how to use public transportation to explore the city. At home, in Washington, DC, my friends and I use public transportation almost everyday. The DC transit system is very easy to use and rarely requires more than a two-step journey. The system is also accessible, timely and reaches far into the suburban areas.
I wanted to see how the LA system differs from the DC metro system. My friend and I had talked about going to see Watts’ Tower and so I decided this would be a good opportunity to tour the public transportation system in LA. When I looked up the travel itinerary for the trip to Watts, I realized that my public transportation experience might be slightly different in L.A. I saw that it would include multiple transfers with unclear inter-stage waiting times.
Throughout the trip, I saw that the obliviousness to public transportation in L.A. is not contained to Occidental’s campus. Many people were sporting confused facial expressions and asking questions about the directions of the trains. The unclear signs and lack of Metro officials did not help the experience. One woman from out of town asked a directional question of a nearby passenger who was a local and still unable to answer. This made me think that even some people who are using the system are not completely aware of the geographical layout of the neighborhoods and Metro lines. This hypothesis was further reinforced while I was walking around Watts. During the official tour of Sam Rodia’s towers, another tourist asked our guide which metro station was nearby. The guide said that she did not know, even though we could see the top of the station from the towers. I was able to answer the question after one day of travel while the tour guide has been in L.A. for three years attending graduate school. This shows that most people can avoid using the public transportation system altogether. In DC, parking is not as readily available and people are encouraged to use public transit. Because it is so easy and well-established, many people are more willing to use the DC Metro and buses.
In our class discussions and my group discussions with the Alternative Transportation group, we have discussed creating new ways of transportation on campus. For example, we are trying to implement Zip Car and a bike sharing program. I am very excited about these programs, but I do not think we have given as much thought to educating students about alternative systems that are already in place.
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Agreed. I was surprised and impressed when a friend told me yesterday that she was taking the bus to an appointment in Burbank. When she got back, she told me she had been late to her appointment because the bus was late, and that it took her 3 hours and 4 different buses to get back to school. LA public transportation can be used in a pinch, but is far from being adequate.
ReplyDeleteGood account. From an oxy perspective, maybe there could be a site on the web where routes and schedules of the closest bus stops, gold line stations, and metrolink stops were posted - or trial rides like you did.
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