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I took a train for the first time in a while yesterday (normally I ride everywhere where feasible, though still end up driving more often than I'd like), and wa

I took a train for the first time in a while yesterday (normally I ride everywhere where feasible, though still end up driving more often than I'd like), and was struck by how peaceful and relaxing it was. I honestly didn't care how slow it might be - I had a book, and took pleasure in just watching the world scroll past. If all PT journeys could be like that one suspects they'd be a lot more popular. But service interruptions, poorly connected routes, infrequent services and random overcrowding are the main reality most PT users in many cities around the world have to deal with every day. I don't blame many for preferring to pay eye-watering petrol prices to sit in gridlock instead.

listenallyall 4y ago
> I honestly didn't care how slow it might be which means your experience was not similar to a commuter's, at all
- wizofaus 4y ago
  No - but if we could aim to make commuting by PT a similarly relaxing and comfortable experience then slowness mightn't be seen as such a bad thing.
  - bioemerl 4y ago
    You're cutting into people's family time with this.
    - wizofaus 4y ago
      Perhaps but it's hard to see how a little more enforced meditative "alone" time would make anyone a worse parent. (Further, where did I say I was suggesting PT should be slower than it is now?)
  - listenallyall 4y ago
    The point of a commuter train is to get to work. On time. Reliably. People freak the fuck out when they're going to be 5-10 minutes late due to any kind of service issue, because even if they know it wasn't their fault, their boss will assume it was (and most people who take public transit have bosses). You can outfit the trains with fine linens and couches instead of seats but being late to work in the morning will never be "relaxing" or "comfortable."
    - wizofaus 4y ago
      PT being regularly late is definitely a reason people avoid it, hence my suggesting we focus on service reliability and comfort. I'm not proposing we make PT slower than it already is - just that the focus needn't be on mean travel time. So the average PT consumer may need to leave their house a little earlier but would virtually always get where they're going on time (stress-free and in comfort), vs the current situation where you might fairly often be considerably late.

listenallyall 4y ago

> I honestly didn't care how slow it might be which means your experience was not similar to a commuter's, at all

wizofaus 4y ago
No - but if we could aim to make commuting by PT a similarly relaxing and comfortable experience then slowness mightn't be seen as such a bad thing.
- bioemerl 4y ago
  You're cutting into people's family time with this.
  - wizofaus 4y ago
    Perhaps but it's hard to see how a little more enforced meditative "alone" time would make anyone a worse parent. (Further, where did I say I was suggesting PT should be slower than it is now?)
- listenallyall 4y ago
  The point of a commuter train is to get to work. On time. Reliably. People freak the fuck out when they're going to be 5-10 minutes late due to any kind of service issue, because even if they know it wasn't their fault, their boss will assume it was (and most people who take public transit have bosses). You can outfit the trains with fine linens and couches instead of seats but being late to work in the morning will never be "relaxing" or "comfortable."
  - wizofaus 4y ago
    PT being regularly late is definitely a reason people avoid it, hence my suggesting we focus on service reliability and comfort. I'm not proposing we make PT slower than it already is - just that the focus needn't be on mean travel time. So the average PT consumer may need to leave their house a little earlier but would virtually always get where they're going on time (stress-free and in comfort), vs the current situation where you might fairly often be considerably late.