4 ms·

In a really big and busy city it's emotionally exhausting and not reasonable to have an interaction with everyone near you. The only way a lot of people can tol

In a really big and busy city it's emotionally exhausting and not reasonable to have an interaction with everyone near you. The only way a lot of people can tolerate being packed into busy public transit systems on a daily basis is to intentionally ignore each other to a certain degree. It's essentially the same unspoken etiquette rule as what you're socially expected to do if riding a crowded elevator. Go commute by NYC subway 10 times a week, M-F especially during peak tourist season and you'll understand. I intentionally behave completely different if I'm in a small town of 3000 people or walking down the street, shopping, riding transit in a large city.

tcoff91 4mo ago
100 years ago they sold pocket sized books so people in cities could ignore each other by reading books.
- walrus01 4mo ago
  Also there's plenty of old timey black and white photos of people riding the LIRR or similar where everyone is holding and reading a newspaper.
  - jagged-chisel 4mo ago
    Ah, it’s reading that’s the problem. Plato/Socrates/Thamus was onto something!
HDBaseT 4mo ago
and people still try and suggest public transport is great, when its a hellhole..
- walrus01 4mo ago
  It really depends, I would much rather travel by NYC subway or Vancouver SkyTrain or Seattle light rail if my origin and destination are within walking distance. It's the least horrible option in many cases. Good luck to anyone's stress level and pocketbook trying to commute by car in much of NYC and pay $550 a month for parking.
  - oogali 4mo ago
    $550 is a steal.
    - walrus01 4mo ago
      Right, I could have written that much more pessimistically with 850/mo parking, insurance, congestion charges 5 days a week x 2, cost of car insurance, maintenance, fuel, cost of the car itself, etc.
      - projektfu 4mo ago
        The insurance in NYC is at least twice the rest of the country and then there is the likelihood your car will be hit or stolen while you're away, meaning at the very least it will be in the shop for a while. People I know who had cars in Manhattan or Brooklyn still took the train most of the time, leaving the car in the garage.
  - throwaway2037 4mo ago
    I have a hot take about commuting by car from the suburbs into midtown Manhattan (the densest part). The trick is time of day. If you are a gov't bond trader, it it is pretty normal to get to the office around 6AM. You can easily beat morning traffic arriving that early. Also, your day ends very early, so the return commute is also easy.
    - xboxnolifes 4mo ago
      That doesn't sound like much of a useful trick, unless you plan on switching professions to bond trader.
      - throwaway2037 4mo ago
        This is a classic myopic HN reply. I will be downvoted for this harsh response: You fuckin' dummy, "bond trader" was an example profession that is (1) high income and (2) needs to arrive early to work. Probably most lawyers and many medical doctors would be simliar. Also, if you own multiple pizza stores that need to get started early, the same rules would apply.
- inigyou 4mo ago
  because it has other people on it? personally I find that sitting down and getting passively carried near to my destination is way less stressful than paying attention to the road that whole time - not to mention finding parking. You don't end up exactly at your destination, but a little bit of walking is good for you. Assuming you live in a locale with a reasonably efficient system. I've heard some horror stories about north american public transport. Other countries tend to do much better with timetables and routes.
  - HDBaseT 4mo ago
    I've never caught a train nor a bus in my life and intend to never do so. I value my privacy and don't want to get stabbed or sit on a chair where someone has pissed all over.
    - walrus01 4mo ago
      Tell me you're an American that lives in a 100% car dependent community without coming right out and saying it. Say no more, we get it.
      - HDBaseT 4mo ago
        Australia.
        brokenmachine 4mo ago
        Australian public transport is pretty good in my experience. I certainly don't expect to be stabbed or sit in piss.
        pibaker 4mo ago
        And you drive? https://www.youtube.com/@DashCamOwnersAustralia https://www.youtube.com/@DashCamOwnersAustralia
      - joxdosba 4mo ago
        Am European, at least in the big cities, public transport is mostly not worth using unless you are too poor to afford better options. Too crowded, too hot, there’s a decent chance of arriving at your destination drenched in sweat. Not to mention how absolutely gross the people sitting next to you will often be. I’ll happily take a few parking fines every day rather than getting in the tube.
- wolvoleo 4mo ago
  It's not. I really like public transport. It is cheap (I pay 22 euros a month unlimited), I can do something I like like reading or watching something. I don't have to worry about when my parking expires or having to return to a car. It's pretty ideal IMO. You do have to ignore the people around yes but I don't find that a problem at all.
huggert6 4mo ago
[flagged]

tcoff91 4mo ago

100 years ago they sold pocket sized books so people in cities could ignore each other by reading books.

walrus01 4mo ago
Also there's plenty of old timey black and white photos of people riding the LIRR or similar where everyone is holding and reading a newspaper.
- jagged-chisel 4mo ago
  Ah, it’s reading that’s the problem. Plato/Socrates/Thamus was onto something!

HDBaseT 4mo ago

and people still try and suggest public transport is great, when its a hellhole..

walrus01 4mo ago
It really depends, I would much rather travel by NYC subway or Vancouver SkyTrain or Seattle light rail if my origin and destination are within walking distance. It's the least horrible option in many cases. Good luck to anyone's stress level and pocketbook trying to commute by car in much of NYC and pay $550 a month for parking.
- oogali 4mo ago
  $550 is a steal.
  - walrus01 4mo ago
    Right, I could have written that much more pessimistically with 850/mo parking, insurance, congestion charges 5 days a week x 2, cost of car insurance, maintenance, fuel, cost of the car itself, etc.
    - projektfu 4mo ago
      The insurance in NYC is at least twice the rest of the country and then there is the likelihood your car will be hit or stolen while you're away, meaning at the very least it will be in the shop for a while. People I know who had cars in Manhattan or Brooklyn still took the train most of the time, leaving the car in the garage.
- throwaway2037 4mo ago
  I have a hot take about commuting by car from the suburbs into midtown Manhattan (the densest part). The trick is time of day. If you are a gov't bond trader, it it is pretty normal to get to the office around 6AM. You can easily beat morning traffic arriving that early. Also, your day ends very early, so the return commute is also easy.
  - xboxnolifes 4mo ago
    That doesn't sound like much of a useful trick, unless you plan on switching professions to bond trader.
    - throwaway2037 4mo ago
      This is a classic myopic HN reply. I will be downvoted for this harsh response: You fuckin' dummy, "bond trader" was an example profession that is (1) high income and (2) needs to arrive early to work. Probably most lawyers and many medical doctors would be simliar. Also, if you own multiple pizza stores that need to get started early, the same rules would apply.
inigyou 4mo ago
because it has other people on it? personally I find that sitting down and getting passively carried near to my destination is way less stressful than paying attention to the road that whole time - not to mention finding parking. You don't end up exactly at your destination, but a little bit of walking is good for you. Assuming you live in a locale with a reasonably efficient system. I've heard some horror stories about north american public transport. Other countries tend to do much better with timetables and routes.
- HDBaseT 4mo ago
  I've never caught a train nor a bus in my life and intend to never do so. I value my privacy and don't want to get stabbed or sit on a chair where someone has pissed all over.
  - walrus01 4mo ago
    Tell me you're an American that lives in a 100% car dependent community without coming right out and saying it. Say no more, we get it.
    - HDBaseT 4mo ago
      Australia.
      - brokenmachine 4mo ago
        Australian public transport is pretty good in my experience. I certainly don't expect to be stabbed or sit in piss.
      - pibaker 4mo ago
        And you drive? https://www.youtube.com/@DashCamOwnersAustralia https://www.youtube.com/@DashCamOwnersAustralia
    - joxdosba 4mo ago
      Am European, at least in the big cities, public transport is mostly not worth using unless you are too poor to afford better options. Too crowded, too hot, there’s a decent chance of arriving at your destination drenched in sweat. Not to mention how absolutely gross the people sitting next to you will often be. I’ll happily take a few parking fines every day rather than getting in the tube.
wolvoleo 4mo ago
It's not. I really like public transport. It is cheap (I pay 22 euros a month unlimited), I can do something I like like reading or watching something. I don't have to worry about when my parking expires or having to return to a car. It's pretty ideal IMO. You do have to ignore the people around yes but I don't find that a problem at all.

huggert6 4mo ago

[flagged]