"In My Opinion . . ."
May 18, 2002
I love cars and will always love them: flashy cars, fast cars, and sexy cars. I love the feel of the power and speed of a good car, but I get none of these pleasures any more in my daily commute to work or my drives around town. If it weren't for the lack of a safe way to get up Union Hill from the end of the Sound Transit line in Redmond, I'd stop driving to work all together. Twice I've traveled back and forth between Seattle and Redmond, and each time I've enjoyed careening past the frustrated commuters sitting in massive traffic jams while my bus cruises the HOV lane on SR 520.
My bus travels have not been limited to trips to the burbs. My quest to walk more has led me to begin exploring Seattle's neighborhoods by bus. Fortunately, I live by several popular Metro routes, and I can get to most parts of the city (and beyond) rather easily.
One recent trip involved riding the #2 bus from one end of the route to the other--from Queen Anne Hill to Madrona Park on Lake Washington. I then walked briskly along the lake's edge to the Leschi neighborhood Starbuck's and met up for coffee and conversation with a friend. My return trip was equally easy and pleasant, and it afforded me a chance to really look at the city and its people.
I noticed how kind the drivers were to all the riders. Street people who hopped on and off within the free zone downtown were treated respectfully, not with mere tolerance. Injured people and the elderly leaving any of the many clinics on First Hill were allowed to move carefully to their seats before the bus eased into traffic, and several times the driver would stop and wait as a late-arriving passenger gratefully leapt onto the bus.
I have decided to venture out on bus excursions during the summer. There are so many places to explore and I will learn so much more if I can travel as a passenger rather than the driver. With my eyes on the scenery rather than the road, I will see what my husband sees on all his bicycle journeys, and my little odysseys will take me to many wonderful destinations where I can hike around and discover all sorts of Seattle treasures. My car will be a treat for long trips on the open roads, but in the horrid city traffic, I'll leave the driving to Metro.