Yes! I am such a believer in interesting paver / brick design on wide sidewalks. In downtown Cary, North Carolina (United States), the walkways include attractive lighting pavers that glow at night.
Yay! I was a Big Blue Bus rider in the 1980s and 1990s. Loved the service even back then.
"A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara will rip your heart apart. I had to take breaks and read something more frivilous several times because of the intensity.
Cute! Tunneling under the blanket is my Dachshund's favorite activity. He is also very fond of twisting blankets into a nest so tight that he needs rescuing eventually.
I was just trying to decide whether to purge the plants growing in all my driveway cracks. I do not own a car, and I garden extensively. Your posts have convinced me to let anything green thrive this year. Thank you for these wonderful photographs.
That video was terrifying to watch. Bravo for getting the video.
Love the cat riding the bus. You are very talented!
So true! My town has a single one-hour bus route with low ridership. The bus is late 25% of the time because of railroad crossings, school drop offs, detours, and construction vehicles. But otherwise, the drivers need to creep along at 20 miles per hour and pause frequently. Growl.
Appreciate your opinion article on "Complete Streets Alone Don’t Make Complete Places." 100% agree: "Is it comfortable to walk along at different times of the year (such as in summer versus winter weather)? What is there for people to do there, other than go from point A to point B?"
I love that you are documenting all the transit agency errors and oversights. Lack of printed schedules makes me crazy in the greater Raleigh area of North Carolina.
There is a painted bike lane along a major cross-town street a block away, but drivers are not deferential. Both bike lanes and sidewalks end abruptly in my North Carolina small-city/town.
Thank you for acknowledging that bike riding can be scary for anyone. As a clumsy senior, I would really love to ride an adult tricycle, which seems stable and would have some cargo space.
Glad to connect! My big issues are also "bus shelters, bathrooms, sidewalks, trees" -- plus true accessibility at every level. I am from Los Angeles, but moved to North Carolina to find more affordable housing. Eager to learn from your advocacy and insight about transportation issues.
I would love to know which bus stops have the ice cleared and which are prioritized for future bus shelters to be added. New riders certainly deserve to know which bus stops are fully sidewalk accessible and which have a bench.
Excellent article. In my North Carolina town, bus problems get shuffled between my town that currently has a single hourly route, the neighboring town than manages our bus route as part of their wider system, and the for-profit company that hires the bus drivers.
For me, the combination of increased health care premiums, the tripling of house insurance, and increased property tax have equaled poverty in retirement. I've eliminated heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. Stopped repairing my car last year, so now dependent on bus and walking.
For me, your post showed up in my "Discover" feed. I follow a fair number of literary people and comment periodically about books. So the topic was relevant.
Over 57 years of bus riding in four states, my status has alternated. When earning a decent salary, buying a monthly pass always seemed reasonable. I'm currently under-employed and grateful to now qualify for the low-income free pass. In two years, I will qualify for the free senior pass.
My preference is charging a bus fare. But also offering discounts or free access to youth, seniors, and disabled riders. Plus, a free option for low-income riders. In the Raleigh NC area, income below $39,500 qualifies for the free pass.
I've noticed that many young female novelists with debut publications are naming famous people in the Acknowledgements, hoping to get their attention. Such as thanking Taylor Swift for the music played when they wrote. Or hoping Zendaya will play the lead role in some (imaginary) movie version.
If I'm tempted to give up on a book, I check the author's notes. Sometimes the credit to reference sources and explanation of any unrealistic plot details leaves me impressed enough to try a few more chapters. But sometimes the arrogance and pretentiousness take that author off my list.
So important! I serve on my towns Multi-Modal Transportation Advisory Board. I have made a personal vow to mention restrooms at every single meeting -- for bus passengers at transit hubs, for people who walk, and for anyone who needs accessibility.
I love this idea of a Loiterers Resistance Movement as an elevated walking club. I was thinking of starting a local Bus Explorers Club and this would be a lovely supplement. Thanks for your fascinating posts.
Here is Apex, North Carolina, U.S. -- the future is also scooter children!
I bet you would like Charlotte Armstrong as well. I once tracked down used copies of all her vintage suspense as a stay-at-home Christmas present for myself. charlottearmstrong.org
I love re-reading my adolecent favorites: Harriet the Spy, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, and Ammie Come Home.
Beautiful crust on the bread!
In my 20s in Los Angeles, I always rented rooms with other young folks in big old houses. Messy shared kitchen but endless cheap dining options down the street. This reduced living costs enough that we could pursue passion projects (lots of aspiring screenwriters) or budget-travel overseas. Fun too!
Interesting! Do you have any insight about the "ARBOC Mobility & Ford E450 Chassis" bus option? A dangerously steep boarding slope at the entrance that is hurting seniors, anyone with a walking cane, and riders with physical limits. Used in Apex and Cary in North Carolina, United States.
This sounds fabulous! Maybe a condensed fully-remote version could be offered for bus riders who advocate locally but are not affiliated with organizations or are retired. I am the only bus rider on my town's Multi-Modal Transportation Advisory Board. Eager to improve my skills.