Which do you prefer, public transportation or private cars?
By Marmot
@Marmot (590)
United States
January 25, 2011 3:30pm CST
I travel to San Fransisco last Christmas holiday, and I found the public transportation is very well developed in that city. There are so many buses, Muni Metro, Cable Car, BARTs and trains that cover nearly every street. The public transportation can send you to nearly every places in the city. So, in a city like that, do you still prefer to drive yourself to work or you want to enjoy the public transportation?
1 person likes this
14 responses
@vastari (331)
• Ireland
25 Jan 11
I think I would always prefer public transport over a personal vehicle of some kind. In Ireland, buses get special bus lanes which let them bypass heavy traffic, which is essential in getting somewhere on time. Not to mention when you factor in road tax, insurance, petrol and the cost of the car, it's usually just cheaper to use the bus anyway. You can buy prepaid tickets here for a fraction of the cost. 100 euro or so and you have unlimited rail and bus travel for a month. Which, at leaast with my commute, makes it far cheaper than paying for petrol on a car.
@Marmot (590)
• United States
25 Jan 11
Yeah, in some places it is true that public transportation can reach the destination faster than personal vehicles because there are special lanes for the buses. But I think more about the fees that if driving a personal car, one should pay many fees such like gasoline and I think it is not worthy to drive oneself compare with using the public transportation.
@luanakent (794)
• Brazil
25 Jan 11
I live in the city where the public transport is really good and here we have a taxi system that i believe is the only one in the world.
The bus cost 1,20 or 1,50$( i am not familiar with prices as i only walk the walk lol)
The taxi system here charges $ 1,60( currency of Brazil - real)
it works like this:-
You take a tai and it takes you anywhere you want for 1,60$ and IF in the way, someone else wants to use the taxi, also pay $ 1,60.
We shared a taxi with people who go to same side of town.
Cheap is not it??
Cars taxi has already outlined several ways in the city's main boulevards.
Some make the route east/west.. others make the route north/south.. etc..
It is a advantage of medium-sized city. I think it was a much bigger city, maybe not be so easy.
@vastari (331)
• Ireland
26 Jan 11
@Marmot: Exactly. One of the best systems for public transport I've seen is in Amsterdam. For seven euro you get a 24 hour ticket valid on any buses, trams or the metro. Not to mention you can just cycle anywhere in that city, cars are pretty much undeeded.
@luanakent: That certainly is an interesting taxi system. In Ireland it's nothing like that, and taxi journeys usually have a minimum charge of about 4 euro, which only gets you the first few kilometres of your journey. Buses are much cheaper than taxis here.
@sizzle3000 (3036)
• United States
26 Jan 11
I would rather drived myself to work or have my husband do it because I think it's awkward to have people try to start a conversation with me when all I want to do is get to work and get the day over with. Plus everytime you turn the news on anymore you see someone getting attacked for just sitting in a seat that someone else wwants. Its really obsured. Then with taxis some drivers don't have the curteousy to turn their music down or off or anything so then you're stuck listening to a type of music you don't like or hate.
@peavey (16936)
• United States
26 Jan 11
I suspect the answers to this depends on where people live. Where I live, I'd have to walk about 10 blocks to get to a bus stop and then it only runs three times a day, I think. Almost everywhere I need to go is not near a bus stop, so I drive my car wherever I need to go. It's a type of freedom that I would miss if I had to give it up. Also, how does one carry large orders of groceries and so on, in public transportation? A taxi I can understand, but busses and trains seem very limiting for things like that.
@dodo19 (47317)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
26 Jan 11
Both certainly have advantages and disadvantages. Personally, I don't really mind taking public transportation. It's something that I'm used, as there have been a lot of times when I needed to go somewhere, and my parents couldn't drive me there. But sometimes it is nice to be able to have a car and go places more quickly than by public transportation.
@frontvisions101 (16043)
• Philippines
26 Jan 11
There are also many transportation options here. You can take the train, bus, cab, or jeeps. I prefer public transportations because it's much cheaper than bringing your car with you. Fuel prices are increasing, another reason why I'd rather take the bus. Although there had been news here that a bus exploded just yesterday. Good thing I took the jeep on my way home. Damn terrorists.
@greenline (14838)
• Canada
25 Jan 11
I very much enjoy driving my own car when going to work or just for driving around for pleasure. I have a very nice comfortable car. But, these days, with the gas prices soaring, I have to take public transport to go to work, leaving my car near the bus/train stop.
@luanakent (794)
• Brazil
25 Jan 11
I prefer walking.
I walk whenever i can. Only i use car in the latter case.
@macdingolinger (10386)
• United States
25 Jan 11
When I lived in Chicago I used some of both. I drove through the week to work as i worked at three places close to where I was staying. But if I went downtown or a long ways away I took th El or the bus. So it really depended on where I waas going.
@doggydimon (1369)
• Philippines
25 Jan 11
Since I was a kid, I am using public transportation. Now, I am so used to it that I seldom use our car. And besides, sometimes it is a big hassle when you drive your car in the city. There is so much traffic while if you are in a public transpo you can just sleep the traffic away. There are toll fees, gas and parking fees that you need to pay while when you commute, you just pay your fare.
@kiran09290 (25)
• Poland
26 Jan 11
I prefer the private cars because private cars are better than public transportation vehicles.When you have any private car then you go anywhere as you want.You travel anywhere.
@koikei (206)
• Philippines
26 Jan 11
greetings! i've always used public transportation ever since i was a kid, although i drive during weekends. here in the philippines, especially in manila, traffic is soooo bad that it's always better to commute (unless you have your own personal driver). as long there's a train station, i'll survive
@kangary (4)
• Indonesia
26 Jan 11
if you care about the world, public transportation should be our choice to travel. That way can save energy, and reduce pollution that produced by vehicle
