Readers, on skiing, paying, and saving

From Miles in Everett: another option for car-free skiers.

Another great transit-to-the-slopes option that wasn’t mentioned in your column last month is connecting Stevens Pass shuttle from Sultan. It’s possible to take one of Community Transit’s 270-series routes from Everett Station to the Mountain View Chevron just east of the Sultan Park and Ride, then catch the Stevens Pass shuttle from there. If starting in Seattle, Sound Transit Route 510 runs every half-hour between Seattle and Everett weekdays, and hourly on Sundays. At less than $10 each way, this is, as far as I know, the most affordable option available, and of course the snow at Stevens is often better than at Snoqualmie.

Good stuff–and you certainly can’t beat the price. I do remember reading about this shuttle, but I didn’t take the time to figure out how to take the bus to the Chevron station. I’m glad someone else did.

Miles, who recently moved from Pioneer Square to downtown Everett, also said:

I don’t know whether you’ve been up here lately, but this area is getting to be a great place for a car-free lifestyle: there’s the commuter train to Seattle, of course, as well as plentiful bus options, but a lot of people don’t realize that Downtown Everett itself has become a very pleasant and walkable area that rivals Capitol Hill in terms of having everything one needs within walking distance. Even a food co-op. And, given that there’s no Flexcar here yet, it’s reassuring to know that there’s a Hertz car rental office right downtown as well.

It looks like I have some exploring to do.

From Kevin in Boston: firsthand accounts of the MBTA’s new fare system.

According to Kevin (and the Charlie on the MBTA blog he sent), it’s not working out too well. We should pay attention to this as we explore new options.

From Heidi in Redmond: validation.

In “The real reason you’re broke,” a respected money-management writer (not an environmentalist or transit activist) explains the true costs of owning a car. The main points are:

1. People spend more than they can afford on cars.
2. The percentage of income Americans spend on their cars has been steadily rising since 1995.
3. Good ways to save money on transportation include: giving up your car, paying cash for a less expensive car, and extending the time between car purchases.

Here’s an excerpt:

What’s going wrong
So why are so many people messing up so badly on such a basic purchase? There are plenty of reasons, including:

Viewing cars as a need rather than a want. Transportation is, indeed, a real need. We have to get to the grocery store and to work. But many of us have plenty of options, from our own feet to public transportation to car pools to shared car arrangements …

Treating cars as a status symbol. You can’t watch television for long without being bombarded by car commercials, and many of us have absorbed the idea that we are what we drive. It’s complete BS, of course, but some people have been so brainwashed that they literally drive themselves into bankruptcy.

Failing to consider the overall costs. When buying or leasing a car, many people consider nothing more than the monthly payment. They’re not seeing the whole picture — far from it. Once you factor in insurance, gas, maintenance, repairs, taxes, depreciation and other costs, most cars will set you back at least twice the initial purchase price over five years. …

I really recommend reading the entire article.

MLK Day recap

8 AM: Hot chocolate and Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday Dr. King” on repeat.

Noon: 8 (that bus that just happens to run on Martin Luther King Junior Way), southbound, to Franklin for the march.

LPK at the march
Laura “Piece” Kelley was one of the many amazing people in the crowd.

2 PM: 8, northbound, to Seattle Center for the CD Forum‘s staged reading of Dr. King’s 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech.

3:15 PM: Monorail to Westlake, for the first time in at least 15 years. (It sure seemed a lot cooler back in the day.)

3:45 PM: 27 home.

6 PM: 27 back downtown for birfday dinner.

9:40 PM: 14 (plus a short walk) home.

10:30 PM: CAKE!

* * * * * * * *

MLK Day march, 07
The power of one

Martin Luther King, Jr., on the Montgomery Bus Boycott

From Stride Toward Freedom:

During the rush hours the sidewalks were crowded with laborers and domestic workers, many of them well past middle age, trudging patiently to their jobs and home again, sometimes as much as twelve miles. They knew why they walked, and the knowledge was evident in the way they carried themselves. And as I watched them I knew that there is nothing more majestic than the determined courage of individuals willing to suffer and sacrifice for their courage and dignity.

Respect to those who came before, including (and especially) Dr. King himself. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to celebrate his birthday (and mine) by raising my voice in support of peace and justice.

Bus Chick’s kind of place

Last night, I hopped on the 17 and headed to Ballard, a neighborhood I have visited more frequently in the past six months than in the previous six years. This time, it was to model a ball gown (seriously) at the Ballard Art Walk. (Modeling is not my strong suit–or, to be honest, my idea of a good time–but I have a friend in fashion school, and she had an assignment. But I digress.) Embarrassing pseudo-runway experiences aside, I’m developing quite a fondness for the place.

And what’s not to love? Though it’s not especially easy to get to from where I live, Ballard is served by lots of buses. It’s also pretty walkable (by Seattle standards, anyway), which probably explains why there are fun events like art walks. After yesterday’s, Bus Nerd and I headed to the (very rider-friendly) stop at Ballard &; Market, checked the schedules of the three buses (17, 18, 44) we could take to a transfer point home, and then headed to an Indian restaurant for dinner. We finished right in time for the 17, so we didn’t get to take advantage of any of the many benches and shelters at the stop. We did, however, witness an instance of bus (stop) luh. (Sometimes, even when it’s 30 degrees outside, you hate to see that bus comin’.) If I hadn’t been carrying a shopping bag full of makeup, shoes, and hair appliances, I would have snapped a picture. But, again, I digress.

Ballard is the home of Sustainable Ballard, an organization working to make the neighborhood the first carbon-neutral community in the country. And though they haven’t quite made it yet, lots and lots of Ballardites (Ballardians?) are pledging to drive less. My pledge: to hang out in this bus-chick-friendly part of our fair city (not wearing a ball gown) even more often in 2007.

I know I said I didn’t like writing about the weather

But if this ain’t a blatant example of carism…

Carism in winter

Whycome they put dirt down for the cars but not for the pedestrians? A girl could mess up her fly winter coat (not to mention her tailbone) just tryna get on the 27.

Seriously, though, what’s the deal, here?

Carism in winter, part II

Yesler is a major street. Did the city drop the ball, or is it the responsibility of residences and businesses to clear their own sections of the sidewalk?

Speaking of passionate sports arguments…

Westbound 4, noon-ish:

A Seahawk hater and a Seahawk fan are arguing about the team’s chances against Chicago. The hater, who believes the Seahawks cheated their way to victory last Saturday (according to him, Romo’s bobble was the result of special teams players greasing the ball), claims they will lose badly. The fan is convinced of victory. In fact, he is so sure that the Hawks will make it all the way to Miami that he plans to wear “Crip blue” in their honor for the entire playoffs.

Says the Seahawk hater: “I guess you’ll be wearing it until Sunday, then, ’cause that’s the day those Seaturkeys are going down.”

Missing the bus

Since last Wednesday, I haven’t gotten out much. Aside from the trip to the Seahawks game (which I agreed to attend after a fair bit of cajoling) and a few other necessary excursions, I’ve been home, avoiding work, social engagements, and most errands.

Today, I can’t think of a single place I’d like to go, but as I watch the 48s and 27s and 8s and 4s pass by my living room window, I wish I was on one of them. I want to sit near strangers–the stranger, the better, in fact. I want to be distracted from the book I’ve been trying to read since November by folks talking to each other, or on their phones, or to themselves. I want to roll my eyes at that guy who opens three windows and then and yells at the driver to turn up the heat. I want to be surrounded by crying babies, exchanged phone numbers, stupid jokes, inconveniently placed grocery bags, passionate sports arguments, and ambitious knitting projects. I want to be offered an expired transfer for 50 cents, a pair of hand warmers for three dollars, a Rolex watch for twenty-five. I want to be the one who tells the newbie rider where to catch the bus to Southcenter.

All of my routes are running today, despite the snow. I think it’s about time to take a ride.

Carrots and sticks, part III

Let’s get the stick out of the way first. From our friend Mr. Singer:

Stick

Guess those muscle cars Detroit is so fond of haven’t been doing the trick.

And now, the good stuff:

From a recent American Public Transportation Association study:

• Public transportation usage reduces U.S. gasoline consumption by 1.4 billion gallons each year – or the equivalent of 108 million cars filling up, almost 300,000 each day. These savings result from the efficiency of carrying multiple passengers in each vehicle; the reduction in traffic congestion from fewer automobiles on the roads; and the varied sources of energy for public transportation.

• Households that are likely to use public transportation on a given day save over $6,200 every year, compared to a household with no access to public transportation service. These households have two workers, one car and are within three-quarters of a mile of public transportation.

For those of you who aren’t ready to go cold turkey: This study proves you don’t have to give up driving altogether to make a difference–to the world and your own bank account.

For the details, check out APTA’s full report.