Buses, Trains and the Media

Stand under the doorway until nothing happens

Warning: This post has nothing to do with buses or trains.

I was talking on the phone this morning when the floor in my home office started to shift. Then the walls starting swaying. About two seconds later, I realized that it was an earthquake. I told my acquaintance on the phone, who was safe and secure about 3,000 miles away in New Jersey, that I had to hang up because we were having an earthquake.

I got up from my desk and stood under the doorway for a few seconds just as the ground tremors subsided. Then I felt a little foolish and wished I'd just stayed at my desk and continued the phone call like nothing unusual was happening. I could have said, "Dave, hang on a sec, would you? Oh, OK, nothing to worry about it, we're just having an earthquake, probably about 5.0 on the Richter scale. No, need to hang up, I don't even bother worrying about an earthquake unless it reaches at least 6.0 or 6.5."

But I didn't. To be honest, I needed to get ready to meet someone for lunch anyway. The earthquake was as good an excuse as any to end the call. Living in Los Angeles does have its perks.

Until next time.

Steve

Is it a human mirror, or merely twins, on the subway?

As an identical twin, I felt compelled to include this video in my blog. I don't know if my twin brother, Doug, ever reads my postings here, but maybe he'll comment if he does.

When I used the phrase "merely twins" in the headline, I wasn't trying to be thoughtful or incisive. But, come to think of it, I don't consider myself special because I'm a twin. In fact, when I was growing up in San Jose, being an identical twin removed some of your specialness. For example, our neighbors often called my brother and I "twin" rather than Steve or Doug (I also have an older brother, Frank). That was because they couldn't tell us apart, of course, but it was one subtle suggestion that we were not unique. We were merely twins.

Anyway, I don't want to get too deep here. I enjoyed watching this video, despite my apparent ambivalence about being a twin. I hope you enjoy it too.

Until next time.

Steve

Tulsa Transit adds 10 bicycles to its bus fleet

One of the reasons many people don't use public transit is "the last mile" -- the distance between the starting point and the bus stop/rail station or between the bus stop/rail station and the destination. Of course, it could be more or less than a mile, but it's generally understood that it's a distance that most people would prefer not to walk.

But if you could ride a bicycle over this "last mile," then the route would not have to be as direct. Many people, in fact, do ride their bikes to the bus stop and use the bus' bike rack as well. These hardy souls are the exception, however.

To encourage more people to ride bikes to and from the bus stop, Tulsa Transit has implemented a pilot program called "Rack-N-Roll" that allows riders at a particular downtown bus station to borrow bikes for 24 hours. Currently, there are 10 bikes that can be checked out.

Tulsa Transit General Manager Bill Cartwright (pictured) said the 10 bikes, which cost a total of $3,000, are a "low-cost way to expand our routes." To read the full story, click here. What he'd really like to see is an expansion of the bus system. But with the economy the way it is and fuel prices the way they are, the bikes (seven men's models and three women's) are better than nothing.

Until next time.

Steve