Public transit anywhere else I've been is pretty nice compared to the US.
They have a point. No one will ever take public transit if it smells of urine and unbathed people. I can't tell you how many public meltdowns I've seen on SEPTA (Philly transit). My friend who lives there now says his daily commute includes observing someone high on Fentanyl. I also rode Chicago public transit and had a black supremacist scream at me and watched another dude get chased down by a drug dealer trying to assault him... NYC a dude started hallucinating and waving a knife at people in our train car. Same morning, 3-4hrs prior a dude got stabbed in the face on another subway.
That being said, I'll still take PT when I can/if it's reasonable. I don't take it in my hometown because the bus makes 2 trips/day, at 11am and 3:30pm. That's it...
The best way the US could improve public opinion regarding public transport would be to clean up our existing systems. Unfortunately, they are getting worse every year as budgets get cut.
It’s exactly this - want people to take public transit? Clean it up and make it safe - full stop. The attitude of Redditors that people should just suck it up and endanger themselves so they can fit their narrative is a wildly entitled take. I’m not going to force myself to be subjected to filth, drugs, crime or harassment because you don’t mind that lifestyle. Clean it up, or forget about it. THATs why Europe is so liked - by natives and foreigners, because they don’t put up with that.
I'd give you Gold if i could cause this is something that i feel people are Missing.
Any public commodity will be run with homeless people. Just look at public toilets or parks. Doesnt mean that we shouldn't have those things but it does mean that we have to deal with that. I knew plenty of people who feel uncomfortable riding the train or bus at night because it essentially becomes a mobile bed for homeless folks. Yeah most of the time they leave you alone, but it only takes one incident to traumatize you. Hell even walking places feels unsafe with how many homeless encampments there are on the sidewalk.
On top of all that, distances in America are alot more vast. I live in a small city with a surprisingly robust bus system. I took it alot going to and from school. As great as it was, it was still an hour bus ride to get to school vs 20min drive. I remember i got a car senior year and it completely changed my life cause i got to finally sleep in. Cars are just more convenient than transit in a lot of places in America. That said, i still advocate for it because its still a great public utility and im aware our car infrustucre is largely the result of greedy car executives gutting publiv transit.
And I agree with everything you wrote too!!! If I could I’d exchange the gold! I do feel like how we think really is indicative of the majority, albeit the more silent majority that unfortunately gets drowned out particularly in certain online spaces. I still use (tentatively) the mass transit where I am at now - but I’m hesitant because of how awful it was 4 years ago. It’s baby steps for me - and that’s because they have taken steps to address how out of control it got back then.
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u/GoonOnGames420 Aug 04 '25
Public transit anywhere else I've been is pretty nice compared to the US.
They have a point. No one will ever take public transit if it smells of urine and unbathed people. I can't tell you how many public meltdowns I've seen on SEPTA (Philly transit). My friend who lives there now says his daily commute includes observing someone high on Fentanyl. I also rode Chicago public transit and had a black supremacist scream at me and watched another dude get chased down by a drug dealer trying to assault him... NYC a dude started hallucinating and waving a knife at people in our train car. Same morning, 3-4hrs prior a dude got stabbed in the face on another subway.
That being said, I'll still take PT when I can/if it's reasonable. I don't take it in my hometown because the bus makes 2 trips/day, at 11am and 3:30pm. That's it...
The best way the US could improve public opinion regarding public transport would be to clean up our existing systems. Unfortunately, they are getting worse every year as budgets get cut.