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I have an appointment Uptown today as well. Since I'm not driving and I feel like a leach asking co-workers to take me some place, I'm going back to www.ridetransit.org.
I'm beginning to feel as if this Web site is fucking useless, though. Every trip seems to be an hour or more. "Forget it," I think. I'm just going to go Uptown and ask the people who work for CATS what I need to do.
While this seemed like a logical idea at the time (to ask people who work for the transit system what bus I needed to take to get to Third Street), I realize when I start talking to the people down at the transit center that they don't know shit either. And if they do know, they talk to you as if you should know as well. Part of me wanted to tell that rude-ass lady behind the glass at the center that I don't ride the bus every day nor do I work here -- so can you fucking point me in the direction of Bay X? But I wandered around the smoke-filled transit center until I found the bay and the Gold Rush that was taking me where I needed to go. The free trolleys that CATS runs are worse than the buses. The ride is a jerky and bumpy one. Do they ever change the shocks on these things? I make it to my appointed destination with an hour to spare before my meeting. It's a beautiful day, so I grab some lunch and sit outside watching the sheriff's deputies, lawyers, plaintiffs and defendants shuffle back and forth. Uptown Charlotte is kind of nice today.
After my meeting, I head back to the transit center instead of getting back on the Gold Rush because the whole route of that thing is confusing. I walk a few blocks up to a bus stop. It's the No. 9, and it is full. It's 3:30 p.m., and school's out. That's when I realized that the transit center is the "meet market" for teenagers. Standing on the bus, a group of teenagers are leering out the window at a group of girls dressed in tight jeans and shirts.
One of the boys says to his friends, "It's always females here this time of day!" Then he pops a stick of gum in his mouth. Guess he's on the prowl.
Another plentiful thing at the transit center in the afternoon is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police. I don't know if I feel safe or if this is part of the reason why I haven't used CATS since I was a freshman in college some 14 years ago. Seeing all of the police officers at the transit center makes you think that CATS isn't safe. It doesn't give me a lot of confidence about riding the bus. And what happens if I have to ride this thing at night?
When I get back to work some 30 minutes later, the day is over, and I'm drained. I check a few e-mails and dream about going outside and getting into my car -- but it's not here!
I hate to admit it, but Joe was right. I'm not giving up my Mustang to ride the city bus -- especially not in this city!
Epilogue: March 21
Here's what I learned about CATS after using it as my sole mode of transportation for five days:
• If you love to drive, you're probably going to hate it.
• If you value being on time, you're probably going to hate it.
• If you want to sit on a bus and be left the hell alone, you're probably going to hate it.
I can't wait to get in my car and zoom past the transit center without having to stop and wait for another bus. I can't wait to get in my car and pass the park-and-ride location without parking and riding.
I thought that maybe after this experience, I'd be able to take the bus on the weekends, but as far as I'm concerned, the weekend schedule is even more fucked up than the weekday one.
So as gas prices rise, I'm going to keep driving.