Transit

I live in the Foothills of Los Angeles, in Tujunga not far from the Angeles Crest Forest and work at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles.  On a good day, my commute can be as little as 30 minutes.  On a more typical day, it takes me an hour to get to LA.

Sometimes, if I am running late or have somewhere to go after work, I drive in.  The things I see on  the road ( mostly antics of fellow commuters) never cease to amaze me.  When I started driving as a teenager, my mother gave me this strange bit of advice.  She said "Drive like every other drive has just been released from the Mental Hospital" ( She may have said "Insane Asylum" but you get the idea)  I think of that when I see people like the woman I saw yesterday putting on eyeliner.  She was holding an eyeliner pencil to her eye while looking in a small hand held mirror.  SHE was driving.  Now, I may be math challenged but  let's count, shall we?  She had a pencil in one hand and a mirror in the other.  Unless she is some kind of mutant, that left NO hands left to be on the wheel of the car.  Women are not the only people doing their morning grooming ritual in the car.  I have seen men shaving while driving as well.  I am also afraid my fellow commuters were absent the day they taught "Merge" in Driver's Ed.  Where does it say that if traffic backs up, you should use the freeway entrance merge lane to speed past everyone and cut in to the front of the line?  If I SEE someone do that, I must admit I do not let them in.  Bad, I know but c'mon!

Taking the subway is a whole other experience.  Mostly you see the same folks everyday, getting on the same train.  The thing that drives me crazy is this.  We are all standing in some sort of "line" to get on and someone comes from behind and stands in front of everyone who is already there waiting.  I find myself thinking "Why NO, I am not waiting for the train., I am just enjoying the Subway Ambiance.  Universal Station is so lovely this time of day."  I also get a little peeved when some clearly able-bodied twenty-something shoves their way in front of everyone and grabs a seat, causing someone who is older to try to stand and balance.  Don't get me started about people who spread out their bags on the seat next to them on a crowded commuter train.  I give them "the Hairy eyeball" until they move the bag and sweetly say "thank you"   I used to take the Metrolink train and there were people there who would NOT move their bags.  I wanted to say to them "Gee, I hope your BAG enjoyed the ride!"

I have been commuting to downtown LA for almost thirty years and unless I win Lotto or buy a helicopter, I  will be doing this for another 10-15 years.  I just have to shake my head and watch out for the crazies!