Having Issues...

Hello Faithful Readers! Did you miss me?


I've been having some trouble accessing the internet from my home computer the past couple days. And I was not feeling well yesterday morning so I was not at work and able to post from this computer. As you may have guessed I was not on a city bus yesterday either. It's hard enough to find motivation to ride the bus when I'm feeling well. When I'm not feeling well all motivation goes right out the window! I'm working on my computer issues but I'm sorry to report that my experiment is finding some bigger issues with our city's bus system.
Wednesday I rode the Lynx Bus to and from work with the usual 10 to 15 minute delays but few problems. However, I had some errands to run as well and they couldn't wait just because I'm "experimenting" with the bus. I ride the #30 bus to work and back. This bus route runs along State Rd. 50/Colonial Dr. and past one of the places I needed to stop. I got off bus 30 at a shopping center at Maguire and S.R. 50.
It took me about 5 minutes to run into the store and pick up what I needed. From there I went right back to the bus stop I'd just been dropped off at. Based on the posted pick up time at the stop a block ahead of me I estimated that a #30 bus would come along in about 3 minutes or so. I had plans with friends that evening and I was trying to get home as quickly as possible, so I was quite frustrated when the bus didn't show up for a half hour! Essentially, an errand that took me less than 5 minutes cost me another 30 minutes in wait time! By the time I got back on the road I didn't want to factor more wait time into my schedule so I skipped my other errand. This was definitely a case where my car would have would have been much more convenient. And my car would have helped through the rest of the night.
My friends picked me up to go to our weekly meditation and then out to dinner. Had I been driving myself I probably would've skipped dinner but when you're carpooling you're at the mercy of the driver. Later I rode my bike downtown to drop off some posters I'd picked up earlier; i.e., my errand. The ride downtown was nice. I sure picked a beautiful time of year to try to get around with no car! However as it got later I still found myself in the downtown area and the idea of riding home, alone at that time of night didn't seem very appealing. A couple friends offered to put my bike in their van and drive me back home and since they live in my direction I felt that this was my best option to get home safely and fuel efficiently.
As I mentioned before, yesterday I wasn't feeling well and I didn't ride the bus or my bike. I felt a little "stuck" at my house but I made the best of it and got the rest I needed. In the afternoon I very much wanted some soup, since I didn't have any and had no desire to walk, ride or bus it to the store I made what turned out to be a yummy alternative.
Today, feeling much more like myself, I set out to bus it to work again. I arrived at the stop a little later than I would have. I could've been on-time had I not cut my foot on the way out my front door and needed to go back in for a bandage. In Lynx Bus land late is on time, so my bus, #30, arrived about 2 minutes after I got to the stop. The ride to work was quick and comfortable and I arrived on time. The challenge today is that I have another errand I must run on my way home, in order to see about my internet service. I'm prepared for more issues. I've been learning the ways of the bus.
Wish me luck!

The Early Bird Catches The Bus

...and the late bird has to break down and drive her car.

Yes Dear Readers, I'm sorry to disappoint you, I missed the bus. I was forced take my car in order to get to work at WPRK 91.5 FM on time this morning. I guess I wasn't forced, it's not like I car jacked myself! I did however have to choose between being almost an hour late for the show I co-host and being there on time by driving myself. I chose not to let my quest to be a greener me effect my responsibilities.
I'm very disappointed in myself, however I realize that a big part of my "bussing it experiment" was seeing if I could deal with the time constraints riding the bus would put upon me. Today's example: Having to be somewhere at 8am means catching a 6:45am bus to get there! I think a 6:45am bus was a bit too ambitious of me, yeah maybe just a bit. I'm not saying I couldn't work up to it, or wake up to it, but for my second day as a Lynx Bus rider and my second month as an early(er) riser catching a 6:45am bus may have been too lofty a goal.
Oh well, I'll drive home from work, park my car back in it's resting spot and tomorrow it will be on to day 3 of my experiment. Everyone's entitled to a slip-up, right?

A Bit More Confusion, A Bit More Clarification.

Today I learned, amongst other things, that some bus routes have 2 buses running on them, in 2 different directions, at different times! I'm just glad I ask questions and that bus drivers are allowed to let you off if they haven't started moving yet. Otherwise my 40 minute ride home from work would have been 40 minutes longer! As it was I had to sit and wait an extra 15 minutes for the bus I actually needed to come along.

I also learned that the bus doesn't smell as good later in the day. Nor do some of the people on it, especially after a warm day out in the Florida sun. I was able to escape a foul odor by moving a few rows over though. Had the bus been any more crowded I wouldn't have been able to make the move. However our city's buses don't seem to be very crowed to me, and I'm taking buses along some major routes.

Why don't more people in Orlando take the bus? I asked myself this last week when I was considering this experiment. I may be learning a lot about the bus during this process but more than anything that's the question that I'd like to see answered. If I can show that the bus is a viable source of transportation in our city then perhaps more people will use it to get around, thus saving gasoline.

I found my rides today on The Lynx Bus to be rather simple, after asking the right questions, and fairly comfortable. The major drawback is having to allot a bit more time to waiting for the bus to pick-up and on the ride itself. However a bigger portion of my waiting today could have been saved if I'd actually know what I was doing. As with anything, I'm sure practice makes perfect. And tomorrow I'm going to get my practice in!

I've got to be to my early job at a local college radio station, WPRK 91.5 FM, by 8am. Which means I have to get up and out of the house by 6:45am! Plus I'll have to transfer buses to get there, something I haven't attempted yet. Once I'm finished at the radio station I'll still have to get to my other job, which will also take 2 buses. Things could get a little hairy for your favorite Lynx Bus rider tomorrow, which will make for some interesting blogging. Still please wish me luck dear readers. I may need it, if only to make it on time.

ps- This evening I rode my bike to the bank, to dinner, to grab a beer, chat with friends and watch the Orlando Magic win round 2 of The Playoffs (yay!) and I have to say it was lovely! It was a beautiful night to be outside. The air was cool, there was a light breeze and you could smell jasmine in the air. Just think, I may have missed it if I'd been stuck inside my car.

A Beginner's Question...

It is me who was late? Or is it the bus that's late? This was the question I was asking myself as I stood, for longer than I'd anticipated, at the bus stop this morning.
Those who know me know that I'm perpetually late(but I'm worth the wait, right?) today though I took every measure not to run behind schedule. I woke up about 2 hours earlier than I normally would just to make sure I wouldn't miss the buss I needed to catch in order to be to work on time. So, I was quite confused when I arrived at the stop a few minutes before the pick up time and was still standing there 15 minutes later. I was starting to think I'd missed it completely until a kindly homeless man wearing a plastic rosary explained that sometimes the buses run late and that the time they say they pick up is really just a general reference. He assured me that the bus I needed was the next to come along. I thanked him, of course he wanted more than verbal thanks though. The way I see it I paid him 50 cents for his knowledge.
A half-dollar lighter and a few minutes later I saw a bus approaching. Thankfully it was the one I needed. I stepped inside and showed the bus driver my weekly bus pass. He commented, with a smile "You're a new rider, huh?" I nodded as he showed me how to scan the ticket and what to do with it if I should transfer buses, something I won't have to worry about until tomorrow. I asked him if there was a specific time that I needed to be there to pick up the bus. What do you know, the bum was right! The bus driver explained that because of traffic tie ups and some riders taking a bit longer than others to get on and off the bus the times posted were a general guideline. He said if I wanted to be sure not to miss the bus I'd better be there on the early side of the posted time. I can do that, I thought, because I just did!
As I walked back on the bus and took a seat I was surprised at how clean it was. It didn't smell and surprisingly neither did the people on it! They all just seemed like normal folks getting to work or wherever they needed to go. After an easy, stress free 35 minute ride I arrived at work. The whole experience made me wonder why I hadn't thought of this sooner; save gas and the responsibly of driving! Waking up a little earlier to do it doesn't seem so bad.
Part 1 of day 1 went pretty well. Thanks to a cool front that blew into town standing in the sun and the lite wind a little longer was actually quite enjoyable. As was the knowledge that I was reducing my carbon footprint and oil consumption for the day and even helping the homeless along the way!

And so the experiment in oil reduction begins...

Today I bought a bus pass.

Earlier this week I sat at work extremely upset, venting on Facebook about the continuing flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. As I asked friends to join me in a virtual protest of off-shore drilling, and took part in an on-line debate about the need for fossil fuels I thought "What can I do in real life to reduce my dependency on oil and further protest drilling off the coast of my beloved Florida beaches?" I've never been one to sit back and complain about a problem without trying to find a solution so I set out to take some personal action.

My conclusion was to retire my car for one week and try riding the city of Orlando's much criticized Lynx Bus system to and from work. In addition to busing it I'll be walking, riding my bike or carpooling anywhere else I need to go thus saving between 10 and 15 gallons of gas in a week. If this experiment goes well and I am able to make it to my weekly responsibilities safely and on time I intend to retire my car for one week out of every month.

The impact of this "experiment" may seem trival however if it inspires others to follow my lead it could produce huge results. Consider this:

The Greater Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2,082,628. If only half of these people (1,041,314)participated in my plan, which may seem trivial at 10 gallons of gas per week in savings, that would be a total of 10,413,140 gallons of gas saved per week! And at approximately $2.90 per gallon, equals $30,198,106 in savings per week!!!

And at 541,483,280 gallons of gas saved per year, at $2.90 per gallon average = $1,570,301,512.00 per year

If only 1/2 of the people in Orlando participate...just think if everyone in Orange County did it. Then Central Florida. Then Florida. The numbers just keep getting larger!

In the oil business money talks. If all residents in the state of Florida who wish to protest future off-shore drilling were to join in my experiment the oil companies would surely feel the impact and have to listen. For now, it begins with me.