Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Just Call Me a LA Public Transit Girl...

So it's official. I just bought my first monthly Metrolink pass and will continue to do so.

Over the weekend, I finally got my car back after two months of staring at the ceiling whenever bedridden, getting over the shock of $7000 worth of damage (which, thankfully, the other guy has to cover), and other inconveniences any car accident entails. Originally, I had only planned to temporarily take the train until I could get my car back. But in the past two months, I've somehow come to really love the 20 minute commute to Union Station (power nap, anyone?). And the subway transfer on the Red Line... where else can I glance at the reflection in the window of the train that frames perfect strangers in a living portrait?

Granted, I've always loved public transportation, having had to rely on it over in the East Coast - I just never thought I'd love it in LA as well. One of my favorite moments occurs when spotting familiar faces in the streets of downtown. Oh, you... you're on my train. And though we pass one another without a word, there's a flicker of recognition - and perhaps, even acknowledgment.

I do have to say that I did try driving to work again. I love driving and find it to be meditative, but after spending an hour wanting to shake my fist at all the inattentive drivers behind me - an euphemism for what I really felt, it was anything but therapeutic. Case in point: one lady almost hit the center divider while digging around the floor of her car; another time, a guy was more interested in wooing the girl seated next to him than on driving his Mustang (so not the appropriate time to be getting all googly-eyed).

So... I'll be peacefully driving my car to the parking structure at my train station and having my daily power naps, thank you very much.

-Sarah Koo, ExperienceLA Arts/Cultural Marketing Intern

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear you're back on your feet...and even found a silver lining to what must have been a terrible experience. Your writing almost makes me want to give public transit a try myself! ;-)