Et Cetera

Commuting by transit during Vancouver's snowmaggedon not that bad

by Miranda Nelson on November 25th, 2010 at 9:45 AM
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      Well, it could have been worse.

      Considering how poorly Vancouver copes with snowy weather, my morning transit commute wasn't actually the worst I've had. The SkyTrain in from the suburbs was packed but I only had to wait for two trains to go by at Nanaimo Station before I weaseled my way onto one.

      Disembarking at Broadway Station was probably the worst of it. SkyTrain control let us know that there had been a problem earlier in the morning with the doors of one of the trains (that's the third time that's happened during my commute in two weeks; what's up with that?) so we were held for several minutes on the tracks outside the station. Getting off the train was difficult due to the inevitably large crowd waiting to head west but a loud "EXCUSE ME" usually takes care of that.

      Upon arriving at Broadway Station, the lineup for the 99 B-Line was nightmarish—it wound through the station, out the far entrance, and up Commercial Drive. But the buses themselves were running back to back and seasoned transit takers (and jerks like me) know to hop the line anyway.

      With how awful the roads are out there (I have yet to see a single snowplow), I'm fairly impressed that the B-Line made the journey from Commercial Drive to Granville in less than 40 minutes and that no one on the bus was terribly cranky. Someone even gave me their seat.

      How's your commute out there this morning, Vancouver?


      Follow the suitably impressed Miranda Nelson on Twitter @charenton_.

      Comments

      6 Comments

      oh yes transit on the B-Line is such a breeze

      Nov 25, 2010 at 12:22pm

      Miranda, TransLink poster girl, I took my BMW 528i from Commercial Drive up W12th Avenue then up W16th Avenue to UBC in 26 minutes and listened to Bach on my Bose stereo. I didn't have to stand in line for 15 minutes at Broadway, listen to idiots mindlessly yapping away or breathe the stale and flu-bug infested air on the B-Line for 40 minutes. My commute door to door was likely 1/2 to 1/3 your wonderful commute on the B-Line.

      ursa minor

      Nov 25, 2010 at 3:14pm

      post at 12:22 - Self-entitled elitist snotbags like you are exactly what's wrong with Vancouver. Here's hoping you wrap your precious Beemer (and yourself) around the nearest telephone pole.

      myna lee johnstone

      Nov 25, 2010 at 3:22pm

      too bad the motorists don't stop and fill up with passengers.
      we have transit problems because of the attitudes of drivers,like the BMW one posted here.
      BUM!!!

      malcum johnsie

      Nov 26, 2010 at 9:05am

      That's why the beemer dude is fat.

      unknown sample

      Nov 27, 2010 at 9:16am

      i thought all you transit nuts were peaceful types. oh yeah, that's right, you're just broke!

      pretty pathetic that you wish harm upon a motorist. reveals your true colors. it was obvious that it was a troll post anyway to bait you granola types.