Does ANYONE on here actually bike/take mass transit to get places?

[totheskies]

Wow this is some really great info!!!!

Now that we're in the throws of summer, I'm regrettably back to a half/half pattern. But now that it's hot, it's become very difficult for me to bike to work. I do work at UofH (so a shower is available), but some mornings it's just tough to get everything ready in the morning. My bike ride is only about five minutes longer than the car though.

Like samagon, I live in the East End, and a really like it here. I do wish we had some better grocery stores in the neighborhood b/c Combat Kroger just doesn't cut it sometimes. But I mostly use my car for times when I need to hit up the surburb box stores, or for when I have gigs outside of the loop. For me, METRO is pretty reliable, but sometimes with these music gigs, I end up staying out pretty late, and it's a lot easier to take my car and pay for gas (though getting harder as prices rise again) than have to call a cab all the time. I love the East End's bike trails though.

[august948]

How did you strap down that 42 inch plasma to get it home?

Who said I have a 42 inch plasma?

Seriously, though, I think you can create a decent mix of car/bus/bike/walk to fit the transportation needs of a lot of people in this city, even outside the loop. For a Southern city, we've got it pretty good. Sometimes all it takes is for you to get out of your car and walk/bike around the edges of your neighborhood to discover that a lot of places are within an easy walk or bike of home. Find some nearby places you can bike or walk to for some of your errands and use public transport and/or your car for the farther away spots or commutes or where you just need to haul that plasma back to the house.

[samagon]

for those curious about how to live with only a bike to get to work, go shopping, or taking friends places, go to holland and observe.

it is a pretty expensive trip to just watch, so do some vacationing while there

but, most bikes have racks and baskets, here's what one looks like:

The rack in the back often will hold a friend, groceries, business stuff, etc.

Anyway, it doesn't look 'cool' but it is very efficient and gets the job done.

[jfre81]

For all that block, the builder should bury the power lines and make the sidewalks wider all the way to the curb This should be some sort of law...

Problem is, the lines don't belong to the builders. They belong to Centerpoint.

[Subdude]

When I worked downtown more often than not I commuted by bike. Fortunately there were nearby shower and locker facilities. It was a bit of a pain lugging clothes around, but on the other hand the ride to and from work was always something to look forward to.

[debmartin]

i was irritated to come back to houston and find metro eliminated the day pass when they could have raised the price instead. don't bike as it never seems safe where i live, but i know many who live in the burbs and bike for exercise and local errands using sidewalks. i used metro as primary mode from 1999 to 2007. living by the galleria and trying to utilize public trans now costs me $1.25 for each stop & start, so a trip to borders on the way downtown or med center, with a stop at the water wall and other spots could cost me $20 or more roundtrip. hope metro is putting the money to good use. my youngest uses metro with a student discount and likes the q-card because he can reload it on board, although he reports frequent malfunctions. i suppose the 53/82 is one of the better routes , although it does not connect with wheeler station so i have to get off and walk several blocks, which is ok unless i'm on a deadline. also have to either take 2 buses or walk too far to utilize hilcroft transit that would connect me to 163 or 132 and the rail. so i car share when i need to, and walk which i enjoy, mainly mornings & evenings because of houston's humidity. up north public trans is significantly more practical, something i miss. for now i remain optimistic about houston's future for mass transit, especially rail projects that might change the landscape sufficiently and allow houston to realize its true urban potential.

[brian0123]

I live in Midtown and yes, I ride the light rail sometimes... but bike more often for getting around. I bike to Herman Park (and everywhere around like the zoo, etc), Downtown a ton, and sometimes down Washington.

[MaggieMay]

i was irritated to come back to houston and find metro eliminated the day pass when they could have raised the price instead. don't bike as it never seems safe where i live, but i know many who live in the burbs and bike for exercise and local errands using sidewalks. i used metro as primary mode from 1999 to 2007. living by the galleria and trying to utilize public trans now costs me $1.25 for each stop & start, so a trip to borders on the way downtown or med center, with a stop at the water wall and other spots could cost me $20 or more roundtrip. hope metro is putting the money to good use. my youngest uses metro with a student discount and likes the q-card because he can reload it on board, although he reports frequent malfunctions. i suppose the 53/82 is one of the better routes , although it does not connect with wheeler station so i have to get off and walk several blocks, which is ok unless i'm on a deadline. also have to either take 2 buses or walk too far to utilize hilcroft transit that would connect me to 163 or 132 and the rail. so i car share when i need to, and walk which i enjoy, mainly mornings & evenings because of houston's humidity. up north public trans is significantly more practical, something i miss. for now i remain optimistic about houston's future for mass transit, especially rail projects that might change the landscape sufficiently and allow houston to realize its true urban potential.

Ha! Metro got rid of the Daypass as part of the Q-Card project, while boasting that they weren't raising fares. Later, they raised fares.

While Metro's fares remain low compared to many other cities--those other cities all sell passes for unlimited travel during specified time periods. While not as cheap as the $2.00 Daypass, they would be useful for real transit users. And short-term passes would be good for tourists; the train connects quite a few of our cultural sites.

Please, if you ever ride Metro, get a Q-Card. You'll get "transfers" & the occasional free trip.

[jfre81]

Took the rail downtown to the Astros game...METRO police are out in force now checking people's tickets/Q Cards making sure people paid. Also saw one of them arrest a drunk homeless guy at the Preston station going home, where no fewer than four dozen were waiting for the train. The thing was packed when we got on.

[kylejack]

Took the rail downtown to the Astros game...METRO police are out in force now checking people's tickets/Q Cards making sure people paid. Also saw one of them arrest a drunk homeless guy at the Preston station going home, where no fewer than four dozen were waiting for the train. The thing was packed when we got on.

Yes, they're tagging and bagging almost daily after work at Main Street Square now. They've stopped doing the annoying thing where they get on the train and call "Tickets...tickets..." and now just get people coming off the train, thankfully. There's just not enough room on the busy train to go person to person checking tickets.

[samagon]

Took the rail downtown to the Astros game...METRO police are out in force now checking people's tickets/Q Cards making sure people paid. Also saw one of them arrest a drunk homeless guy at the Preston station going home, where no fewer than four dozen were waiting for the train. The thing was packed when we got on.

Interesting I went to Herman park for the Independence Day concert and when leaving, there were hundreds of people standing on the platform. Maybe 10 of them got tickets for their trip home.

[kylejack]

Enforcement is now at viciously high levels, they must be paying these guys a lot of overtime. For the past week, there were 2 Metro police at every single station making sure people tapped or bought a ticket. Yesterday afternoon they weren't at every station anymore but they set up a deboarding checkpoint at Main Street Square again. I forgot my video camera AGAIN but one of these times I'll take some video of them tagging and bagging people.

[samagon]

Enforcement is now at viciously high levels, they must be paying these guys a lot of overtime. For the past week, there were 2 Metro police at every single station making sure people tapped or bought a ticket. Yesterday afternoon they weren't at every station anymore but they set up a deboarding checkpoint at Main Street Square again. I forgot my video camera AGAIN but one of these times I'll take some video of them tagging and bagging people.

I think it's a good thing, I know 9 of 10 times I pay, but I often wondered why. It is an interesting subject as to whether or not they should hand out tickets after special events like Independence day fireworks, there certainly aren't enough places to buy tickets if that is what they want.

[ricco67]

I would imagine compliance was already high, but if they noticed a trend I would imagine they'd jump on it quick to make sure it didn't get out of hand.

As far as special events and "heavy use" days like football, baseball, and rodeo, they probably are a BIT lax. It would be almost impossible to screen that many people.

[JamesL]

Living along METRORail, I can get just about anywhere in the city in one transfer on METRO. I can and do ride METRO just about everywhere I go, including suburban big box stores.

Regarding the poster who complained a day of errands would cost $20: this is not possible unless you double back on the same bus route 16 times or tap your Q card every 2 hours for 32 hours. Getting off and back on a bus in the same direction is a free transfer with Q, as are unlimited transfers between routes within 2 hours.

[rsb320]

Regarding the poster who complained a day of errands would cost $20: this is not possible unless you double back on the same bus route 16 times or tap your Q card every 2 hours for 32 hours. Getting off and back on a bus in the same direction is a free transfer with Q, as are unlimited transfers between routes within 2 hours.

It's probably possible if you're not using a Q card, but are using cash. If I am correct, transfers are nolonger available to cash payers.

[kylejack]

It's probably possible if you're not using a Q card, but are using cash. If I am correct, transfers are nolonger available to cash payers.

Correct. Everybody should Q up.

[august948]

Living along METRORail, I can get just about anywhere in the city in one transfer on METRO. I can and do ride METRO just about everywhere I go, including suburban big box stores.

Regarding the poster who complained a day of errands would cost $20: this is not possible unless you double back on the same bus route 16 times or tap your Q card every 2 hours for 32 hours. Getting off and back on a bus in the same direction is a free transfer with Q, as are unlimited transfers between routes within 2 hours.

Just out of curiosity, what suburban stores are you going to and how long does it take to get there? Living near the western edge of the city limits I can walk or bike to the big box stores but the run times into the city, say to downtown or to the museum district, are at least twice as long as by car.

[JamesL]

Luckily, a lot of big box stores are now within the loop or close to it, be as they may in suburban-style shopping centers. Wal-mart is a four minute walk from West Loop Park & Ride. Target on S Main is easy to get to on the 8 South Main or 10 Willowbend. Home Depot is right on the 9 Gulfton. Staples and another Target are on Sawyer and the 66 Yale. Ikea is not far from Northwest TC, and the 72 Wesview will get you even closer. The Galleria area, of course, is on the 73, 53, 81, 82, 33, and 49 routes. Good shoes for walking are a must when shopping on METRO, mostly for crossing the vast parking lots, but even in summer you don't have to spend inordinate amounts of time between the air-conditioned vehicles and stores.

[gto250us]

...I forgot my video camera AGAIN but one of these times I'll take some video of them tagging and bagging people.

Be careful the Metro Pigs are sensitive about photography. Many folks have been threatened and hassled about taking pics downtown.

[kylejack]

Be careful the Metro Pigs are sensitive about photography. Many folks have been threatened and hassled about taking pics downtown.

I'm willing to confront them on that one I think, because I'm quite sure I'm allowed to do it provided I'm not on their platform. Or maybe they'd try to get me on some anti-terrorism BS.

[samagon]

so long as you are on public land they can't really do anything to you.

[kylejack]

August Critical Mass is tomorrow, 7 PM from Tranquility Park, Smith @ Walker.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=122512207459

[jfre81]

Tonight around 7pm at the Memorial Hermann station a couple of METRO cops got on board and said "get your fares out" - beginning a sweep that took awhile because one old guy who sat down next to me had grabbed a receipt for a ticket but not the ticket itself. Anyway, the cops were being pretty belligerent towards him, but then one says he saw him buying the ticket. So I don't know what they were hassling him over. Anyway, I had my Q-Card out and had no problems, other than being held up for this check. Can't they just do the station checkpoints?

Between the cops' attitude and the delays, it's no wonder people say they don't want to ride METRO. As much as I support public transportation and its expansion in Houston I'm getting about convinced METRO is determined to make it not work.

[JamesL]

I think you mean Hermann Park/Rice University station since that is the one you picture and I went through the checkpoint, too.

I don't mind the ticket checks one bit since they only take a minute and with a valid fare item you have nothing to worry about. Plus, if they keep this blitz up long enough maybe the smelly bums will stop taking their free rides.

[jfre81]

Then Hermann Park station it is.

I don't mind when they do the checkpoints at the stations either.

FWIW, everyone around me apparently checked out as paid.

[samagon]

August Critical Mass is tomorrow, 7 PM from Tranquility Park, Smith @ Walker.

http://www.facebook....id=122512207459

It was a really good ride! Much better than the previous month.

[AtticaFlinch]

To the question about sweat, I have a handful of friends who bike into downtown from either Midtown, Montrose or the Heights. Their offices don't have showers either, but they make a stop at the Y and get a quick workout in before hitting the showers there. It's only a couple blocks to tunnel access from there so they hoof the remainder of the journey in the comfort of air-conditioning. They keep their bikes parked outside Chevron or the Y all day and they don't seem to have any problem with it.

As for the original question, I personally use the car all the time to commute and get around town. I reverse commute out to the beltway and I10 west, but I do it in a company car and my gas is completely covered as long as I stay within the greater Houston area. Also, with my job, I need to be able to leave the office and get on the road to any point in Houston at a moment's notice. For me, it just doesn't make any sense to even attempt a public transport option. If my job were more sedentary in nature and centrally located I would assuredly be on the bus or the train. And that's the other thing... my wife and I have moved from Montrose to Greenway, and even though we're still in the loop, walking and biking aren't as easily done anymore because there simply isn't as much stuff to do nearby.

[samagon]

To the question about sweat, I have a handful of friends who bike into downtown from either Midtown, Montrose or the Heights. Their offices don't have showers either, but they make a stop at the Y and get a quick workout in before hitting the showers there. It's only a couple blocks to tunnel access from there so they hoof the remainder of the journey in the comfort of air-conditioning. They keep their bikes parked outside Chevron or the Y all day and they don't seem to have any problem with it.

Another option for people on bikes, carry two towels, one wet, and one dry in addition to the office clothes. when you get to the office while changing to office attire, use the wet towel to clean up a bit, and the dry to, well, to dry off.

[totheskies]

So I'm not really riding my bike again yet, but still am managing to get to work without the car... I didn't even buy a parking pass this year for UofH. It's a 1.3 mile walk to the Eastwood transit center from my house, so I just hoof it there, and take the UH shuttle in to work. It's fine in the mornings... barely long enough to break a sweat. Afternoons however, that walk home is a total mess.

I've also started my work in downtown again, which is after my daytime work hours, and goes most nights from 7pm-10pm. I'm going to do Metro after work and just take is downtown... which leaves me getting home by either the 36 Lawndale or 40 Telephone. Thankfully, they both run late enough to ge me home after the rehearsals. Even when it cools off, I'm probably not going to take my bike just because I'd be riding home really late, and I don't want to leave my bike out unattended for that long.

Eastwood is an awesome neighborhood, but we need more grocery options. Combat Kroger just doesn't suffice.