Freaky Friday or, How to survive a transit breakdown
Take public transit in Greater Vancouver often enough and you’ll know that for the most part, it’s pretty decent. Things tend to run smoothly on a daily basis and the SkyTrain lines are your best friend for fast, reliable service.
Except when it isn’t.
My friend referred to today as “freaky Friday.” A short morning SkyTrain delay — ironically, the day I get a ride to the SkyTrain I end up getting to work later — due to a problem train, a fire in the Downtown Eastside, and later on, two apparently simultaneous events: a small plane crash in Richmond and a gas leak in Surrey right across from King George Station, the last stop on the Expo Line.
Our on-the-ball “resident news correspondent” in the studio (P has Reuters as his home page) was shocked to find out someone else heard about the plane crash first. Unfortunately, no one knew about the apparent gas leak and, regardless of whether it’s a true claim, the resulting road closures that at rush hour put the busy area into a panic. It was 4:30 pm when it happened and an hour later I left work completely oblivious to the challenges that I was to face in getting home.
“Please squeeze in a little bit more so I can get home tonight. Thank you!” I cheerily yelped with a serving of panic, standing outside a packed SkyTrain doorway with nowhere else to go. (Honestly, people, MOVE IN!) It was nearing the point at which I’d miss my bus and have to wait half an hour.
Time goes by and I’m barely able to hear the SkyTrain official’s voice describing the situation at King George: closed… gas leak… shuttle buses… Surrey Center… and repeat the useless half of the information. I’m annoyed at how quiet the announcement is and how no one seemed to quiet down to listen. (Maybe it’s the boy-who-cried-wolf conditioning of having a voice remind us to recycle our newspapers, every 15 or 20 minutes.) I try to relax.
We get to Columbia Station: lots of time. No problem, it only takes seven minutes. We cross the bridge and come to a standstill. Slowly, inch by inch we creep toward Scott Road. Eight or nine minutes later we arrive at Gateway and I realise we sure didn’t come a long way in that span of time because it’s ONLY Gateway. At last we get to Surrey Central about, hmm, 22 minutes after leaving Columbia. Time to brush up on arithmetic: I mentioned the trip time from Columbia to Surrey Central is seven minutes… Meanwhile I’m realising I can’t finish my crossword puzzle and am definitely going to miss the bus. Eventually I put away the shopping list I just wrote, hoping we’ll creep along a bit more so I’ll hardly have to wait.
Twenty-five minutes later I was about to suggest it was time to run for the other bus when my new best friend shows up behind the wheel of the 395! The last one of the night and my quickest way home. Heh, well… usually quick. I got in the door an hour and 20 minutes later. Yes, it took an hour and ten minutes to get from Surrey Central to my bus stop about 13 km away, normally a 20 minute ride. I couldn’t help but think that with more buses and less cars we’d have been in a better situation. Emergency crews closed at least two streets so we basically crept along and sat around for a good 40 minutes! At that point you can only joke and tell your honey you’ll be home “sometime tonight” and wonder if you’ll break any records.
For two and three-quarter hours, it didn’t break any records… in fact, it matched the one from last fall caused by debris but I assure you, THAT was a genuine nightmare. Really, the only bad part about tonight — quite honestly — was my right shoelace coming undone in the middle of the pouring rain with a tote bag over my shoulder and gloves on my hands. I cannot tie shoelaces with gloves on.
So what advice do I have?
Stay positive.
Smile. Laugh at how ridiculously long it’s taking or how hard it’s raining or how long the traffic line-up is. Be happy you’re on a comfortable, safe bus/SkyTrain. Don’t complain: it only makes it worse for yourself and your fellow passengers. Don’t harass the driver: he/she is just as happy to be stuck and they’re working. Be sure to thank them when you disembark. When you get home, marvel at how long it took or how wet you got instead of complaining. You’ll feel much better, I guarantee.
Keep yourself entertained.
Talk to your neighbours. Read, do a crossword or Sudoku. Listen to music. Talk to a friend on the phone. Count city blocks so you don’t get disoriented. Sleep?
Be prepared.
Keep a water bottle with you unless you’re a camel type that can survive long periods without water. A snack is good too, and helps to cure boredom. Always use the toilet before you head out. Know where you are and where you’re going. Most of all: dress for the weather!
