also checking Google maps for crowd density at a location and timing my visit accordingly, yeah I get it
If I’m taking public transportation, I am entrusting my destiny in the hands of a bureaucracy. If my car is nearby and my keys are in my pocket, I am relieved of that anxiety.
I don’t drive, so no. I get anxious over plenty of other things though, like not knowing the toilet situation.
Do you get anxious about if they’re going to have secure bike parking or are you normal?
Cause I don’t trust leaving my bike or scooter outside anywhere.
I don’t think it’s considered abnormal to be concerned about your bike getting stolen.
FWIW, not to say that driving is better, but it’s not like taking public transit to an unfamiliar place doesn’t also have its own anxieties. How frequently does it run, how reliable is the schedule, how many transfers will I have to make, how close can it bring me to my destination/how walkable is the neighborhood, etc.
The world would be perfect if everything you needed was within biking distance.
I search either parking or public transport or both to see how to move around the places I go, to every place I wanna visit. I find it crazy that people don’t to this, it’s not even anxiety it’s common sense. I have limited time there and if I can’t go to X because I didn’t plan I would have wasted so much money and time it isn’t even funny.
Ugh, so true. Bus routes in my area are designed and timed for when traffic was likely
10-20℅OK, let’s be generous and say “less than half” of what street traffic is currently. Buses will skip stops just to make the terminal time work. Gotta be somewhere on time? Good luck.The metro is better, sure but just hope there’s no… Well, I don’t want to doxx myself, but suffice it to say it’s not perfect, either.
american public transit = busses dont run after 1:26pm, the last train is also the first train, there are no bike racks, and there are 4 parking spots.
choose wisely :p
Also one person is parking in two of the spots.
Do you not worry about a safe place to keep your bicycle when you get somewhere?
In the US I definitely do, which in addition to the place I live just not being very bike-friendly, is a contributing reason why I regrettably don’t take my bike out all that much here.
When I used to live in Fuzhou, though, a bike was the easiest way to get around…as long as you never needed to leave the city. I kept it locked up when I went places, so I wasn’t too worried about it being stolen, but I’d probably need to get a more durable lock if I used a bike the same way in the US as I did there.
We have an express line that runs at least every 15 minutes from one side to the other, it’s awesome, I wouldn’t consider getting on another one of our buses though and it’s free for me.
I don’t…but I also don’t NEED to park as close as possible to whatever venue. I’ll park blocks away and walk if I need to. I find people will circle parking lots for a long time just to be close to the doors to whatever…
the funniest is the gym people. they can’t walk the parking lots to get to the gym. they must be close. beyond stupid
I appreciate the sober take here.
But I am also amazed how people completely don’t account time wasted on parking etc they look at travel time as time in car, not door to door.
It’s parking… It’s really not a big deal.
You say that, until your destination is in the middle of a city center, with no street parking or dedicated parking lot. So you have to drive around desperately looking for a public parking lot or garage that isn’t absurdly expensive, while navigating tight streets with heavy traffic. And which way do you go? You can try to pull out your phone and search “Parking”, but the results are not always very clear, and it’s dangerous to do while driving with traffic all around you. And, wait, is that a parking garage? No, that’s actually a private garage for the nearby apartments and now the cars behind you are honking because you slowed down trying to figure out if you could get into aforementioned garage. And, boy, you are sure getting pretty far away from your original destination; this can’t be right, certainly there’s something closer. Maybe you should circle back and look again? But you’re getting close to being late for whatever appointment/event/meetup time is bringing you to this area, and circling around might eat up valuable time that could be saved if you just went with the next available garage. Oh wait! There’s a public garage! Oh nevermind, that one closes at 8 and your event will last beyond that so you wouldn’t be able to get your car out until the next morning. Too bad you didn’t figure that out until you were already pulled up at the gate, and now there’s a car behind you, so you can’t back out. Guess you’ll just have to take a ticket and immediately exit. Oh great, there’s a minimum $10 charge; but that’s fine, you can just push that button to call someone and explain the situation and have them let you out, but they don’t seem to be answering and now there’s a car behind you waiting for you to leave and you’re still running late for your event and you still don’t know where to go.
But sure. It’s just parking. It’s really not a big deal. Who needs to look things up beforehand, right?
Been there done that.
All that anxiety went away when I learned my cities transit system. Busses and trains, I never worry about parking now. I go downtown frequently now without issue. Sporting events, concerts, it’s not a concern for me. Just stop driving.
Conflating going places and driving gives me the ick.
Yes, it seems like most car destinations are non-places, liminal.zones that nobody actually cares about, a kind weedy, bland growth around cities that can burn down and re-grow without any human quality or anybody even really noticing. The Targets and Outback Steakhouses of the world.
Most of the places in my city predate cars.
Cars are a drug, “normal” has no meaning here.
Finding parking and then fitting your car into a narrow space is logically a very stressful task with major consequences for absentminded failure.
Every mode of transport has some quirks if you’re unfamiliar with the space.
- Walking: is it too far, uphill for my ability, with environmental or manmade obstacles? Is the weather good enough for a longer walk?
- Cycling/E-bikes: Is there a place to lock a bike or will I have to find a nearby pole? Is it okay if I’m sweaty at the end? How often do bikes get stolen and do they take wheels or seatposts? How is the road network getting there, do car drivers even know I exist in this city?
- Bus/Train: How often does it come? How reliable is the schedule? Is construction or weather affecting my route? Do I have an alternate way back if it’s delayed or I leave late?
- Car: Where to park and how expensive is it? Is car theft rampant? How is traffic? Is there a detour route if there’s a special event or construction?
- Taxi, Hiring a Ride: How much does it usually cost? Can the taxi go that far? Is it going the right way? (There’s GPS now so less of a concern.) Does the driver take cash or credit?
That said once familiar, bus and biking is a lot less stressful, so is a taxi but that’s expensive.
Folding bikes, skateboards, and some scooters can come in with you (at least in some places).
Sent this to my SO because she definitely relates. Funny thing is I feel the same way if I don’t know where I am, but anytime I am going somewhere new I pull up the location on satellite view and find all the parking areas.
Wish I lived somewhere with viable public transit. I hate driving.
Also ITT fuckcars is leaking
I take public transit or walk almost everywhere. It’s not very stressful. I’d like to bike more, but there are too many cars and not enough separated bike lanes.
CitiBike, a bike rental service in NYC, is pretty good. You don’t have to worry about locking your bike up or storing it. You just pick one up, ride it, and return it. Unfortunately it’s kind of pricey and run for profit, and sometimes there aren’t enough bikes (or too many bikes, and no docks to return yours to). And the bikes aren’t the highest quality. Also, as always, the cars really sour the whole experience. But I think a public run bike rental service would be good.
Given that parking spaces for cars are codified by law in the US and Canada, and there’s more than enough for every fucking car, I don’t think there any anxiety to have over this.
I prefer cycling everywhere. I have panniers and different trailers. However, I have gotten my bike stolen while I was in a Walmart where the bike rack was located on the side of the store.
Also, lots of suburban places will have 32 spaces for parking a car, but not one place to lock a bike securely.
Sometimes I end up using a shared bike just because I dont know where I could securely lock mine once arrived.
