The Perils of Public Transit

"Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy" (zipppyart) 01/13/2014 at 21:04 • Filed to: None

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On the way home today, my bus broke down halfway from college...

(that's not the bus that broke down, don't worry)

I have a bit of a dislike for my local transit system, as a student of limited income,

compared to other places I've seen, it's expensive. I'd also prefer to spend this money on other things.

Since the next bus was 30 minutes away, I decided to walk the rest of the way. It turned out to be quite an adventure on foot, I walked on the side of the road, dodging the more fortunate, until I could reach a gravel path that cuts through the woods, which I frequent when riding my bike.

That path was covered with at least a foot of slippery, compacted snow. Riding that path by bicycle on a summer's night with a flashlight strapped to my handlebars is one thing, but walking all alone on that tedious path on a slushy winter evening is a completely different story.

As it got darker and darker, the tedious, lifeless path felt longer than ever, until I saw a deer casually walking down the path into another section of the forest. After that point, I decided to clumsily sprint for a few meters, until the slippery-ness of the path became too much.

After 45 minutes of various attempts to get home quicker, I finally reached a road crossing. Unfortunately, there was a big snow bank on either side of the road, so I decided to run across the empty street (traffic lights were in my favour) to get enough momentum to get over to the other side where the path continued, and to the exit from the path so I could get to my neighbourhood.

After finally getting off the path and finally getting into the suburbs of my neighbourhood, I had to avoid many deep puddles of slush and water, as my hiking boots aren't meant for winter. Just as I get a block away from my place, my mother calls me, asking if I'm fine and whatnot, I respond, and tell her it's all good, and I was nearby.

After about an hour of walking to get home, I'm greeted by a relieved mother hugging and kissing me, and asking me why I didn't call her, I responded with "I didn't want to interrupt your plans." she decided to praise me for my independence, and that was that..

TL:DR - Taking the bus is a bitch, especially if they break down on you. I got a good hour's walk out of it.

thebigbossyboss > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/13/2014 at 21:11

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Hey man it's Ottawa. Not to make light of the past incidents...but it could have been way way worse.

Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy > thebigbossyboss 01/13/2014 at 21:12

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This.

N/A POWAAAHH > Zipppy, Mazdurp builder, Probeski owner and former ricerboy 01/13/2014 at 21:23

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At least it wasn't NY or Toronto. Ottawa can't be too bad, but that sounds like quite the adventure!

thebigbossyboss > N/A POWAAAHH 01/14/2014 at 07:18

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Oh Ottawa...