Metrolink Haters

Last night I was lucky enough to attend my second Cardinals / Cubs game in a row (thanks to a couple of good friends sharing good and free tickets). Mr. Lush and I always ride the Metrolink to the games - we live about 2 miles from a park and ride stop and its just nice to get dropped off at the stadium. Well, last night Mr. Lush was busy and he was going to be late, so I rode the Metrolink alone.

Question- what goes through your head right now? Are you think I’m going to tell a tale of mugging? Near mugging? Improper behavior? Criminal activity aboard the public transportation?

Nope. Nothing happened. Just a bunch of Cardinal (and a couple Cubs) fans riding along. One I got to the game, few people inquired how it was riding the Metrolink, implying it was full of crime and horrible to ride and oh my god you have to wait forever after the game. Uh, not really, but sure, public transportation does lend itself to more crime, just keep your purse/backpack/etc close. Really the only unpleasant thing about it is that since a recent proposition to increase sales tax to fund the Metrolink didn’t pass, they’ve had to make cutbacks. (The only reason it didn’t pass is because at that moment, gas was sooooo reasonable and now…its climning back up!) Thus, after the game instead of extra trains, they hold trains back so everyone can pack in. So, you wait for the train for about 10-15 minutes (Mr. Lush and I will often use this opportunity to have a post game drink and wait for the crowd to die down) then you’re on your way.

I digress. I rode the Metrolink there but on the way home I rode with Mr. Lush, who parked about 6 blocks away for $4. We took a back way to the highway and didn’t hit too much traffic and when he dropped me off at the Metrolink station to get my car. Guess what had already arrived by the time we got there? In the time that it took us to leave the game, walk 6 blocks, get out of the parking lot, hit one block of traffic and drove directly there, the Metrolink train had already arrived and those people were in their cars, leaving the parking lot.

The moral of the story? Don’t be a Metrolink Hater and don't be so quick to judge public transportation – and for the love of god, next time a proposition comes up, vote for the ½ of 1% of sales tax or whatever piddly amount it takes to help it! Public transportation is great - I wish we had more of it so we didn't have to worry about who's driving after a night out!