Metro Rail Myths

Do you ride the Metro Rail in Los Angeles? It's the subway. "Wait," you say; "L.A. doesn't have a subway!" Really? Then I'm here to share my experiences riding the magical train to Harry Potterland or wherever it is I go after burrowing into the ground at 7th/Metro and whhhooooosh off to Hollywood. Or the Valley. Or East L.A. Or Long Beach. Or the Airport. Or...never mind.

In Los Angeles, we have a real split about this. People west of La Brea mostly think we've wasted enormous amounts of money building the trains, and would like to halt any further construction, using the money (and it takes plenty to build the trains) for other things. So, I'd like to address a few myths, one by one.

1. Nobody rides it. I invite you to 7th/Metro station at rush hour to witness people cramming every last square inch on the red line and the blue line. Other times of day have more than enough riders to justify the train running.

2. "We should just widen/double deck the freeways." We already did that. In a few months, any difference it made was absorbed. For every person you see on the train, likely one less car on the freeways.

3. "Only low-life scumbags ride public transportation." I'm here to tell you the whole spectrum rides the train. In my neighborhood, you'll find everything from Aston Martin owners to a whore with one shoe. We all ride the train. And stop insulating yourself, being around a diverse group of people makes you more interesting.

4. "We've fought to keep that thing from coming into our neighborhood." Congrats, you have gridlock. Also, it's coming weather you want it or not. They're building it as we speak. Welcome to the 21st Century.

5. "But it doesn't go anywhere I want to go. I can't really use it." Two things here...one, our public transportation has plenty of shortcomings but are being diligently worked out. At a time when other cities were adapting their systems to shifting demographics and populations, we were completely dismantling ours. Give 'em a chance. If you really want the "put the car away" lifestyle, you may have to move. Your neighbors on the west side sealed your fate. Or wait for a bus line that doesn't run as often as you like, not the choice you want to hear.

6. Ideal places to live if you want to park your car? Downtown is number one. I drive my car once a week, for grocery shopping. Other than that, I live within walking or Red Line distance of everything I need. My husband takes a nice clean commuter bus to work. He likes to read books and play on his iPhone while rolling up the Santa Monica Freeway. Los Feliz is great because you have the big, upscale homes a short distance from the Red Line. Studio City works, as it has free park and ride, and Hollywood has to be the most PT friendly place in the whole Los Angeles area...after downtown.

The train isn't our enemy, it's our friend. And getting out of our cars won't kill us.