the problem with commuting in a transit-less city

If you don’t live near a train station, you can’t use Atlanta’s excuse for a mass transit system. If I wanted to get to work without a car, Google Maps actually says “take a cab to x bus stop”, and I’d have to transfer three times. That’s to go 13 miles. If I worked downtown, I couldn’t even take the bus to the express bus station that’s only six miles away; I’d have to drive there, wait for the bus, ride on it for an hour, and then walk a mile to work.

It’s so much faster just to drive.

I work 13 miles away from home. My shift is generally 8:45-5:45. My departure options in the morning are:

• Leave home at 7:30; get there at 8:00; park right up front.
• Leave home at 7:45; get there at 8:30; park in the “green” spots (I have a Prius).
• Leave home at 8:00; get there at 9:00; park in Outer Mongolia.
• Leave home at 8:10; get there at 8:40 unless there’s an accident, in which case I get there at 9:15; park in Outer Mongolia.
• Leave home at 8:15; get there at 9:00; park in Outer Mongolia.
• Leave home at 8:30; get there at 9:00 unless there’s an accident, in which case I get there at 9:30; park in Outer Mongolia.

So, either I leave at 7:30 and sit there for 45 minutes, or I gamble and leave at 8:10.

I wish I could just take the train.