Suffering from Extraordinary-Public-Transit Envy

The Epistelesslogical Rupture is pleased to return to the blogosphere to commemorate a 10-day trip to Japan in January with the Epistelesslogical Rupture's significant other.

The Epistelesslogical Rupture had a particularly interesting experience of public transit in Japan, and would like to share some reflections, observations, and concerns.

Act I.
The Quasi Humorous Anecdote.

If you’ve ever been on the Chicago Transit Authority's elevated train system (the El), you’ve experienced the stumbling drunk train effect. This is that jerky, uncoordinated, toddler-walking movement that the trains make frequently when they start, while they accelerate or slow down, and when they stop. It’s an effect that causes Olympic gold medal gymnasts to lose their balance unless they are anchored to a grip of some sort. This happens, on a ride of about 10 minutes on the El, approximately five times. In the Epistelesslogical Rupture's 10 days of train riding in Japan, it happened once.

This was because someone ran across the tracks at an approaching crosswalk, after the pedestrian crossing gates had already closed. An off-train sensor at the crosswalk transmitted an emergency signal to the train, automatically applying the emergency brakes (without the train operator needing to do anything). We did not come to a screeching halt. We stopped slightly abruptly, but no one in my line of sight lost her/his balance. The train operator apologized profusely to the passengers, and explained what had happened. We were moving again – smoothly and quietly – a few seconds later.

Act II.
A Miracle in Springfield.

During the Epistelesslogical Rupture's trip to Japan, the Illinois legislature finally was able to craft a long-term funding solution for the Chicagoland mass transit system. This was wonderful news for the Epistelesslogical Rupture, as neither the Epistelesslogical Rupture nor the Significant Other of the Epistelesslogical Rupture own a car, and both the Epistelesslogical Rupture and the Significant Other of the Epistelesslogical Rupture rely on a combination of 90% walking, biking and public transit (CTA, Metra and Pace), about 5% on a car-sharing service (i-go car sharing), and 5% accepting rides from friends.

While Illinois Rep. Julie Hamos ( and other lawmakers) were busy saving Chicagoland public transit from international embarrassment in the press in the neverending cycle of doomsday scenarios that had become reminiscent of the plot of Groundhog Day, the Epistelesslogical Rupture and the Significant Other of the Epistelesslogical Rupture were moving around Japan in comfort and economy (it was economical only because no bullet trains this trip).

Act III.
Sermonette.

Such is the difference
between a country
where public transit is really for
the people

and a country
where public transit is for
those people,
poor people,
homeless people,
crazy people,
and smelly people.

Such is the difference
between a densely populated country
where the "convenience" of a car for every person
would be a logistical impossibility,
and public transit is a necessity,

and a s p r a w l i n g country
where the automobile has become a symbol of freedom,
in many places is a necessity for survival,
and where public transit is considered a burden upon society,
a privilege for the unfortunate, unblessed, carless.

Act IV.
Epilogue.

Since the spring of 1995, when the Epistelesslogical Rupture spent a semester abroad in Strasbourg, France, and traveled to 51 cities in 15 countries from France to Liechtenstein to Poland, without ever using an automobile (okay, that's a white lie -- I think I took two cabs; and twice, my host mother drove us to dinner in her car), the Epistelesslogical Rupture has yearned for the sort of freedom that accompanies such an integrated, well-funded system of transportation.

The Epistelesslogical Rupture looks forward to working with Rep. Julie Hamos, Richard Harnish (Midwest High Speed Rail Association and the Transit Riders Alliance), the National Association of Railway Passengers, and others, in an effort to expand and advocate for public transit, and to make existing transit work better, and more efficiently, for more people.