Don’t just gripe,
do somethingUntil a few days ago, when I moved from Kailua to Kapolei, I carpooled to town every day with a coworker. Since Honolulu city bus drivers have been striking, I've learned something about people's attitudes toward commuting.
Except during a crisis such as a transit strike, most people refuse to consider carpooling. They think it's inconvenient -- they won't be able to stop at the store, meet a friend for drinks or run errands after work. Well, how often do you do any of those things, anyway? Even if you share a ride just one or two days a week, you're saving gas and/or parking money, freeing up a parking space, helping to conserve finite natural resources and reducing pollution. Aren't those reasons enough to at least try sharing a ride a couple of days a week?
OK, here are two more: You'll get to know someone and the conversation will take your mind off traffic. Make friends and ease your aggravation -- what more could you want?
I'll check into taking TheBus to work as soon as the drivers either get back on the road or are replaced with people who actually need jobs. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to the return of the Leeward passenger ferry.
Nancy Christenson
nchristenson@starbulletin.comSee the Columnists section for some past articles.
