Mass-transit machiavelli

To get around NYC efficiently, one learns the ways they dont tell you in the brochures.

Not only which trains to take, but which stations to take them, which ones to switch to, which ones to avoid etc etc. You dont simply take a bus or train directly to your destination.

This is knowledge that is hard earned, which indelibly makes you a new yorker if you live there for any length of time.

This applies to all the cities ive lived in. And so it is for San Francisco. especially so in san francisco, which, although small and possessing one of the naions most superb mass-transit systems, is not what one would call a linear city, which actually makes it a bitch to get around, if you dont know whats what.

Look at a map of the place; north, south, east and west seems to a straightforward matter. Practical experience will school you that all isnt as it seems.

Frinstance, I live on Valencia street and fifteenth in the sprawling Mission District. A more centrally located place would be hard to find. Within two blocks i have a myriad of transportation options. Subways, streetcars and no less than 7 bus lines. I can get to almost any point in the bay area by mass-transit from there.

During the day, the bus system - commonly called Muni - will get me to within two blocks of almost any point in the city.
Easy, right? Jump any bus that appears and ride quickly and easily to any other point.

Heh. no.. Calculations of almost machiavellian magnitude are required to get you from point A and B within an efficient manner.

So, say i need to get to, lessee, ah, yes Clint - the flagship Apple store at the corners of stockton and ellis.

A distance in a straight line of roughly 14 city blocks, and if the planets are aligned, get there within a swift 7-10 minutes.
Sweet, huh?
Choose the wrong options, incur the wrath of the transit gods it can be a wretched journey of an HOUR. Walking or riding.

I wish i was kidding about that.

so, when i walk out of my building, I actually stop for a full 30 seconds and throw metaphorical blades of grass into the wind to determine the direction i go.

In New York, the efficient decision making process to go from Brooklyn to work in midtown Manhattan might go like this;

"Go to Nostrand and Stirling, catch the #2 or #5 train, get off at the Nevins Street platform NOT Atlantic Avenue to catch the #4, get off at Chambers street in Manhattan to catch the #2 AGAIN for it will now run express to midtown, get off at 34th street cross the platform to the local line to catch the #1 local line and get off at 50th street, get out of station and go to the coffee cart for my bagel."

See? Simple. The bagel and coffee equation was actually a factor of time, because that meant I got to work on time. :)

Same thing here.

To get to the Apple store, I could catch the #26 to fifth avenue and walk 2 blocks over to stockton. 20 - 30 minutes. Or walk up to 16th and catch the #22 to market and church, transfer to the f-market streetcar and get there in about 30 - 40 minutes. Catch the #14 which comes every 5 minutes, and get off at fifth. 15-25 minutes.

OR, now having learned my lesson - simply go to the 16th and Mission BART subway station, catch any train get off two stops later at Powell, walk out the northern exit, cross the street and im in the temple. 10-15 minutes.

No stress, no fuss.

Took awhile to figure this out.

Let me not get started about walking in this non-linear town.