Commuters (drivers) into NYC...

With all the toll-hikes this morning and the media coverage of it...it had me thinking...

WHY DO PEOPLE DRIVE INTO NYC?

I'm not talking about people that HAVE to drive in due to disabilities, etc.

For example, they interviewed a gentleman who lives in Jersey City, and then drives into Downtown, NYC....he drives into the city M-Th, and was complaining about the traffic and tolls! Jersey City is LITERALLY a 3 minute PATH ride from Downtown, NYC...

Unless of course, I live under a rock, would some enlighten me as to why someone would commute to work in NYC, when there is Public Transportation available?

p.s. I used to commute (in my car) from Bklyn to Stamford, CT - driving my car was easier than taking two trains into Grand Central (1.5 hrs) and then MetroNorth into CT (1 hr.); But - there were no tolls, and it was a reverse commute...

Re: Commuters (drivers) into NYC...

DH commutes from queens to jersey every day, so the toll hike is going to affect him BIG TIME.

I don't understand why people who COULD take mass transit, don't

I WISH I could take a train or bus to work. I'd get to read more.

Re: Commuters (drivers) into NYC...

my husband and I wonder the same thing. we drive in once in a while, if we are going away for the weekend and leaving right from work, but I could not imagine drving in everyday!!

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my BIL sometimes drives. He lives in central Nassau & works near Columbus Circle. He usually only drives if he has to work a weekend, but he hates being such a slave to the train schedule. He leaves at a certain time, but then has to catch the right subway train or he misses the train back home and then has to wait 45 minutes for the next one. So although for some areas public transportation is very efficient and accessible, for some stations during some hours it is not.

He gets off of work at 3:30 or so, and the trains are not as frequent.

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i have a friend who works in the city.
she drives in from morris county, NJ every day. for her, she has to be at work at like 5 AM... and then leaves around 2 PM or so. There just aren't the right trains running at that time for her. She doesn't mind it though because shes going at very off times and rarely hits traffic at all.

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I know some people who just think the subway is dirty. I have the same situation you used to have I live in Westchester, but I just can't take Metro north, because it would take me 1.5 hours jst to get to grand central, then another hour or more to get upstate, then a 20 minute walk. I really can't have a 3 hour commute, but I wish I had an alternative to driving.

There's also EZstreets, carpool van, but there is no route for me at this time.

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Message edited 3/3/2008 10:02:29 AM.

Re: Commuters (drivers) into NYC...

Re: Commuters (drivers) into NYC...

i live about 20 minutes away from work, but with traffic, it takes me anywhere from 30-45 minutes.

even though there are no tolls, if i could take public transportation, i would, if only to save on gas and wear and tear on my car. unfortunately, there is no LIRR stop by my office, and to take the bus to work would take me about 2 hours - it's just not orth it.

ETA: i mentioned in another post that i would love to get DH to take the train to work in Queens, but i think the cost of transportation each month wuold equal what we pay in gas, and he likes the convenience of being able to drive.

Message edited 3/3/2008 10:15:36 AM.

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I ask myself the same question every day! I understand why the people who don't work normal hours do but, I don't understand why some people choose to.

I find the train relaxing, I do some work, read, or sleep when I'm on it.

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I only drive in when I have Dr. appointments and I want to bash my head into the dashboard.

I don't know how people do it every day.