I am left with many questions after this second bad experience. What kind of world class city stops running its subway system at just after midnight on a Friday night? How can we expect our fellow Angelenos to give up their cars when a ride home is not guaranteed? Is it any wonder that our freeways seem to be permanently clogged?
As I swear off public transportation, I realize that I am privileged enough to be able to make that decision. What about my fellow citizens who have no other option? There are those who require buses and trains to get to work and have access to needed services throughout the city. They deserve a clean and reliable system that is available to them at all times. A poorly functioning public transportation system is nothing but an inconvenience for me, but for them, it is an anchor that helps keep them in poverty. We need to demand better from our politicians.
Carl Petersen is a parent advocate for students with special education needs and public education. He was elected to the Northridge East Neighborhood Council and is the Education Chair. As a Green Party candidate in LAUSD's District 2 School Board race, he was endorsed by Network for Public Education (NPE) Action. Dr. Diane Ravitch has called him "a valiant fighter for public schools in Los Angeles." For links to his blogs, please visit www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com. Opinions are his own.
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