The Urban Commuting Conundrum

Ah, city living. Seven years of monthly bus passes and packing myself into the sardine cans that careen down the San Francisco hills at 8am and wobble precariously back up at the end of the work day. Especially crowded commutes like the one I experienced this evening make me ponder moving to the suburbs and driving my car everywhere (sorry, environment.)

While I have absolutely no real interest in abandoning San Francisco, I am certainly not the only resident who bemoans their Muni (SF’s public transport provider) experience on a regular basis. Public transit is not this city’s strong suit and sometimes I really do feel too old to deal with the “quirks” of commuting downtown (excessive rush hour crowding, hopelessly indirect routes, generally smelly and grimy bus interiors.)

 I suppose this is a typical conundrum for all of us who choose to continue living in cities after we “grow up,” get married, and start families. I can’t be the only mother at my bus stop in the financial district planning my strategy to secure a spot on the next bus at all costs. Despite the growing crowd, I steel myself that my need to get on this bus far outweighs everyone else’s because I am a mom now and I have to get home to my baby.

Ultimately though, once I have reached my destination and elbowed my way off the bus, I always stop and take a moment to check out Coit Tower and the stunning view of North Beach below. Crossing the street home, I often smile at how quickly my frustration completely fades. There’s no denying I fell in love with San Francisco long ago and I wouldn't want to live or raise Cal anywhere else. The logistics involved with living in this city aren't always simple, but the best things in life don’t come easy, right?