Have you ever been on a buss in Vancouver and looked around to see what kind of people you are surrounded by? The answer to this question has somewhat surprised me. Ever since I got to Vancouver I have noticed that 90% of those using the Translink system are either students or people of a lower social status. This might not be shocking to all you Vancouverites, but to me as an international student from Norway, it sure was. I am form a small town outside Norway’s capital, Oslo (about 45 minutes drive). In my hometown it is very common to take the bus to work, even though you make more than enough money to have your own car. There might be several reasons for this. Firstly, on the road going form my hometown to Oslo it’s always a lot of traffic in the morning. The bus, however, is allowed to drive in a special lane for busses and taxis. Therefore, it is often faster to take the bus in the morning then driving a car. Also, I know that a lot of people enjoy taking the bus because they can do stuff like reading the paper or preparing for a meeting, or simply just get some extra sleep. These are both reasons that can be related to Vancouver, and would be good reasons to take public transportation to work here as well. So why is it that rare using public transportation to work here? I think the main answer to this question is that it’s considered to be a sign of lower status. I can’t really understand why. But just think about it. How often do you see someone wearing a suit on the bus?
2 comments:
To be honest, I can agree with you for the most part. Those from with jobs that require a certain image feel the need to consume conspicuously and show their wealth through their fancy Lexuses and BMWs, however, to be fair, as with any case, not everyone is like this.
The reason you may not see very many business suits on public transit is probably because on regular days, you're headed AWAY from the business district. Ever taken the skytrain at 7:30 in the morning? I have, or I've tried anyways. It's impossible to head downtown during this busy commuting time, and I'd say 90% of the people trying to shove on are in business attire.
I agree with Jenny. I commute from White Rock to Metrotown in rush hour and the buses are all suits and business people, although on the days I leave at 5:30 it's usually mostly construction workers.
Going downtown from Surrey on the train is also lots and lots of the same.
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