Long Day's Journey Into Plight: Stephen Dare & JTA 2

[Metro Jacksonville]

Long Day's Journey Into Plight:  Stephen Dare & JTA 2



One of the most popular threads in the history of the Metro Jacksonville.com forums was the daily journal kept by Stephen Dare when he decided to stop driving cars and go green.

As he struggled to find a way to use only the mass transit options offered in the city of Jacksonville, the journal got at times hilarious.

This is one of the most popular stories of Stephen Dare's attempt to use Jacksonville Mass Transit.

The Equestrian Center Caper.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-jul-long-days-journey-into-plight-stephen-dare-jta-2

[jbroadglide]

Stephen, first of all that was so well written I am in awe..and I don't mean that in a sarcastic way. In awe that you aren't making the Times Union a much better place..secondly I can not believe that a bus driver treated you or anyone else that badly. I hope he no longer has a job in customer service since its obvious he is sorely lacking in any customer service skills whatsoever. For myself after 5 years off public transit I am once again using the services of JTA. My office was moved downtown and the cheapest parking I could find is out at the convention center..so a 10 minutes ride on the Skyway to my office is now in my communting schedule every day, which really isn't all that bad.
Looking forward to the next installment.

[Abhishek]

I am wondering if a bicycle would have complemented Stephen Dare's expedition well.

[Cliffs_Daughter]

OMG, wow... what a story! I love reading your submissions, and boy am I sorry for you about this trip. I've never had to deal with anything like that on JTA. But then, I don't ride it anymore.

My husband DOES every day now. He rides in with my son and I downtown, I drop him off at the bus depot, and he rides the L7 toward the Avenues. It works out well for us during the week.

I just really REALLY wish they'd consider a route that crosses the Buckman from Westside to Mandarin/Southside. Surprisingly, they don't have anything in that area.

[CrysG]

"I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I'm pretty sure I screamed like a bitch and began hauling panicked ass."

I couldn't stop laughing at that line, I sat here laughing so hard tears were rolling down my face.

[TD*]

That was so well written I could see the bus driver, the deer and your panic stricken day in full imagination. I love it. and It serves JTA right, get your stuff in gear and build a rail system!

[BridgeTroll]

This is the third or fourth time I have read it and I crack up every time... and I know Stephen so I get a better visual!

[RiversideLoki]

I am wondering if a bicycle would have complemented Stephen Dare's expedition well.

He would have been run over on Normandy.

[JaxNative68]

Vivid cerebral descriptions were produced all through this article.  I thoroughly enjoyed the read, keep writing.

[stephendare]

Thanks everyone for the comments!  And no kidding about what would happen to a bicyclist on Normandy, Riverside Loki.

I particularly like this passage:

"This is ridiculous, and you know what, im going to write about this."  I told him.   "And while you don't know who the hell I am, I'm actually doing a series of articles about the JTA and its service."

This last bit, far from fanning down the fire had the same effect as throwing gasoline in copious amounts over the top of a well lit barbecue.

The driver began bellowing and actually got up out of his seat.

I quickly, desperately, redialed the number to customer service, squirming uncomfortably through the 'all of our customer service representatives are busy with other customers' message.  If I was about to be savagely beaten to death on a public bus, at least there would be a lone witness.

Well maybe not much of a witness, but at least they would hear my final moments.  Maybe someone would be concerned enough to search the bus for signs of a struggle if not a body.

I glumly considered how easy it would be for this maniac to dispose of my corpse.  He would probably feed it to that demonic deer.  He seemed like the sort.  Him and the deer, gloating over my final demise.  The image just burned me up.  Well, I wasn't going to go into that good night without a fight.....

If I had to, I would tell on him.

[JaxNative68]

I can see James Earl Jones playing the role of the bus driver in the movie, if it were to be made.

[Tripoli1711]

Steven-

Do we have any epilogue on what happened to the driver?  Was he disciplined in any fashion?  Has he figured out who YOU are?  Have you figured out who HE is?  Just curious.

[stephendare]

I would naturally be played by Carrot Top.  Or Phillip Seymore Hoffman, with Chris Rock doing the voice overs.

Trip, to be honest, the experience was such a disaster that I don't think I ever actually discussed it with Ms. Brooks to follow up.  She assured me it was being taken care of.  It was mostly just too embarrassing to talk about for them.  All the elements too vivid, too obvious.  Rehashing it would have been to belabor the point.  Besides how do you fairly respond to behavior like this?  Firing followed by deportation to some distant salt mine?

In the cosmic scale, I would imagine he would have preferred this last outcome to having to drive the two hours back to town with me on the bus, cautiously exuding smugness.

I do know that the busdriver is concretely aware of this set of articles.

As many in the JTA are.  I know everytime we visit, there is some good natured discussion about my flight from the Deer.  (a species that I no longer have much sympathy for, I might add)

FSUJax knows a few people over at the  JTA, perhaps he knows what happened.

[BridgeTroll]

 

(a species that I no longer have much sympathy for, I might add)

[TheProfessor]

Riveting article.  I feel so bad for you.  I have never heard of such things happening in Jacksonville.  I suppose that is because I grew up in Arlington and it is a bit more urbanized than the deep reaches of the Westside.  I will make sure I never walk around on the Westside for sure!