Bfth's Bus Adventure...

 

So, as you may know (because I wrote about it:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2026/01/snow-and-ice.html), we've had some snow this month.  It doesn't matter where you live, we've gotten SNOW (and ICE).  You also may know that I split my time between PA and NJ and while the mountains in PA got more snow than NJ, there was still a LOT of snow (and ICE).

As you might also know, I commute from my home in NJ to an office in Newark, NJ several days a week.  This particular week because of the snow and ICE (temperatures preventing both from melting), I only needed to go in one day. Here's how it went...

I took an "extended lunch" so that I could drive from PA to NJ during the "heat of the day".  (Which of course wasn't very warm at all.)  That way I could clearly see the roads and do some snow clean up in NJ during daylight hours.  (We are blessed to have neighbors who helped us out by clearing out our walkway and driveway.)

Yesterday, I got up and prepared to head to the bus stop.  It was frigid, so I was dressed appropriately.  I have my choice of two bus routes I want to take.  One picks up/drops off closer to my house, but does not run as frequently as the other which picks up/drops off slightly farther away.  I chose to take the bus that picks up closer to my house because it was so cold out.  I know it can be tricky for the bus driver to see me because immediately after picking me up on the right side of the road, the bus has to get into the far left lane to make a turn.  It's less tricky now than previously as there is now a traffic light at the corner, which I am extremely grateful for.  (Getting across the street at the end of the day was challenging to say the least and relatively dangerous.)

While the sidewalks were shoveled (and thanks to my neighbors at the end of the block who shoveled cut outs at the curb so people can cross), when I got to the intersection where I would catch the bus, it was not.  Where the bus stop sign is was buried in snow.  So I stood on the "shoulder" while waiting for the bus.  I probably COULD have stood on the walk in front of the business that is there as the snow pile was pretty low, but I didn't.  I had no real trouble and was happy when the bus arrived.

Now people may complain about NJ Transit (and sometimes I am one of them), but the driver that morning was extremely courteous.  He made sure to stop in places where people could actually get on the bus without having to climb over piles of snow and ICE.  (Because ICE is more treacherous than snow in most cases.)  He positioned his stop at the light rail station so that I could get off where there was a cut off and made sure no one got on until I and other passengers got off.

From there it was down the stairs (well salted stairs) to the light rail station and only a few minutes wait till the light rail pulled in and delivered me to Newark Penn Station.  I was at my desk by 7:45.  Again, no complaints from me regarding NJ Transit.

I knew getting home from work would be more difficult as temperatures dropped, so I asked if I could leave early, which was approved.  

Leaving was easy.  I had no problem with the light rail.  Buses were slightly delayed, but that was dealable.  The first bus that came by was the one that would drop me off farther away from my house, but I ASSumed I'd be okay.

All was well until I reached my stop.  The driver stopped at the car dealership's driveway,  so I could get out easily, but...the path only led to my right (heading west) where I wanted to go left (heading east to the intersection).  So once the bus had pulled away, I walked in the street up to the intersection.  I could see that the sidewalk was shoveled, but there was no way to access it.

I ASSumed, that once I got to the intersection, there would be a cut out and I could get back on the sidewalk.   I ASSumed incorrectly.  Again, I could see the sidewalk, but I couldn't get to it.  So now I had to turn the corner and walk in another street.  Just one problem; it is several lanes and the one I am walking in is the right turn lane.  Cars are coming down and trying to turn right.  There is nowhere for me to go.  With the snow piles on the side and cars coming down, there is not enough room for me.  So...I walk (sort of) in the next lane over, straddling the right lane and the middle lane.  Not the safest thing to do, but at least it's light out.  (For context it was about 3:30).

This wasn't great, but was working until this big truck came at me.  He was yelling at me to get to his right (my left), but there was no way I could squeeze between his truck and the piles of snow/ice.  I know I am not thin, but even a stick figure couldn't manage it.  So I walked by while being yelled at and continued in the street until I hit the driveway of the next business where I could manage to get in.  (Side note, if I recall correctly, though they were shoveled out, the path stopped at the south side of their driveway where there was a pile of snow/ice, so that each business had shoveled out their property, but then left a pile so that you couldn't really get to the next.)

Continuing up the hill, I encountered another woman coming down.  I figured she was heading for the corner/intersection, I warned her that she would have to go into the street and that the intersection was not cut out.  So I am not the only person who had to face this "challenge."

Made my way to the next building driveway/parking lot.  The building does not house a business at this point, but the driveway and parking lot which is a short cut for me.  It was cleared, but as I exited via the 2nd driveway I had to walk in the street as there was yet another pile of snow.  Then I immediately went into the next resident's driveway.  From there all residents on the block had shoveled, so I was able to make my final lap to the house without any issues.

Did you find all of this hard to follow?  Imagine how difficult it was to walk/navigate!  At the top of this post you can see a map that I clipped.  The blue highlighted area is where there were sidewalks, but piles of snow made it impossible to access them.  I'm not sure if it helps or not, but... (Blacked out areas hide business and street names, but if you're smart enough to read this blog you can probably figure them out.)

In any event, since the temperature are NOT going to get above freezing for the next two weeks, this is going to be a problem, not just for me, but for anyone who is trying to get a bus.  I know snow removal (especially when coated with ice) is extremely difficult, but...remember pedestrians don't just need a clear sidewalk, they need ways to access cross walks.  And when they can't, it's not safe.  I was lucky yesterday.  It was a sunny afternoon and I could be clearly seen by oncoming traffic.  This would not be the case if I had left the office later or if the weather was bad. If you live on a corner, PLEASE be like my wonderful neighbors and make a cut out so people can walk.  

And if you are out driving and see someone walking in the street, be kind.  They're probably not doing it because they want to, but because they have no safer option.