If you traveled at all this past holiday season, it is an unfortunate certainty that you likely ran into some delays or other transportation-related problems somewhere along the way. To be fair, the holidays are an extreme and will burden even the most well-prepared infrastructure, but alas, our current system is anything but well-prepared.
The frustrating part is that you don't even need to specify what type of transport you employed to know there were issues as it really doesn't matter. You flew, ok, so you braved the hordes at the airport, experienced the ever-so-graceful security congo line, and then sat on the tarmac for four hours while you waited for traffic to lighten up heading into O'Hare. Or in our case, for traffic to lighten up heading into O'Hare and the crew to first diagnose and subsequently fix one of the brakes on our brand-new Embraer Jet.
Didn't fly? Ok, so you decided to take your chances on the roads. First cram all those W-Mart and Best Buy goodies in and around your suitcase in the trunk, strategize your route in the hopes of minimizing your wait in traffic, and don't forget to stop at the petrol station and pay $3.50 gallon for fuel. Bah-humbug.
Normally this is where I would start touting the many virtues of rail travel and talk about how cool Europe is with the old-school stations, punctual schedules and 200-mph TGV. It is very easy to sell features and comforts like service to anywhere, anytime, beautiful city-center stations, and comfort to get out of your first-class size seat to take a stroll up to the bar car for a beverage. Unfortunately, this is not Europe, but rather Amtrak.
In actuality, that Amtrak can provide any service at all with is chronic underfunding and the deliberate negligence by this (and other) administrations is quite remarkable. We should not be at all surprised when we see that two of their trains have managed to navigate the same stretch of track, simultaneously, but rather unfortunately, in opposite directions.
So as you can see, we have exactly three major methods of transportation in this country, each with ample opportunity to put a hurting on your day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those of you that have to transfer somewhere and use two or more of them in combination, or those who are riding the bus in which case are obviously traveling in protest.
Rather than remain the pessimist, I would like to suggest a new year's resolution for everyone who gets behind the wheel, rides the train, or takes to the air in 2008. We know that the system is broken and that arriving at your scheduled arrival time is only possible if it is actually on the day following the one you were supposed to arrive on. As such, let's try to have some fun with it and not get all bent out of shape when we get stuck overnight in Milwaukee. All of our huffing and puffing isn't going to make a difference anyway, so why bother stressing out over it.
Sure, easier said than done. But if you are willing to adopt a relative perspective, then you might just do OK. If you planned your ticket for Monday, assume you will get there Tuesday. Heck, when you finally do get there somewhere in the middle of the night between the two, you still come out ahead, er, "early."
Happy New Year and safe travels.
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