Getting It From Both Ends

Many of you have seen the series of pictures I've posted from Port Authority lately.  It seems like there's a new excuse for delays every evening.  And when they run out of legitimate excuses, you hear the message that I heard this morning after I arrived:

"Your attention please, your attention please. Please be advised that the Port Authority Bus Terminal is experiencing delays both inbound and outbound due to heavy volume. Thank you for your patience."

This is repeated in Spanish for those so inclined.

Don't think I stood there and transcribed the message as it was announced.  No, this is a prerecorded announcement —one I've heard many times over the past 15 years of commuting from New Jersey. "Due to heavy volume."  So...there are delays because of traffic.  During what rush hour are there no heavy delays?  A lame and unsatisfying excuse.  When you're stuck in traffic, you want to know why.

I took this photo this morning while pressed up against the window of my bus.  These 2 busses are not moving, and not just because this is a still picture.  Imagine hundreds more busses just like these 2.  Not moving.  And coming from 3 different directions, requiring a fairly complicated merge.  It was one thing to be sitting there, but I knew it was bad because the driver put the bus into park.

Penn Station am rush: 7/28/11

I guess I shouldn't complain (even though I will). Crazy storms last night shut down huge chunks of the Long Island Rail Road, so my westbound commuting brethren had their own problems to deal with--like going to Penn Station.  That place is a zoo on good days.

Just another sunny day of commuting in the NY Metro area.