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Date: 5/11/2021
I’ve been watching the discussion regarding mass transit, specifically with regard to east-west rail and the recent announcement of a pilot express service between Northampton, Holyoke and Springfield.
One of the discussion points utilized by detractors – “Why build something that no one is going to use?” – is often sloughed off or not adequately addressed by proponents.
The more and more I listen, I increasingly find this to be a mistake.
The fact of the matter is if real support for mass transit is ever going to take place, there has to be a shift in the public perception of these services.
In other areas of the country, like to the east in the Metro Boston area, mass transit is part of the way of life. As degraded as the infrastructure is and as often as it results in delays and frustration, the MBTA is the primary mode of transport for a significant portion of the population, regardless of social standing.
Meanwhile, in Western Massachusetts, it is largely underutilized and often viewed as an untenable option. Put more plainly, there are many who view public transit as something that “they” (see: the unwashed masses) use as opposed to a viable resource.
I recall one time having a conversation with individuals who were trying to determine the best way to drop off and later either pick up or leave one of their cars at the place of employment for one of their adult children because they didn’t have a car of their own. When I suggested taking the bus, seeing as the home and place of employment were both near the bus route, to steal a phrase from a popular holiday film, they looked at me like I had lobsters crawling out of my ears. It wasn’t an option – and for no real reason other than “who takes the bus?”
In a fairly recent conversation with a Western Massachusetts legislator regarding the perceived need for more representation from this region on the state’s Supreme Court, they listed “we drive cars out here” as an example of differences in regional identity.
Now, gaps in current regional service don’t always make public transit a viable option, of course, and the lack of relative population concentration that exists in other areas limits some opportunities, but I wonder how many routes that were taken out of service or explored but not pursued due to “lack of interest” would exist if not for the manner in which the general public identifies with this service.
If increased resources are sought for regional transportation, let alone many billions of taxpayer dollars for a major statewide railway project, then proponents and supporters need to identify a way to alter the public perception of mass transit to something more favorable.
What year is it again?
Working in journalism requires a fair amount of sacrifice.
No one gets into this job for the money. If you’re looking for fame, you’re most likely going to find it when someone has an issue with something you’ve written or reported. Looking for long and odd hours? This job’s for you.
That said, journalism as a profession has its perks as well.
For me, one of those is the fact that it usually doesn’t require doing much math. As one who scored a paltry 520 on his math SATs back in the day when that sort of thing mattered, it’s something for which I am truly thankful.
This probably also comes as no surprise to anyone who took a look at last week’s edition of The Reminder in Northampton. For many readers, Cornucopia Natural Wellness Market has been a shopping destination since 1980, which was noted in a feature on the shop and its current owners, Nate Clifford and Jada Jump. So you can imagine my embarrassment upon realizing after it had gone to print that the headline I had penned cheated them out of about 20 years, indicating the store had been in business for two decades.
All joking about my lack of math prowess aside, I recently came across an internet meme that said, “When I think ‘30 years ago’ I think of the 1970s.” I chuckled. Then a couple days later, I fell victim to exactly that. I graduated high school two decades ago, yet strangely, I somehow defaulted to identifying 1980 as only a little more than 20 years ago.
It’s funny how sometimes our perception of time is skewed. Take this past year for example.
When March 2021 came around, marking the one year anniversary of the pandemic taking a firm grip on our collective reality, in some ways it seemed like a blink of an eye and in others it seemed like a million years ago - how long or short that time felt likely depending on your perspective and experience.
Or how many times have you heard someone tell another parent that they can’t believe how fast the time has gone by with their growing child? Odds are pretty good, however, that time has also seemed to crawl at some point when that child wouldn’t nap or threw a fit in the middle of a public place with no exit close by.
Whether the fault of my distorted perception of time or math abilities that quelled my dreams of being an astronaut at a young age, the headline didn’t give Cornucopia its proper due of being a community staple for as long as it has.