Ask many a driver why she doesn’t take public transit, and a good number will cite safety reasons. While I think this safety issue’s often overblown by the Prius-driving neighbors in my Santa Monica ‘hood who drive around midday with the excuse that bus stops can be dangerous in the middle of the night, both real and perceived dangers can certainly keep people — especially women — from taking to our public transit systems.
After all, what woman would feel safe waiting at a bus stop like the one pictured above? Could bus stops that feel safer get more women taking public transit?
That’s what one professor at the University of California, Los Angeles is looking at. Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris, a professor of urban planning, recently authored How to Ease Women´s Fear of Transportation Environments: Case Studies and Best Practices (PDF, 96 pages), which points out “a mismatch between the expressed needs of women passengers and the types and locations of common safety/security strategies adopted by transit agencies.”
In an interview with Grist, Anastasia explains what some of these disconnects are:
Women are much more scared waiting at the bus stop or transit station than within the enclosed space of the transit vehicle. Yet most transportation safety resources are concentrated on the vehicle. Women were also not comforted knowing that there was a camera or CCT technology. They were not against it, but they felt that if anything happened to them the camera would only help after the event, not during. So they were much more in favor of more policing, human solutions rather than technological solutions. Yet the trend is towards more technology, not less. We found a lot of these sorts of mismatches between policy and what women want.
As Anastasia’s study points out, the wait time at transit stop’s what really scary for many women, according to Browne Molyneux, an L.A. blogger and avid transit taker who writes The Bus Bench (whose Car Free Mondays interview you can read here):
Many people feel that the issue with women and public transit is the obvious sexual harassment … but in my opinion walking to and waiting at bus stops (and sometimes rail stations) puts you at a greater risk. Most of the time on the rail in LA you aren’t the only person, but at bus stops in LA you’re often the only person. And the wait is the horrible part.
Waiting in an isolated spot for 30 minutes or an hour is not just something people should have to do. For many women this is deal breaker in regards to public transit or it should be, but many of the women who ride public transit don’t have a choice. This isn’t a deal breaker because of inconvenience it’s a deal breaker because it’s very unnerving to wait in the dark for a bus that may or may not come.
Browne isn’t waiting for transit agencies to deal with the issue; she’s started her own collaborative public campaign of sorts. Browne launched The Bus Bench Google Map Project — with the goal of “critiquing every corner with a bus stop or rail in the LA area by August 30, 2010.”
Anyone can collaborate on this mapping project by reviewing a public transit stop, labeling it with special symbols, if need be. A red triangle with an exclamation point, for example, scarlet symbols a stop as “Not woman friendly,” while a yellow sun shines upon livable streets that are kid safe and pedestrian friendly.
That project’s limited to the L.A.-area — at least for now — but other women bloggers too are speaking up about transit agency decisions that don’t seem to take safety concerns seriously. In a Seattle blog called Publicola, Erica C. Barnett writes about how a well-lit stop with a traffic light and several nearby businesses was shut down “as part of the process of consolidating stops on my route to improve reliability” — making her closest bus stop “an unlit intersection, in front of a vacant parking lot, with no businesses around, no traffic light, and a bus stop across the street where people frequently congregate to buy and sell drugs.” Writes Barnett:
Besides being a pedestrian-safety nightmare (cars whiz by at speeds upward of 50 mph because of the huge distances between lights on the main drag of my neighborhood), the intersection feels unsafe to me. Will it keep me from taking the bus? No. But would it deter someone who isn’t reliant on transit from riding again? I’m absolutely convinced it would.
For anyone who supports better, more woman-friendly public transportation in her neighborhood, Anastasia’s study is a fascinating read, covering everything from why perceived dangers are as important concerns as real dangers, what a “whole journey” approach (i.e. considering the walking portion from a station parking lot to a bus stop) to public transit safety might look like, and how the mostly male leadership of transportation agencies could be affecting policies.
Lest you fear the study itself will make you afraid to ride the bus, rest assured that there’s good news as well as bad news in the study — including what some transit agencies are doing to make buses and trains safer and more women-friendly, as well as what sorts of policies you can push for in your local community to bring about changes in your ‘hood.
One big policy recommendation Anastasia makes is that transit agencies incorporate women’s voices into the planning process for transit safety policies and initiatives — so speak up, women! Take the poll below. And share your stories about public transit and safety experiences in the comments (links to blog posts you may have written about the topic are welcome). What would make you feel safer when taking public transit?
[crossposted on Blogher]
Photo by Bog Iron Pines
This hit home for me – I’ve never felt unsafe on the bus, but there are some stops I’ll avoid using at night when I’m alone.
For instance, I love taking the 720 from Westwood down to Fairfax. I’ll hop off and walk to the Farmer’s Market (it’s less than a mile, so there’s no need to transfer) and meet friends for dinner. The problem is that when I’m ready to go home that stretch of Wilshire is deserted and the 720 (or even the 20) comes infrequently. I feel ridiculous to be nervous about waiting in such an expensive area, but the complete lack of people and even lights makes me uncomfortable.
The biggest fix would be if more people took public transit, because then I would be more likely to have company at bus stops. But more lights would help. I would love it if they installed emergency phones that patched you straight through to someone who was ready to stay on the line with you if someone sketchy showed up and prepared to connect you to 911 (we had those scattered all over my college campus and it was great). I know we all carry cell phones, but there’s something about having a phone with a physical connection to a person who knows where you are that makes a difference.
I’ll admit that I sometimes make arrangements to drive if I know I’m going to be out at night, even though I prefer taking the bus.
Comment by Rachel (heart of light) — February 22, 2010 @ 3:47 pm
I agree with Rachel, above. I put money down for a monthly pass on my TAP card every month, but on days when I know I won’t get home until it’s dark, I make arrangements to get a ride, or I use my car to drive myself to and from where I need to be. I love public transportation and have lived in and visited many other cities where the buses/trains are a lot more reliable than here in L.A…. In other words, I know even if things are not running on time, the most I’ll wait is 10-15 minutes. It’s heartbreaking for someone like me, who loves to walk, doesn’t own a bike, and avoids driving whenever possible, so I’m always glad to hear that people are out supporting and trying to make the metro better. In the meantime, when it’s dark, I’ll be using my car and carpooling!
Comment by Katrina — February 22, 2010 @ 4:40 pm
Yep, it’s the waiting at the stop that’s the worst.
I’ve had plenty of hassle on the bus itself over the years, but at least I’m not by myself when some crazy guy’s removing his clothing or rambling about wanting to kill me when it happens on the bus. When those things happen at the stop (and they do) it’s a different matter.
I don’t know how to drive so sometimes I just stay at home, if I’m not particularly in the mood to give someone bigger and crazier than me hell. I often have jobs at night, though, so I just pull my hood up and hope for the best.
Sometimes I just keep walking rather than stand still at the stop—that might be illogical, but at least I feel like I’m doing something rather than just standing there.
Comment by Rachel — February 22, 2010 @ 6:17 pm
Just like Rachel and Katrina, I don’t feel safe waiting at the stops after dark. Things that would be especially helpful:
More lights, just like Rachel says.
Also, I think it’s really important to have some sort of GPS system at the stops, or at least one that’s accessible via mobile phone, that would tell you how far away the bus is. On a line like the 92 that comes only every hour after a certain time in the evening, I need to know if the bus is late or if it broke down and won’t be coming for another hour.
Comment by Marina — February 22, 2010 @ 6:20 pm
YES YES YES! The scariest moments while busing for me happened while waiting at Hollywood/Argyle after dark. It’s odd, I think as women, we think about these safety issues far more than guys. Often, while waiting for a bus, I’d have a huge book in one hand…it’s silly, but I always planned to use it as a weapon if needed. Thankfully, things never escalated that far!
Comment by Rosemary — February 22, 2010 @ 6:31 pm
I’m not a woman, but I don’t feel safe at certain bus stops at night, and I certainly wouldn’t let someone I care about wait at those ones by themselves either.
My female friend and I were at a bus stop near Chinatown one night when she was propositioned by a man there, and when we walked away, we were followed by he and some other people in a van. I had to physically stop the man from touching my friend and strongly warn him to stay away. We tried calling police in vain, and eventually, RAN several blocks (she in heels) to a safer area. It’s just not safe for men, or women to be at a bus stop at night in certain areas of this town.
Comment by Rob — February 22, 2010 @ 6:34 pm
Agree that the bus stop is the worse. i am an occasional bus rider and quit totally this winter due to the dark stop where I transferred from 7 to 333 at Labrea and Venice.
Comment by crystal — February 22, 2010 @ 7:50 pm
What a great point and a necessary study! I’m an only-by-day or with-a-buddy rider, and there are definitely improvements that could be made that would make me more willing to hop on board
Comment by Natalie Aldern — February 22, 2010 @ 7:55 pm
I definitely agree that changes need to be made for the L.A. Metro. I take the Metro Rail around a lot and often wonder why there aren’t more security guards. There are many times when I get accosted by males and feel very uncomfortable taking the transit system, especially at night. Why, as a major metropolitan city, are city planners and council members not taking public transit more seriously?
Another related article on pedestrian safety in L.A.:
http://laist.com/2009/11/10/why_we_drive_instead_of_walk_bike.php
Comment by laura — February 22, 2010 @ 9:53 pm
My friends tell me I’m crazy because I’ll take transit or walk any time of the day or night. They don’t know that I generate this invisible shield when I am out in public that protects me from bad guys. Or at least, the shield is in my head and protects me from worrying.
I haven’t had a car in the last 20 years, so it’s a moot point. If I want to get anywhere, I have to take transit or pay for a cab. And the only time I ever pay for a cab is if I’m running late or missed the last bus.
Anyway, there are plenty of places here in Oakland where I would not walk or take transit at night. But those are not places I’d be in during the day either probably. And bad things can happen anywhere. Michael got mugged right across the street from our house, where there is no bus stop.
Better lighting would probably help get more women on the bus. And I’d appreciate it too. But it wouldn’t really affect my personal transit behavior. Just make me a happier rider.
Comment by Beth Terry, aka Fake Plastic Fish — February 22, 2010 @ 11:45 pm
I do try to avoid public transpo at night, unless someone else is going to be with me. I don’t mind too much walking around my neighborhood because I’m pretty familiar with the places where people will hide and gather, where there are lights and what places are open since I’ve walked up and down every street and alley at all times of day and night. Not so in other areas.
My story of being followed on foot from the Orange line was linked to in the Bus Bench post, which is partially why I don’t feel so comfortable in some other areas (my boyfriend was also carjacked in the area where I was followed. It’s a little seedy…) I know that not everyone I know picks their home location based on how safe it is to walk around at night. I try to dress very sensibly (no shoes I can’t walk in for long distances or run in without hurting myself and very comfortable clothes) and walk like I know where I’m going, even if I don’t.
Every time I’ve called the police telling them something weird is going on, they asked me so many questions about what was going on because they wanted to be 100% sure it was worth sending someone out, that it’s made me somewhat discouraged. More than once, the people see or hear me in the time I’m standing there trying to tell the dispatcher the ages, sexes, clothing, skin, hair and eye colors of the people hiding in a non-illuminated area doing something weird.
Comment by M — February 23, 2010 @ 6:38 am
I’m so glad that you brought this up! This is a huge issue!
One time I waited at a bus stop in the valley at night for an hour and after several strangers in cars stopped to ask if I wanted a ride, a creepy guy walking down the sidewalk stopped and started talking to me. I went into the gas station nearby and when he wasn’t paying attention I sprinted a mile to a more well lit bus stop.
Ever since then I only take the bus at night in conjunction with my bike. Not only for that reason of course- it’s also a lot more convenient because I can bike to a rapid or rail which is faster. But I also feel safer waiting for a bus because I could bike away quickly at any moment.
I agree with much of what’s been said before – better lighting and more human security, plus call boxes, and more bicycle facilities designed with women in mind.
Comment by a — February 23, 2010 @ 12:10 pm
I know quite a few women who make arrangements with men to wait with them at the bus stop. Makes perfect sense.
PerryP@How to lose weight´s last blog ..Exercises for Women
Comment by PerryP@How to lose weight — October 3, 2010 @ 2:09 pm