I'm not trolling. I honestly don't feel any need to own a car. I live a quarter mile from 2 grocery stores, the Big Blue bus system and the Tap system. Why saddle myself with the extra expenses when car insurance alone was costing more then a monthly Tap card refill? Why pay more to get out of shape, the little bit of walking I do has really improved my health. I feel stronger and less stressed out since switching. Riding the buses has helped build a strong sense of direction. I always know where I am and which way is north. My friends who drive who have lived in the LA area their whole lives but don't ride the buses need a GPS to figure out La Brea is not parallel with Sunset, when I'm like, dude you're going the wrong way.

This all said, I do change my behavior when riding the bus. I'm always covered, no shorts, no t-shirts. Sturdy shoes with grip soles, Heely's actually since I'm small enough to wear them, keep me from sliding all around when I stand. I bring earplugs, a filter face mask and safety goggles, and have from time to time needed to use some or all of them. I actually take those things everywhere even the movies, where I always use the earplugs, because those things help maximize my happiness. I keep a cup of pennies and nickles by my door and when I leave I take a handful because I know people might ask for money and I have no problems giving some change because if you dig in my family tree or my reddit post history deep enough you'll find out that I moved to California from the east coast and my ancestors owned other people and I feel bad about that. The east coast side of my family is nasty to the core, still to this day. Over there the buses ran once every 3 hours. Here it's ever 15 minutes. They would be horrified that I, a 30 year old female, ride the bus alone when poor black men could also be riding that same bus. They would be furious to learn that I give those guys my change but I think of it as paying the "my great-great-granddad was a mega-asshole who hit people so hard that 5 generations later people are still hurting-tax."

So yeah I like riding the bus. I like talking to strangers. I like giving people my change. I love Los Angeles it's a better place to live then anywhere on the east coast.