Getting "into" the bus station
May. 24th, 2007 12:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wwcitizenIt's interesting to me how one car can make all the difference with getting into Port Authority in NYC. This morning, one disabled car in the Lincoln Tunnel stalled traffic not only creating a minor gridlock on the streets of NY, but also made the buses getting into Port Authority pile up onto 9th Ave and 40th St. We sat in front of the ramp at Port Authority for about 10 minutes. From that spot, it usually takes just under another minute or so to get into the station to be let out safely within the building. However, this morning because of the disabled car a mile or two away under the Hudson River, we were stopped. A dead stop. Bus still running and driver laying on the horn now and again.
Before too long, though, it was evident we weren't going anywhere - quite evident. Buses ahead of ours were starting to let their passengers out. At that moment, I stood up in the aisle and went toward the back door, and magically, it opened! About 2000 other passengers and I poured out of our myriads of buses around 40th and 9th Ave, crossing the street to get into the Port Authority. Interesting thing was, though, seeing other huge groups of buses' passengers peering over the ramps two stories above us waiting for space to move on foot toward a (hopefully) nearby exit. I had pictured a multi-bus accident within the Port Authority itself, but heard otherwise once I got into the station. Inbound and outbound traffic was stalled for an undetermined period of time.
I was just glad to have been closer to the ground rather than in the middle of a ramp and especially glad to have been already on the Manhattan side of the tunnel. I had only to rely on my feet rather than another person to drive (or be stopped) somewhere else.
Before too long, though, it was evident we weren't going anywhere - quite evident. Buses ahead of ours were starting to let their passengers out. At that moment, I stood up in the aisle and went toward the back door, and magically, it opened! About 2000 other passengers and I poured out of our myriads of buses around 40th and 9th Ave, crossing the street to get into the Port Authority. Interesting thing was, though, seeing other huge groups of buses' passengers peering over the ramps two stories above us waiting for space to move on foot toward a (hopefully) nearby exit. I had pictured a multi-bus accident within the Port Authority itself, but heard otherwise once I got into the station. Inbound and outbound traffic was stalled for an undetermined period of time.
I was just glad to have been closer to the ground rather than in the middle of a ramp and especially glad to have been already on the Manhattan side of the tunnel. I had only to rely on my feet rather than another person to drive (or be stopped) somewhere else.
