Comments on Pentagoniac: How Much Is a Mobile User Worth?

@yokum, yes, and we must leave some things to the ...

2008-05-31T03:12:00.000-07:00

@yokum, yes, and we must leave some things to the imagination, musn't we? :-)

After this morning, I know understand the signific...

2008-05-30T23:49:00.000-07:00

After this morning, I know understand the significance of what you wrote.

@tvn, thanks for your observations. I'm impressed ...

2008-05-02T03:36:00.000-07:00

@tvn, thanks for your observations. I'm impressed that you would do the planes-trains-and-automobiles thing in one long stretch.

I actually find the commute train ride a quite enjoyable chance to watch people & building & cars or otherwise get some work done in a well-focussed chunk of time. I've used HKG's MTR, SIN's MRT, KUL LRT, LON's tube, ZRH's trams, and CalTrain ain't so bad in that sample.

Also my motivation for "going green", as it were, is primarily economic---as I think it should be. E.g., SolarCity is offering the leasing option that in most cases makes you cashflow positive wrt your current electric bill from day 1.

I have giving up the dream of living green by taki...

2008-05-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

I have giving up the dream of living green by taking public transportation in the US. It's not worth it.

Your experience with CalTrain is somewhat similar to mine at the Milbrae station one time. I used to take the train from California Ave. to SFO last year to fly to Europe many times. In Jan 2008 BART decided to change the route. You have to go one more station north to take BART going south to SFO. I stepped out of the train at Millbrae and was not able to catch the airplane in time if I took another train and BART. A United airline pilot was also surprised and stranded, so we decided to take a taxi together. It was a nice short conversation in the cab which cost $10.- and 5min., since I also used to be a pilot. On the return from Europe, I took BART and train again to arrive at California Ave. after a 2hr exhausting ride.

Another not too positive experience is taking bus in SF. I am used to taking bus and train in Europe. So I decided to park the car in the city and take my family for a bus ride one day. Unfortunately, you often ride the bus with lot of homeless people and other not so pleasant guests. The bus was smelly, dirty and definitely not recommendable.

I try to bike whenever I can and I stay away from train and bus for trips that you have to be somewhere at a certain time (meeting, catching planes, etc.). You can take public transportation in most countries in Europe and be on time and have nice experience, not in the Bay Area.