&gt; How would you get around if public transport is unreliable?<p>As an American, I always found it so ironic that public transportation is often the worst in areas where only those who truly need it use it.<p>People make a big deal about how better quality public transportation can be good for the environment (by getting more cars off the street), but what I think is more important is that getting more higher-income people on the bus vastly improves fare revenue and local political will for having good public transportation.<p>I would definitely take public transportation to work if I could, but Silicon Valley public transportation is awful. The lightrail doesn&#x27;t go through too many useful stops; it&#x27;s only good if you live somewhere along the line and are trying to get to downtown San Jose. My car commute to Cupertino takes half an hour or less, but if I wanted to take the bus it&#x27;d be an hour.