Well, I went out and rented a car this morning. It was the only way to get to my work obligations downtown, and in Brossard and Laval. I’m not accustomed to driving here, so I don’t know if traffic was particularly congested today, or if it’s always like that. But I can say that it seemed like there are way too many cars and not nearly enough streets! At about 3:30, I saw hordes of people at bus stops waiting for the afternoon rush hour service to begin. Even this morning when I took the bus to the car rental place, the bus was so full after a few stops that the driver just stopped stopping. I’m glad I got on at the beginning of the circuit. I just now came back from Laval and I saw a dozen hitchhikers near the 40, looking for rides back into town. I stopped and picked up a couple of guys who had finished their shift at 6:30. I felt glad to help these hard working young guys with no means to get home. They were positively radiant with hatred for the situation, and I could hardly blame them.

After all this nonsense on the FIRST day, I can’t believe we live in a place where public transportation is not considered an essential service. There’s no way this town can function smoothly without it. Having no means to get to and from work is NOT an inconvenience, it’s a HARDSHIP.