Astoria Line

Being on a crushloaded bus isn't fun at all... I was on a crushloaded Q85 tonight and I barely could breathe at all...

I guess if you're feeling up to it, you can try walking from Penn Station. It looks like it's around 2-3 miles, which I guess if you just take your time isn't so bad (I mean, if you walked from South Ferry to Times Square, that's over 4 miles, and closer to 5 or 6 if you went through Alphabet City).

 

I may be up to it, it really depends on my friend really, that actually sounds like a fun walk

I shall heed your advice... The only thing that sucks with this new website is I can't access it from my phone. I can bring the page up, but can't sign in.

 

I can on opera mini, download that browser and then try it, it should work!

Now I'm on the forum from my phone, it looks awesome and easy to navigate on mobile

Yeah I only use MetroNorth during peak hours and only in the morning because quite frankly, I already splurge on the Unlimited Express Bus at $50.00 a week and while it can be convenient for me in the morning, the express bus is certainly much more convenient for me at night and on the weekends, especially since there is no shuttle bus on the weekends to the station. For me it is $7.50 during peak hours. For off hours during the weekends, they do that special city promotion thing and then I think it is something like $3.50 on the LIRR and MetroNorth if you're traveling from one place to another in NYC, but not outside of the 5 boroughs. Here of late I have just been too lazy to wake up at my usual time and with the heat I don't feel like walking up stairs (literally) to reach 232nd and Netherland Avenue to walk over to the express bus on Henry Hudson Parkway, so the last two days I walked over to Riverdale Av and 236th for the shuttle bus there. Allows me to sleep in until around 08:00 or so and then the walk to Riverdale Av is only 5 minutes tops to the shuttle bus stop with no stairs or real hills to deal with. I understand why you don't use it though because I had considered trying some sort of weekly MetroNorth pass or something in addition to my Unlimited Express Bus Plus card, but it really just isn't worth it because there is no discount unless you get a monthly, so I just pay as I need them. I think the tickets are good for maybe 2 weeks or so and unless I know I'm using it for sure the next day or so I would prefer to just get them as I go, otherwise buying up 10 of them at a time forces me to pay money in advance and forces me to use them and I'm trying not to get hooked on the idea of using MetroNorth every morning when I have an Unlimited Express Bus pass. I did the math and if I used MetroNorth in the morning and kept my Unlimited Express Bus Plus card, that would cost me an additional $150 - 187.50 a month. Sure I can afford it but I have better things that I can do with that money (like a nice dinner or lunch or even put the money away and use it to invest in something since that is about $2,000.00 a year give or take when you add it up). I mean for $7.50 I often times find myself standing or in a chair with very little leg room, so the comfort factor stinks on those trains for what they charge.

 

 

 

No I haven't because I'm a bit lazy. I mean for what I spent for this damn Thunderbolt, I feel like it should root itself. I also don't want all of these programs slowing down my phone, BUT I do need to ditch Google as a browser because it absolutely sucks with YouTube and other things I like to use it for on this phone. Closes suddenly, songs stop playing before they're supposed to and yada yada yada... How can I get those other browsers you mentioned? Funny thing is I use Google on both of my laptops and have very few issues.

 

I'm wanna try CityTicket on Saturday if I can, but I have to go to Soho so I still have to transfer to the at Penn Station..

and to get those apps, you need to download them in the Google Play Store, just search them there (Opera Mini, Dolphin Browser 7 HD). For the root, if you check out androidforums, they have a guide to root for almost every android (They def have the Thunderbolt). There was a one step root for my Samsung Admire, but its different for every phone.. If you follow all the steps, you can remove all the bloatware (there is some verizon apps that they will tell you NOT to remove, make sure that you pay attention to that). In rooting, you can possibly soft brick your phone if you don't follow directions correctly, but that requires a reboot and then It'll be back to normal.. I don't think you would need a custom ROM as you have a 4G phone, putting a custom ROM and not doing it right can hard brick your phone and then it is broken inside and out. Basically, just do a basic root. Takes out the bloatware, makes the phone faster without an extreme modification..

10:30AM is off-peak, so it's $6.25. A peak train would be any train arriving at Penn Station between (IIRC) 6AM-10AM or leaving between 3PM & 7PM, and would cost $8.75.

 

Of course, weekends, the CityTicket costs $3.75,

 

Thank you checkmate! That proves even more why I don't take the LIRR like VG8 said, its rather expensive for a teen with no job to do back and forth on it (15$!)

Sounds like a real schlepp. Can't you use the LIRR?

 

As for an Android, I have and I'm already bored with it... Already thinking about a new one. Usually just use it for e-mail, my express bus and MetroNorth schedules, reading Word docs and other simple stuff. I guess I want a new one because the stupid Google browser has just been too problematic of late.

 

VG8, idk how much it is at 10:30 am.. is it the 3.50 for off peak or the regular price? And I would still have to transfer anyways..

Have you tried rooting your Android? I like it WAY better rooted, you can customize it and such, but different people, different needs/wants of course...

For browsers, I use Opera Mini and Dolphin Browser HD try one of those, they are the two best android browsers actually... Opera Mini compresses web pages so it loads quicker and Dolphin is all around great..

Which android do you have?

I had a really weird transit day today lol O.o

My Q85 was early (got to 225 st at 10:40 instead of 10;45 I had to run across N Conduit to catch it), but got crushloaded along merrick as there were multiple people at EVERY stop -.- We were due at Jamaica at 11:14, didn't get there until 11:21...

My train left Jamaica late (I originally scheduled myself to catch this train) it left at 11:27 instead of 11;22 (I got really lucky).. Then I got to 23rd street (Manhattan not court square) at 12:10 instead of 12:00..

I also caught an going past the station and into the tunnel towards 160 St, I'm really surprised that the tunnel isn't longer as the whole train was able to disappear into the tunnel

I caught a at Union Square around 7:05 got off at 51 st around 7;12, caught an around 7:17 and got to Jamaica Center at like 7:55

The Q85 LTD came about 5 mins late (due at 7:59 came at 8:04) and I finally got off at 8:34..

Very slow compared to my Q85 trip yesterday night which only took 18 minutes and was rather empty ('cuz it was a sunday night I guess)

Also I finally rooted my Android (Samsung Admire, i'm a no-contract type of guy) to remove all the bloatware, add a custom ROM and update it to android 2.3.6.. Its super fast and awesome... Who else has an Android?

 

 

I would for the M7, and M5, but the M2 runs horribly compared to the other 5 Av buses and it is supposed to LIMITED stops... Yesterday for example... About 4 Q32s, two M4s, one M1 and one M3 all came before any M2s came. Then two came and of course of M5s came.

 

 

 

 

I suppose that was the reason it was cut back to its current terminal, but it just ends in the middle of nowhere IMO. In other words it ends in a spot where most would say I wish it ended in Union Square so I don't have to schlepp two long blocks or transfer if I don't feel like walking, which was the case with me yesterday with the humidity. I still don't like the fact that just about all buses that went to Union Square were moved elsewhere (M1 and M7). For rerouting, the M7 could simply take the M6s old rerouting from 7th up to 23rd, left on 23rd down to Park Av South, right on Park Av South and straight from there to Union Square.

 

When I go to Union Square (the time of day varies) but I recall always seeing M2s

If those people can't walk two blocks then wow.....

where would it go OOS, it can't do that along 14th street, it would have to go down broadway to 12th, then go down 12th to 4 av then take 4 av up ? 4 av turns into park ave after 14th

If anything I would add more service to the M2, M5 and M7. All three buses run like GARBAGE. M2s and M5s always come in packs of 2 and the M7 as well. Oh I would also find a way to re-route the M7 back to Union Square where it belongs.

 

whenever I take the M7 it comes in twos but it always comes before the M20....

If it went to Union Sq tho, wouldn't it just increase traffic in that area, there is always a lot of traffic there, I feel bad for B/Os and other people who drive through it....

Moving the 7 to 5th Aveune, would do two things:

A) give 5th Aveune too much service, like do you see how many buses go down there at a point, there are like 6 different routes on that one avenue (M1,M2,M3,M4,M5,Q32).. I think that the 7 would get less ridership too..

B ) give 7th avenue not enough service... For those who get off on/or before 14th St SB, the 7 is used as a more frequent supplement to the 20, why take that away from those riders?

The Q10 isn't that long enough to have the 'A' route be revived. PLUS, people would rather just take the AirTrain.

 

May I also add that, it is easier to bring bags onto a train than onto a bus... And isn't the AirTrain faster?

I always see a lot of ppl in the Sutphin Blvd-LIRR station on the transferring to the AirTrain

Can I two titans:

First one :

(airplane sign)Q3 JFK Airport (one slide)

via Farmers Bl

Second one

Q77 Springfield Gdn

145 Rd

The DMV in Jamaica sucks, I waited 4 hours -___-

Never been there either, hoping to go sometime this summer.

 

 

A bit off topic, I am planning to get my learner's permit again since it expired last year and get my driver's license. Now I'm not one of those young fools that drive fast nor showoff out there. I just want to be a great safe driver like my dad is, avoid accidents at all costs and always drive cautiously and safely. My question is, is there anything I should know what to do while driving other than keeping the eyes on the road? I always buckle up, made it a habit already I just want a few pointers from experienced drivers as hopefully in the future I would like to go for a CDL either for a truck or bus.

 

I have my learner's right now, accidents sometimes aren't avoidable, almost everybody gets into one at some point in their life, but being a safe driver basically decreases the change of you getting into an accident.. Make sure you always check your mirrors, use turn signals, don't go over speed limit and look before making a turn or changing lanes.. That's what I know..

Driving a truck or bus, that is different as they are bigger.. Driving a bus sounds awesome!

I haven't been to staten island in 4 years... Glad I'm not the only one who wants to go there this summer lol

I took Wilderness Survival merit badge last year.

It was cold.

Oh so cold.

 

I wouldn't be able to survive in the wilderness lol.. I need computer and my phone or I would be sooo bored..

I'm so happy I joined the Boy Scouts. Going to camp in the Catskills this week and the first wek of August!

Hopefully I won't miss too much...

 

Have fun and good luck !

I've never been in the boy scouts, mostly b/c the woods and stuff like that isn't my type of thing lol..

Well I actually didn't buy them. But then again, for $12, maybe I could wear them around the house or something.

 

And the thing is that Springfield Gardens is still a basic grid. I mean, the fact that 225th Street is offset on both sides of 145th Avenue doesn't mean much because it doesn't require much backtracking. I mean, from Dixon to Forest is almost 1/4 of a mile, and then it's 1/4 of a mile to get back up, so you're talking a good 10 minutes out of the way. I mean, it's just kind of crazy the way neighborhood streets don't connect well.

 

 

 

Yeah, in the late spring, there were times everybody as complaining that it was too hot and I was still wearing a sweater.

 

I found out why some streets in Springfield Gardens are offset, it is because Springfield Gardens is located on a fault, but idk which one.. Maybe that could be the case for Staten Island as well?

It's weird, I love hot weather and I am really used to it. In May I wore hoodies to school lol, everybody else was like "You aren't hot?" and I was like "No, not at all" LOL. Maybe we're the same ...

Any route using the BQE, IMO is a bad idea. I also belive that buses are banned along a certain section in Queens, so it wouldn't work anyway.

 

What's more realistic is a Downtown-JFK service. I call it the B55. It would be SBS, and it would pretty much be a "Brooklyn Connector."

 

https://maps.google....018847,0.038409

 

I agree, the BQE always has heavy traffic during the rush, there is no need for a bus to go on it...

I like your idea too, just make it a LTD as College Pt Man said, it would be more realistic if it was..

1) LOL. I guess the downside is that she might have to deal with guys catcalling her, but I guess she'd be flattered that they thought she looked good enough to bother cat-calling.

 

2) Ever hear of Payless? Especially with a sale or something, the prices aren't too bad. They actually have like $12 shoes, but the thing is that they have very little cushioning, and no arch in the heel, so I can't wear them.

 

And the thing is that on SI, the streets don't always connect well. You have to find the streets that cross over the expressways and everything. And even within the neighborhood, some streets just end randomly. For instance, if you start at Dixon & Morningstar and expect to be able to make it to South Avenue, you're in for an unpleasant surprise because it ends by Simonson Avenue, and then you have to find your way to a street that does make it to your destination, which could involve some backtracking. I mean, I'm not in a hurry, but it sucks if you have to do that. (And on a side note, that's the reason why you have routes that twist & turn, like the S46 on the western end)

 

3) Yeah, I'm the same way. I was tutoring a kid and I was freezing because the A/C was blasting right on me. I'm like "Am I the only on who's cold?" (I wasn't)

 

1.) She is flattered, in fact, she loves it her looks got my a discount on my phone so i can't complain. LMAO.

2.) Oh I forgot about that place, lol, and there is one right outside the Astoria-Ditmars station lol.. in that instance (with the 12$ shoes) its you get what you paid for... That's why I sometimes become wary of those places.. I am open to anything though.. I have foot problems (My right foot does not go straight, it curves always, whether I walk, sit or anything) so I can't wear certain shoes ..

In springfield gardens, its not a perfect grid, Here is an example.. I live on 223rd Street and if you google maped it, you will see that 223rd street goes straight then merges with 145th avenue, then becomes 223rd street... Its the same w/expressways here too. The Belt pkwy divides my neighborhood and not many streets go over it (225th street, 2 blocks away from me and springfield blvd, which is 4 blocks away are the only ones until around Farmers Blvd, a 15 minute walk) so if you aren't familiar, you would walk down conduit ave till you get to one that crosses over the belt..

3.) AC's always get me cold and I sometimes sneeze from them, while everybody else its natural to them. I prefer a fan or open window as the heat doesn't bother me ... lol..

Exactly, though I do admit that my dress shirts can be busy... Either pinstripes or small checkered style shirts that aren't out there, with a simple solid Italian tie... I stick with one Italian brand usually for shirts since I have long arms. On occasion I buy from this high end Swedish company that makes wrinkle free dress shirts... One of my Swedish shirts... Man I get so much attention when I have it on (which I don't want ). I always liked the shirt, but I never knew it would look so great with the tie I use with it. lol

 

@Via yea I'm pretty sure they do. I've heard of a bunch of spots in Jamaica, Queens that sell knock offs... Thou I know a few that can actually afford the real deal but that's of course not honest money

 

@VG8- Dress sharply and you will indeed get some attention, even if you don't want it - that is what my grandfather told me..

@Jamaica Line - yes indeed you are correct, can get fake anything in jamaica, especially jamaica ave smh and lmaooo!

Yea the hood can really kill some clothing... A perfect example are the True Religion jackets/jeans and the Lewie belts... Anybody who at least passes through Broadway Junction every now and then can agree...

 

I see them all over Springfield Gardens actually too.. I never wear true religion (I have had a pair of jeans from there once and it was nice) but I stopped just for the fact that everyone wears them They wear it tho, so they are perceived as something that they aren't , its all about image

Yeah I stick with the basic colors though from them because some of those colors are just out there for me. lol

 

 

 

 

Do they sell knock off True Religion jeans or something? I do see some folks wearing them and they don't look like the real deal necessarily and some of the folks I see wearing them don't look like they can really afford them considering how pricey they are. Kind of dirty looking. I own a few pairs and I always buy them directly from this True Religion store in NJ and I think the last pair I bought was $250.00. There are so many different kinds that I haven't seen anyone with of the pairs I have luckily, plus you can get them custom made as well and I prefer the straight leg fitting jeans so mine fit a bit neater if you will, so that could be why too.

 

lol, i am a basic colours guy myself, i prefer them b/c they are easier to find and easier to match.. I have like OCD when it comes to matching.. My shirt, sneakers and snapback all have to match or compliment each other lol..

Yea there are knockoffs, knockoffs for anything actually.. There is a real True religion store in Union Square that I have visited a few times.. I can tell if anything is fake and tbh Idk why ppl wear fake things trying to pass them off as the real deal when they def aren't... I've seen ppl with fake jordans, fake vans, fake levis, fake hollister (that is sad), fake everything, especially on Jamaica Av (everyone still wears phat farm, coogi, baby phat like its still 2005 except for the teens, b/c teens these days are more into fashion and clothing indeed)

It could be somewhat frustrating for some impatient people for the Q27 to turn around at QCC, as well as to crowd with a bunch of students from QCC and Cardozo. It's just my assumption.

 

I see what you mean, but you must not assume what the riders will think unless you frequently go through the area, I have riden the Q27 and it isn't frustrating, in fact during rush hour and busy times, ppl are used to it, who isn't used to seeing a lot of students on the bus at rush hours? I think it should just terminate at QCC, Queens Village service isn't highly demanded...

How would that aggravate passengers? I wasn't aggravated when I went through there.

 

Plus, if you extend the Q26, you also have to think about future demand for weekend service, which the MTA can't afford right now.

 

If it was extended to QV then weekend service as a supplement to the Q27 would be demanded BUT if it were extended to QCC as I stated, most demand would be during the weekdays only as that is when most students are in the school and that is when it is busiest.. There is a higher possibility for the Q26 to be extended to QCC during the weekdays only instead of it going to QV at all times IMO...

Well American Apparel can be "expensive" for some items for the average Joe, but that's like my cheap store and it's all American made too which is why I buy from them. I'll buy like 5 t-shirts and several of those piqué short sleeve shirts. They look retarded at first, but when you fix the collar and don't button them up they can look great.

 

It's not expensive for me, its the same price as Urban Outfitters actually.. but it can be for others indeed.. I love the quality! And I know what you are talking about w/the shirts, they look cool, ima check them out!