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I don't think that the MBTA compares with the public transport in the bay area. The BART doesn't simply go around San Francisco it is a multi city high speed system. It also connects with CalTrain which covers the entire peninsula. I would say the muni system compares with MBTA and both are about equal. But if you consider the muni, BART, buses, and CalTrain then you have a first class transit system. Don't forget the trolly's too. I know many are from here, have kids here, found love here and probably are biased by their attachments and experiences just as I am for the places I love.
Look, you're entitled to your own opinion and if you LIKE San Fran's public transit better, that's fine, but the fact of the matter is it doesn't compare to Boston's no matter how you put it.
BART is a regional network that isn't bad. I'd compare it to Washington's Metro with fewer branches. What it is is a substitute to a commuter rail network because Caltrain doesn't cut it. BART only has a few stops in SF and acts as a more of a commuter rail network outside the city limits. BART has even fewer riders than the local MBTA subways- Red/Blue/Orange (not even including the Green Line which is light rail and more comparable to Muni Metro. (Source). In fact, The Red/Blue/Orange lines (again, not including the Green which is light rail and compared against Muni Metro below) serve over 125,000 more people daily than BART.
You're wrong about Muni and MBTA by a long shot. Muni Metro is not comparable to the MBTA subways. In fact, it's not even comparable to just the Green Line branch alone which serves over 50,000 more riders than the entire Muni Metro (including cable cars and "F" line) system. The Green Line has the highest ridership in the nation for light rail systems and Muni Metro can't compete with that.
As far as subways (heavy AND light rail) BART/Muni serves fewer people (in a larger metro, mind you) than MBTA's Red/Blue/Orange/Green Lines. Hardly what I would call better service. There's a reason people ride public transit and it's convenience. Boston's is more extensive and convenient than San Francisco's by quite a bit and the numbers show it.
When it comes to regional commuter rail, there's no comparison between Caltrain and MBTA. The MBTA's commuter rail network serves over 138,000 people daily while Caltrain only serves about 40,000. A difference of nearly 100,000 people on a daily basis.
No matter which type of transit you require (light rail, heavy rail subway, or regional commuter rail) Boston has a better option in every category. Again, you may not prefer it, but the numbers (all from THIS source) show that Boston's is the more extensive and widely used system in every regard.
Apparently the Olecito in Inman Square is far superior to the one that opened on Comm Ave in Boston, according to Yelp, and they're supposed to be opening on Washington St. in Brookline Village. Chowhound has a discussion of it: Another Olecito? - Boston Area - Chowhound
I'll stick to Inman Square, since I can walk there.
That's too bad for me, as Comm Ave (and soon to be Brookline Village) are much easier for me to reach (from Mission Hill). I have some friends in Inman who need to get out more. Maybe I'll make them accompany me.
On many of these forums, if someone effectively says, "I don't like your town", the natives bash the OP into submission.
Your responses (so far) have been very polite and matter of fact. (All these places are different, and that's a good thing---how boring it would be if we were all alike!).
To the OP: I was transferred by a former employer (for promotions, but still...) to Nashville, TN and Minneapolis. Nothing against the nice people in those cities, but I hated living in both of them. Sometimes, it's just not right for you. A Bostonian might get transferred to California and just hate it. Both might hate my town (Houston). I hope you find what you are looking for.
(I'm reading this forum because I'm considering a "getaway" trip, and Boston is a great change of pace; always a fun "take" as one of my Boston friends says).
yuck, I'm triple posting.
Anyway, I think some of the reason people can respond to threads like this without anger is understanding. I've lived in places I don't like and it's frustrating. Boston's also got quirks that aren't for everyone. We can understand when people don't care for something about our city. Furthermore, the OP is from the Bay Area which is wonderful. I'd live there if a good opportunity presented itself, though Boston will always be home. I love it here. Finally, the OP may have had a tough thread title, but he (she?) mostly presented his feelings in a non-accusatory manner and didn't really trash the city as much as he expressed some of his discontents with certain things (i.e. weather... can't argue that some don't like winter!). Hey, everyone needs to vent sometimes.
I think some of us felt that some of the venting was a bit unfounded (see my transit rant above) and maybe a little more searching and the OP could have adjusted better, but he's still entitled to his opinion. Anyway, there's an understanding that Boston isn't for everyone and we can respect opinions. As long as someone doesn't come in stating opinions as fact (which too many people do, but this poster didn't), then you should be able to have reasonable discussions.
Anyway, I hope the OP finds somewhere that he's happy. And I would suggest waiting till late spring, summer, or fall to come as it's frigid here right now. I don't remember when I last saw the sun. When you do come, enjoy!
First I know some people love it here and I recognize to each their own. This isn't meant to change anyone's mind. For me personally I find Boston incredibly undesirable. The winter is cold and long lasting. The hours of sunlight in New England are much less than Southern and Western parts of the United States. The city looks old and dirty to me. I personally am not enthralled by the history of Boston. It's nice to go to a museum about perhaps but to live and breathe it day to day offers nothing to me. I don't like bars, I don't like sports and that seems to be the basis of conversation amongst my coworkers. I think the T is very poorly designed and too crowded. The city is overpriced. I find it geographically very uninspiring and after a week of living here I felt I had seen all the city has to offer. I look out from tall buildings and see nothing but dusty brick facades and a low slumping landscape into the Charles River. I've been here a year now and as soon as I can find a new job I will happily leave. The only reason I came here was due to the lack of employment opportunities and having found a job here.
Though I don't feel interested in them, generally I find Boston full of nice people and has a strong employment market but those things just don't make up for the downsides I've mentioned. It also is a little strange to me everyone seems to have a little yappy dog in tow. It reminds me of Seattle, always damp and grey. Hopefully 2010 will be the year I leave.
I don't know exactly what the point of this post was, but good luck in 2010 with finding a place that suits you better.
Me, I love it to death. I was just showing a person around Boston who had never been and who thought it was the city she'd been looking for her whole life.
As someone who was born and raised in MA I can still understand where you are coming from. There does tend to be a certain pride with Boston around here that people will stick by. Some people enjoy the weather in New England, I am one who finds it quite depressing. I'm not a winter person and winter is too long, spring has been basically nonexistent, summer too short, but early to mid fall has been nice. A few mentioned the weather in San Francisco being great, but I would disagree. I was there in the summer and it was in the 40's for a couple of days. You could drive an hour away and it was in the 80's and 90's. I also disagree with those who think Boston's public transportation is great. No one really mentioned D.C. which is a lot nicer, runs later, and is more on time. Compared to other cities with a lot of public transportation, Boston in my opinion is about average. Overall, I really don't find Boston to be that pretty of a city. The skyline is average, the skyscrapers look like concrete and don't have any unique character to them. I found Toronto to be the same way. The city isn't exactly clean and sometimes smell quite bad. The waterfront really isn't used as well as other cities have used their waterfront. Boston does have its unique roads, cobblestone and quirky. I think if you like quirky and unique in many ways, that is Boston.
I agree once you do the museums and some of the history related things, the whole "Boston has so much history" goes out the window. The aquarium is a dump once you go to other aquariums across the country. The immediate Boston area also doesn't have much for nice beaches. Even many of the beaches on Cape Cod in my opinion are overrated. The North and South Carolina beaches are a lot nicer. I prefer Maine more, especially the Old Orchard Beach area. I think Maine has more character. Cape Cod has become way too commercialized and other than the ocean, the inland sections of Cape Cod are nothing special.
The cost can get to you here, although San Francisco is still very expensive. I believe wages in San Francisco are higher than they are in Boston. My one issue with people in and around Boston that I've noticed is when I go to other cities. If you go to another city and meet somebody who is from Boston it seems like they constantly ridicule that city...almost saying "well, Boston has this and that and Boston is nicer, or has public transportation". It really gets quite annoying. It isn't that people from Boston aren't nice, but they definitely are a little cold on the outside and take lots of time to warm up to people. Every city is differennt and I for one am glad other cites are not like Boston and I am also glad Boston isn't like other cities.
First I know some people love it here and I recognize to each their own. This isn't meant to change anyone's mind. For me personally I find Boston incredibly undesirable. The winter is cold and long lasting. The hours of sunlight in New England are much less than Southern and Western parts of the United States. The city looks old and dirty to me. I personally am not enthralled by the history of Boston. It's nice to go to a museum about perhaps but to live and breathe it day to day offers nothing to me. I don't like bars, I don't like sports and that seems to be the basis of conversation amongst my coworkers. I think the T is very poorly designed and too crowded. The city is overpriced. I find it geographically very uninspiring and after a week of living here I felt I had seen all the city has to offer. I look out from tall buildings and see nothing but dusty brick facades and a low slumping landscape into the Charles River. I've been here a year now and as soon as I can find a new job I will happily leave. The only reason I came here was due to the lack of employment opportunities and having found a job here.
Though I don't feel interested in them, generally I find Boston full of nice people and has a strong employment market but those things just don't make up for the downsides I've mentioned. It also is a little strange to me everyone seems to have a little yappy dog in tow. It reminds me of Seattle, always damp and grey. Hopefully 2010 will be the year I leave.
Come to Minnesota, Iowa of Dakota Live there couple years You will understand what is cold and long winters. After that you will love Boston
First I know some people love it here and I recognize to each their own. This isn't meant to change anyone's mind. For me personally I find Boston incredibly undesirable. The winter is cold and long lasting. The hours of sunlight in New England are much less than Southern and Western parts of the United States. The city looks old and dirty to me. I personally am not enthralled by the history of Boston. It's nice to go to a museum about perhaps but to live and breathe it day to day offers nothing to me. I don't like bars, I don't like sports and that seems to be the basis of conversation amongst my coworkers. I think the T is very poorly designed and too crowded. The city is overpriced. I find it geographically very uninspiring and after a week of living here I felt I had seen all the city has to offer. I look out from tall buildings and see nothing but dusty brick facades and a low slumping landscape into the Charles River. I've been here a year now and as soon as I can find a new job I will happily leave. The only reason I came here was due to the lack of employment opportunities and having found a job here.
Though I don't feel interested in them, generally I find Boston full of nice people and has a strong employment market but those things just don't make up for the downsides I've mentioned. It also is a little strange to me everyone seems to have a little yappy dog in tow. It reminds me of Seattle, always damp and grey. Hopefully 2010 will be the year I leave.
Don't you just love it when other people slam our city, then refuse to list or mention where they're from? And, actually, the reason you might find the "T" poorly designed might have something to do with the fact that it is the oldest subway system in the country.
But, truthfully, I wish more people felt this way. The vast majority of people who come here, (usually to college) don't want to leave, they stay, which increases expenses/cost of living for us natives.
First I know some people love it here and I recognize to each their own. This isn't meant to change anyone's mind. For me personally I find Boston incredibly undesirable. The winter is cold and long lasting. The hours of sunlight in New England are much less than Southern and Western parts of the United States. The city looks old and dirty to me. I personally am not enthralled by the history of Boston. It's nice to go to a museum about perhaps but to live and breathe it day to day offers nothing to me. I don't like bars, I don't like sports and that seems to be the basis of conversation amongst my coworkers. I think the T is very poorly designed and too crowded. The city is overpriced. I find it geographically very uninspiring and after a week of living here I felt I had seen all the city has to offer. I look out from tall buildings and see nothing but dusty brick facades and a low slumping landscape into the Charles River. I've been here a year now and as soon as I can find a new job I will happily leave. The only reason I came here was due to the lack of employment opportunities and having found a job here.
Though I don't feel interested in them, generally I find Boston full of nice people and has a strong employment market but those things just don't make up for the downsides I've mentioned. It also is a little strange to me everyone seems to have a little yappy dog in tow. It reminds me of Seattle, always damp and grey. Hopefully 2010 will be the year I leave.
Sounds like Chicago, (except for the history).
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