One way to get to know a new place is to ride public transportation – especially the bus. It’s like taking an unguided tour – a tour in which there’s often as much to see inside as there is out the windows.
The most popular buses in Oakland are the 1 and the 1R. The 1, which is the local route, makes 105 stops in three different East Bay cities. It’s a trip that takes four hours from start to finish.
A big part of life in the Bay Area is how we get around. We drive and complain about parking; take MUNI and complain about delays; bike and risk car collisions (and complain), and of course, we walk. Even that’s not always safe – at least 10 pedestrians have died in the city so far this year. The vast majority of people are hit by motor vehicles: cars, trucks, buses. But sometimes those conflicts are between pedestrians and bicyclists.
Earlier this year, KALW contributor Molly Samuel set off on what she called the "Long Walk." She and 12 friends walked the entire waterfront of San Francisco – 23 miles. It took them 11 hours, and gave them all a new perspective on their city.
KALW transportation reporter Julie Caine sat down with Molly to hear about what she saw and heard.
