safest and fastest public transportation route??

[BRinSM]

i've been on the blue and green lines at odd hours (after events at the staples center) and never had any issues. having said that, one way to cut on commute time is to take one of the buses that uses the 110 transitway and avoid the blue line. there are a number of routes that will pick you up from the harbor freeway station and take you non-stop to downtown where you can catch the red line. a couple of things before you try this out: 1. you have to walk down a lot of stairs from the green line station to the bus stop which is in the median of the freeway and is quite noisy as you can imagine. 2. there is a slight premium you have to pay to use the freeway buses (maybe 25 or 50 cents IIRC). 3. since there are multiple routes that use the transitway, you should never have to wait too long for the next bus.

[HarryKerryJr]

Originally Posted by PDF

Any theory on why you think this is? This is something I definitely noticed.

It depends upon the line and time of day. Sure, line 16 between Western and La Cienega during the mid-day is a pleasure to ride, while that same line from downtown to Western at about 9PM can be a very intimidating experience. Overall, it is the buses that are the big problems in terms of safety, not the rail lines, even with deputies letting all the mentals on the subway and the Blue Line having reached an all time low at night. Even the MTA's own crime statistics and public surveys prove this. Rail safer with higher satisfaction ratings; buses more crimes/incidents with lower satisfaction ratings, and my personal experience and those of others I know confirm this.

[HarryKerryJr]

I really think that at that hour buses are OUT OF THE QUESTION. However, the suggestion of the Silver Line or other buses using the 110 HOV lanes to downtown is a good one to consider. Just check the timetables to see if it is practical. Otherwise, stick to the rail, and while the Blue Line might seem intimidating, your personal safety has much better odds there. in general, especially the areas you will be commuting, the buses are the problems, even during the day. The stories I have and others have shared with me! Good grief. Also, at that hour bus head-ways are very INfrequent and waiting for a bus on a shady corner for a long time (having just missed your connection) is the prime place of trouble coming to find you. At least the train platforms have cameras and even deputies can be dispatched there is they see problems. On the street corner, you are on your own, and no deputies nor ticket checkers board the buses. Stick to the rails my friend and keep your nose in a book and don't make eye contact. Not so hard.

A lot of your personal safety on public transit may have more to do with your appearance. In other words, are you a fair-haired pretty boy? That's likely to look like fresh meat to those considering harm. Or do you have some height and heft? That usually can be enough to dissuade most trouble makers as they all look for easy pickins. Do you work out at all? Muscles can be intimidating to anyone, even the good guys. And your age: not too young like a kid, but not too old like someone over 50 with too much gray hair who might seem an easy target. If you aren't a frail, little, pretty boy, who looks out of his element, than you should have no real problems and excellent chances of not encountering problems on the rails at that hour of night. However, I have to say, that if it were I who had to make that commute at that time of night, I would commute by car as I really wouldn't want to press my luck. But that is I. Someone else may find it not intimidating at all.