Re: [Leica] Advice for anyone planning to drive during your Boston Stay

["Craig Roberts" <croberts@zoomtel.com>]

Now that B.D., Buzz and several of the rest of us Bostonians
have...hopefully...discouraged you from driving in our fair city, you'll be
left with taking the "T" (the subway, bus, commuter rail system).  Some
advice:

1) Purchase a multi-ride pass for your stay...it'll save you a lot of hassle
and waiting in lines for tickets 'n tokens.  It'll also give you terrific
freedom to roam the area at will and save you money as well.  For details,
visit www.mbta.com .

2) When riding the subway you WILL be standing most of the time.  Cram
yourself into a corner as far away from the doors as possible, face the
bulkhead, clutch your camera bag to your chest and avoid all eye contact.
Cowering in the corner is for your convenience and comfort, not security.
Boston is safer than most large cities, so you and your camera stand little
chance of molestation...it's just that you don't want to disturb the
somewhat cranky locals...especially during the workday.  Being on the
receiving end of a tongue lashing for innocently occupying one square foot
of hotly contested territory can darken a bright afternoon.

Once you exit the "T" you'll need to walk to your destinations.  This is an
especially challenging undertaking and a great test of raw courage.  No,
you're very unlikely to be mugged but you do stand a very good chance of
being flattened by a vehicle unless you follow this tip:

When crossing a street, RUN LIKE HELL when you see ANY gap between vehicles.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts law dictates that marked crosswalks not
attended by a traffic light belong to pedestrians.  Once your foot hits the
pavement on a crosswalk, the legend goes, the right of way is yours.  This
actually works in most suburbs, but in Boston itself this presumption of
pedestrian rights is suicide!  Boston motorists...professional and private
citizen alike...WILL KILL YOU if given the opportunity.  Fact is, they're
really ticked off because hundreds of pedestrians a day jaywalk in front of
their vehicles.  The pedestrians jaywalk because it's the only safe way to
cross a street in Boston.  It's a vicious cycle that even a recent crackdown
on pedestrian / motorist right-of-way rules have failed to impact.  The best
advice is: use your finest survival instincts.

Hey, why don't we all just meet at my house in Gloucester?  We'll hang out
at the Crow's Nest, drink brewskies and take shots of picturesque fishing
boats in the harbor.

Craig
Boston