Not a "real" city?

One of the most annoying things I hear said about L.A. is that it is not a "real" city, and one of the frequent claims made to support this statement is that nobody takes public transportation here. Of course, these people have never taken the bus, because the reality is that buses are stuffed like my sinuses during allergy season.

It might seem surprising that the most crowded buses are actually the ones that run most frequently. If one wants a seat riding down Ventura Blvd, it's better to take the 150/240, which runs every ten minutes during peak times, than the 750 Rapid, which runs every six minutes and makes fewer stops. People would rather stand and be moving than sit and wait.

The Orange Line, which just started running across the valley last fall, is packed even on Saturdays when the freeways are supposedly clear. More than once there was simply not enough room, and riders had to wait for the next bus. Of course, if you are aggressive enough, there is always enough space. One time, the entrance was blocked with teenagers and their bmx bikes (the ability of people to bring their bikes on the MTA doesn't help the crowding). I crawled my way past them, using the moves I learned on the New York Subways and before that pushing my way to the front of the stage when I used to see punk bands in my youth. As I shoved past him, one of these kids slugs me in the back. "Is that all you've got? I've had worse from my six year old niece."