I've got a pretty good knowledge of the walking/biking version mainly because of my affinity for detours. Rather than take the same route to wherever I'm going, my tendency to change it up has led me to see some neat places that would have otherwise never existed to me. It's not usually a conscious choice for me to go left rather than my usual right, it just sort of...happens.
The driving version, which includes the outer boundaries of Edmonton and beyond, remains more or less a mystery to me. Other than the libraries, I couldn't tell you where to find anything north north or west of downtown, or south and east of Argyll. On those long drives, I usually have one goal in mind: getting there. The journey is insignificant.
The public transit version, though my favourite, has its flaws. It is, of course, repetitive. Also the majority of my time on the bus has me headfirst into a book, letting the outdoors fly by me without me knowing. But the bus is how I integrate myself with the migratory pattern of the elusive wild Edmontontian.
It's these times that give Edmonton that big city feel, the times when everybody gets painstaking close to the stranger next to them, yet remaining completely anonymous. I've never heard more funny stories than I have minding my own business on the bus, or crunched up next to somebody on the LRT. In fact, I saw somebody with no arms get arrested on the bus today.
Needless to say, it was quite a sight.
I really like the idea of different versions of Edmonton. People keep blogging about the idea that there is no cohesive, universal narrative/concept/etc. of "Edmonton," and walking vs. driving vs. bussing really do reveal entirely different Edmontons.
ReplyDeleteIn one of last week's readings Solnit mentions the streets as a place of public coming-together and social mobility, which makes me think of how much Edmonton isn't a walking city. There's so much sprawl here that in most areas, walking doesn't bring you into contact with many people at all (I guess I'm referring mostly to the suburbs, where I live). I agree with you that I feel more of a sense of being part of the city on the bus, with that forced proximity -- but then again, it's so easy (and socially appropriate) to just pop in your earbuds and not even glance at the person next to you!