On the bus

With all this screaming about how B.C.'s carbon tax adds to gas price hikes, it's interesting that in the U.S., higher prices are having an effect. Americans' driving is at a five-year low, because, among other things, they're switching to transit.

But here, we get screaming. And I'm convinced it's because transit use is a generational thing.

I ride transit because I find it more convenient, quicker, and much cheaper than driving. Also, the federal government lets me deduct the cost of a transit pass from my income tax.

I'd say that's a compelling value proposition, but take SkyTrain and you'll see that, generally, riders are young and/or ethnic. There'll be a handful of “traditional” Vancouverites – older and, um, non-ethnic.

I'm sure this is partly due to habit. It's also probably due to a desire not to be crammed into crowded cars with all those ethnics – a sentiment I've heard expressed in various forms.

But mostly the ridership divide has to do with which Vancouver you live in – the Vancouver of today or the one of 30 years ago.

Back then, most people in the region were of English or similar descent, lived in houses with big yards, and easily got around in cars. It was a big town where people could maintain a larger personal space.

Now, Vancouver region is crowded with 2 million people, many of whom come from dense urban areas where public transit is common. They're used to it. Young people use it out of thrift, or out of environmental passion.

A lot of those people screaming about the carbon tax are probably the same people who wouldn't be caught dead on transit. They don't know it, and they never will like it.