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fandomhigh2011-03-01 03:15 pm
steel-not-glass.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2011-03-01 03:15 pm
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Intro to the 21st Century, Tuesday, Second Period
Back in the Danger Shop again, the class found themselves on a busy corner in downtown Manhattan. To their left was a set of stairs with odd-markings leading underground. In the street, bright orange cars and large buses flew by, stuffed with people.
"These days, it's not unheard of for people to travel great distances for the most mundane reasons. Commuting to work, visiting friends, going out shopping; all of these activities can be located many, many miles from your home. Walking or even biking places may not be feasible if you want to arrive at your destination by a certain time or without arriving utterly exhausted. Many people drive from one place to another, but that's not always the best option, either. You need to be of a certain age to be able to drive legally in most places, and you have to be skilled enough to pass a basic test of ability. Furthermore, cars can be expensive to own, insure, and upkeep, and that's not even bringing into account other difficulties, like Fandom's streets being too narrow to drive on and the near-impossibility of finding a decent and/or inexpensive place to park in New York."
"Because of this and also some very valid environmental reasons, more and more cities are improving or building different means of public transportation. They cost money to use, but provide a generally reliable means of transportation from one place to another. Taxis--" Cindy stepped forward and flung up her arm, flagging down an orange sedan almost immediately. Ahh, the benefits of technology. Ushering them all inside--the can was somehow large enough to fit, another benefit--she continued, "--can be expensive, but have the benefit of taking you wherever you need to go. The cab stops, you get in and tell the destination, and the driver will take you there." She turned and gave the cab driver an address, then pointed out basic information about the cab: the posted fares, the cabby's identification, and the fare reader so they could watch it tick by. The cabby also chimed in with some safety tips, including ways to make certain they were not being cheated. Then cab circled the block and dropped them off right where they'd started. "Don't forget to tip," Cindy added, pulling out her wallet and giving the cabby some bills as they all piled back onto the sidewalk.
"Now, taxis are good when you need to get from one place to another quickly or directly. Buses and subways, the other two types of transportation we're covering today, work on a slightly different basis. They are on a fixed schedule and make specific stops at designated places. You walk to a stop, pay to board--they are much cheaper than taxis as they are not as convenient--and then wait until you come to your stop. Both methods take longer, as there may be several points in the middle where they stop to take on and let off new passengers, and you may need to ride several different ones to get where you are going."
Handing each of them a subway map, she pointed at it. "The different colors here are different lines, and you have to figure out the best way to get to your destination. Learning to decipher the maps is probably the most difficult aspect of the entire process. And that's what we'll be doing today."
"These days, it's not unheard of for people to travel great distances for the most mundane reasons. Commuting to work, visiting friends, going out shopping; all of these activities can be located many, many miles from your home. Walking or even biking places may not be feasible if you want to arrive at your destination by a certain time or without arriving utterly exhausted. Many people drive from one place to another, but that's not always the best option, either. You need to be of a certain age to be able to drive legally in most places, and you have to be skilled enough to pass a basic test of ability. Furthermore, cars can be expensive to own, insure, and upkeep, and that's not even bringing into account other difficulties, like Fandom's streets being too narrow to drive on and the near-impossibility of finding a decent and/or inexpensive place to park in New York."
"Because of this and also some very valid environmental reasons, more and more cities are improving or building different means of public transportation. They cost money to use, but provide a generally reliable means of transportation from one place to another. Taxis--" Cindy stepped forward and flung up her arm, flagging down an orange sedan almost immediately. Ahh, the benefits of technology. Ushering them all inside--the can was somehow large enough to fit, another benefit--she continued, "--can be expensive, but have the benefit of taking you wherever you need to go. The cab stops, you get in and tell the destination, and the driver will take you there." She turned and gave the cab driver an address, then pointed out basic information about the cab: the posted fares, the cabby's identification, and the fare reader so they could watch it tick by. The cabby also chimed in with some safety tips, including ways to make certain they were not being cheated. Then cab circled the block and dropped them off right where they'd started. "Don't forget to tip," Cindy added, pulling out her wallet and giving the cabby some bills as they all piled back onto the sidewalk.
"Now, taxis are good when you need to get from one place to another quickly or directly. Buses and subways, the other two types of transportation we're covering today, work on a slightly different basis. They are on a fixed schedule and make specific stops at designated places. You walk to a stop, pay to board--they are much cheaper than taxis as they are not as convenient--and then wait until you come to your stop. Both methods take longer, as there may be several points in the middle where they stop to take on and let off new passengers, and you may need to ride several different ones to get where you are going."
Handing each of them a subway map, she pointed at it. "The different colors here are different lines, and you have to figure out the best way to get to your destination. Learning to decipher the maps is probably the most difficult aspect of the entire process. And that's what we'll be doing today."
Activity
Re: Activity
Re: Activity
It wasn't that Warren didn't appreciate this opportunity to explore his home city, really. But this whole underground tunnel thing had him just a touch antsy, shifting from foot to foot while he looked over the map.
He could find his way, he was sure of it, but the sky was nowhere to be seen down there, and he felt a bit like he was going to jump out of his skin.