Buses With TVs? Don’t Get Them Started

Re “MTA Offers a New Way to Avoid Eye Contact,” June 22: One thing I have always appreciated about bus riding was the respite it provides from the relentless bombardment of billboards, traffic noise, etc., you endure when living in a metropolitan area like L.A. Already this quiet enjoyment has been diminishing the last few years as bus-riding noisy cellphone users became more common.

Now MTA is adding to the cacophony with TV screens that will assault the eyes and ears with allegedly useful information along with (and we know this is the real purpose) ads.

Yes, this is a way to make some money by exploiting a captive audience, much like some local supermarkets now do while you wait in line to check out. I urged the MTA board not to approve the TV contract, but my arguments were ignored. Why should they care? Their eyes and ears aren’t being assaulted. But mine will be, and I resent it.

Dana Gabbard

Executive Secretary

Southern California

Transit Advocates, L.A.

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I’ve been seriously considering using mass transit because I believe that those of us who complain about congestion in L.A. should do something about it.

But today I learned that I’ll be forced to watch, and possibly even listen to, commercial television during my ride. The only thing worse than riding a bus in L.A., as far as I’m concerned, would be riding a bus with TV.

Sorry, MTA, but any chance you might have had to get me on a bus is now gone forever.

Trevor O’Donnell

Los Angeles