It was a sweltering day; there was no transit. A recipie for disaster, surely. Yet despite the heat and the gridlock, and the difficulties in getting to work (because everybody wants to get to work), there were some small pleasures regardless.

Most obvious amongst them, for those Torontonians who decided to take their bikes, was the joy in looking at the long queues of four wheeled vehicles, backed up as far as the eye could see, while riding down the curb lane slowly, yet still twice as fast as anything else on the road; it's nice to switch things up every so often, isn't it?

More importantly though, was the memory of today. The TTC is chronically underfunded, fares are regularly rising to record prices, and the TTC expansion plan is woefully inadequate. Part of the problem with this is that too many people refuse to view the rocket as an essential service that goes to making Toronto livable. How many times have we heard the refrain (or one like it) that "I don't ever use the TTC, why should I have to support it? I don't benefit, let the riders pay the full cost!"?

I think today makes it crystal clear. Even if you don't regularly ride the rocket; even if you can't tell a subway from a streetcar (hint: the subways are more frequently underground), or know where the SRT runs (hint: the 'S' is for Scarborough), you benefit from the TTC on a constant basis. Those of us who pony up our $2.75 to get aboard arn't just saving the environment, they're also making YOUR car ride easier and more enjoyable.

Try to remember that the next time the TTC asks the gov't for greater funding.