Practiced transit riders are probably rolling their eyes by now. They're probably wondering why I'm making such a big deal about riding the bus or light rail. It's not a big deal to ride the bus or train. It will be a BIG adjustment for someone who is accustomed to using her car as a time machine or running other errands on the way to and from work.

When my children were younger, I needed my car so I could get to them within a matter of minutes in case they got sick at school, were injured or otherwise needed my help. Because our workday starts and ends later in the day since we became a morning newspaper, it made sense to drive.

Now, our children are older. One of them drives and can be counted on to attend to minor "emergencies." When my last fill-up at the gas pump exceeded $50, I decided to bite the bullet and try public transportation.

I do this with some trepidation. I'm not a stranger to public transportation. I prefer TRAX to the bus, but I live a goodly distance from the light-rail line. I'm anxious because I'm unaccustomed to leaving the driving to others. I'm a bit nervous about people I may encounter on the bus and train. For whatever reason, I tend to attract people who want to save my soul, those who have been recently released from secure facilities or people who start happy hour at noon.

Friends who are regular transit riders tell me they avoid talking to other passengers, which cuts down on encounters with evangelists, ex-cons and drunks. Some riders listen to MP3 players or immerse themselves in a good book or newspaper. I will probably do the same, if only to appear as a seasoned transit rider.

Who knows? With this experiment I may be increasingly willing to leave my car at the park-and-ride lot. I may become a regular transit rider. Or I may get more attached to my car than ever.

Stay tuned.

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Marjorie Cortez, who loves to rev up her car's engine on lonely stretches of highway in the western United States (never exceeding posted speed limits, of course), is a Deseret News editorial writer. E-mail her at marjorie@desnews.com.