I don't know. I've been on slow systems (SJ VTA, for example) and they are irksome. Also bus lines in SF which take circuitous routes to get you somewhere --they are very frustrating and are reasons I've driven instead of ridden public transit many an occasion. The most frustrating part is you feel like you have no control over the situation. You know you are at the whim of the system and there is no wishing for skipping a stop or overtaking a slow motorist or cyclist.
I took the bus to work for several years. And I totally get what you are saying about not having control and getting frustrated. But to me the whole point of taking the public transport is to not have to worry about those things in the first place. Don't look at the traffic or how the driver is driving. Read a book, listen to an audio book, learn a new language, put on noise canceling head phones and do meditation - don't worry about how the traffic is or if the bus driver is slow. I did my entire Master's degree on the bus. Two hours of study time every day! After I got done with my Master's I studied tensor calculus on the bus because I wanted to understand general relativity. Nobody to disturb - no kids, no spouse. I don't take the bus anymore because I changed jobs and there is no public transportation available to the new destination. But I would happily take it again if there was one. Also walking to and from the bus/train stop is some physical exercise that otherwise I would not get.
I wish I could do all those things while standing. I do have to look at how the driver is driving to anticipate jerky movements if I want to keep my balance.
That's because the SJ VTA is a terribly-designed transit system trying to traverse a region built almost entirely built around automobile travel as opposed to walking :)
