There's a difference between a transfer to change directions, and a transfer to keep going the same direction you were already going (a linear transfer).
Most people accept the fact that if you're going north on the Yonge line and you need to get to Bayview & York Mills, that you're going to need to transfer from the subway to the bus at York Mills Station. That's just part of transit. What people don't like accepting is getting off one rapid transit line just to continue in the exact same direction on another rapid transit line, especially when for most people that transfer occurs nowhere near either your origin or your destination.
All transfers are not created equal, and some are a bigger PITA than others.
Most people accept the fact that if you're going north on the Yonge line and you need to get to Bayview & York Mills, that you're going to need to transfer from the subway to the bus at York Mills Station. That's just part of transit. What people don't like accepting is getting off one rapid transit line just to continue in the exact same direction on another rapid transit line, especially when for most people that transfer occurs nowhere near either your origin or your destination.
All transfers are not created equal, and some are a bigger PITA than others.