Public Transportation Courtesy

[the_std]

Or a lack thereof. Quick rant.

If the bus is crowded and you're fortunate enough to have a seat, do NOT sit on the outside and leave the inside seat empty. Other people would like to sit down, and you're not special enough to get a whole row to yourself. Slide your butt over and share the love for a short time.

If the bus is packed and it's your turn to get off, please nagivate your way between the poor standing patrons carefully. Pushing, shoving or swearing is not going to get you off the bus any faster. We're trying to let you off, but there is so little room to manoeuver that it's a slow process. Be patient - most people aren't trying to keep you on the bus for their own sick amusement.

If you're trying to get off at the back doors and the driver doesn't see you and therefore does not open them, don't start screaming. Raise your voice enough to be heard and let them know you're there. The driver is not a "blind asshole" nor is he a "cocksucker". He just didn't notice you.

I don't understand it. Whenever the buses are at minimal to half-capacity, everyone is pleasant and courteous, going out of their way to make no faux-pas'. But once the bus fills up, everyone acts like a loon. Ugh. Herd mentality.

[Ginger Tea]

I used to find my bus to manchester crammed with school kids standing at the front with plenty of seating, so everyone wanting to get on or off had to trip over a dozzen or so kids and school bags.

[Sableonblonde]

Riding on an overcrowded bus is stressful, and I can see how it can make people rude and snappish and unconcerned with common courtesy. In my city they keep cutting public transportation, despite the fact that we need many more buses, not less. You spend a long day at work, and then rather than getting to sit back and have a relaxing ride home, you are packed in like a sardine, smashed up against a bunch of strangers, forced to endure an uncomfortable, awkward 1/2 hour + ride before you can get home. The aisles become so packed that sometimes there is no way to get off without pushing or shoving someone aside. Not that I am excusing the behavior. I just understand it. If you are lucky enough to get a seat but you are on the outside, you will get hit with an endless procession of backpacks, purses, briefcases, coats, and people's asses.

I am also amused by people sitting on the outside seat and leaving the inside empty. Although I have seen plenty of passengers who are not shy and just demand that the person move over so they can have a seat. Equally rude, I think, are people who set their bags on the seat beside them rather than holding them on their lap. Another thing I don't understand is why sometimes, when the bus is packed and a seat opens up, there will be five people standing in front of that empty seat but no one sits down. It will save a lot of room to get as many people out the aisle as possible.

[LexiaFira]

had similar issues back home with the local bus transport. Had enough complaints from riders and drivers that they did a survey and had someone ride the route for about a month and hand out cards to fill out
how many people ride the bus on each route and which ones to cut. They had the funding, but there were enough issues that the city had said no more.
And after each survery was done there were many announcements that meetings would be held in city hall or appropriate place of which lines were in question and if you wanted them to stay show up and put in your words.

Of course said routes were cut, because no one showed or not enough, and people bitched. The bus line's response? We are not paying our drivers to be mistreated by you and not enough people ride the routes for us to continue said service to them.

[Ginger Tea]

When they changed my shift to a 9am start (later pushed back to 11am due to increase in workload) I used to cycle pass dozzens of 'parked' cars driving to work, some stuck behind an all but empty bus that they could be using instead, they were comming from near the 24 hour tesco and going to town, this bus stopped at tesco went to the hospital, then rail station then town and beyond, when traffic is heavy the bus journey suffers, but if they turned the car park into a park and ride site, these single occupant cars wouldn't be sat there for ages.

But short of banning cars from the city centre (closing the 3 large carparks in the process) people will never give up their car's, so I'm sure the 8:30 single file carpark is in active use.

[AdminAssistant]

people will never give up their car's

Probably not. There are two bus systems in town, but it's far, *far* more convenient for me to drive my car. I would consider taking a bus to school, but apparently I live too close to campus for there to be a stop near my apartment. Also, frankly, since I've never ridden a public transit bus and don't know the etiquette, I'd be afraid of doing the wrong thing and pissing someone off.

Ah well, I love to drive anyway.

[protege]

Probably not. There are two bus systems in town, but it's far, *far* more convenient for me to drive my car.

If the transit system here didn't suck ass, I'd *gladly* take the bus to work. But, because of where I live, it's not possible. I'd have to take one bus downtown, catch a transfer, and then ride that one to my office. If the first one is running late, I've missed the transfer, and then I'll be late to work. There's simply not a direct route from where I live, to where I need to be.

It's simply more convenient, not to mention faster, to drive. Plus, I don't have to wait out in the cold waiting for a bus that may, or may not show up.

Throw in the local system's money woes, their lack of equipment maintenance (why is it that as soon as the weather starts warming up...you see buses all over town with the rear hatch up, and massive green puddles underneath?) a pending 15% (on top of the other cuts in the last couple of years), and it's no wonder why many of us in the 'burbs drive now.

[Mikkel]

since I've never ridden a public transit bus and don't know the etiquette, I'd be afraid of doing the wrong thing and pissing someone off.

Don't worry, if you don't take up more than one seat, let others sit beside you, let older and handicapped people have your seat and don't make a lot of noise you will do better than most of your fellow passengers.

Ah well, I love to drive anyway.

It won't hurt to try it as preparation for the day where the car won't start. I prefer riding the bike for short distances and the car for longer. I still have to go by bus a few times a year.

[AdminAssistant]

It won't hurt to try it as preparation for the day where the car won't start. I prefer riding the bike for short distances and the car for longer. I still have to go by bus a few times a year.

Well, I would, but it's a pretty long distance to the closest stops. I'm only 10 minutes away from the grocery store and 30 away from where I have classes, so it's easier just to walk. Or call around and bum a ride.

[blas87]

I won't give up my car, honest to gosh I could give a fuck less about going green. The earth isn't going to thank me by making it faster or cheaper to get to work 15 miles away (almost all freeway miles) on foot or a bicycle, neither allowed on the freeway, or a taxi cab which costs $20+ to go out of town, nor will the enviornment make it so that busses go at night.

I could certainly get a bicycle for going to the gym, but I'd still have to cross a busy highway. I could walk/run also, but I'd probably end up road meat trying to cross a 50 mph highway in the middle of the morning. Sure, I could use a bicycle for going to the store or for just a quick errand. I just don't feel like it. I feel safer in my car, knowing I am enclosed and not a walking target.

When I didn't have a car for nearly a month in spring 2008, I had to walk to the tanning salon, the gas station, the grocery store (and I had to go there several times because I can only carry so much for a mile walk comfortably) and there was that one day a truck was watching me and waiting for me. I had never been so scared before.....thankfully I was right by home and I ran in between two apartment buildings and ran up the stairs. I got so many honks and people staring at me and I was always scared someone was going to try to jump me, even during the day. I eventually left the house only with my keys, a small wallet and my smokes because I didn't want people to see my purse. I ended up having people drive me to the stores because I didn't feel safe.

[telecom_goddess]

Oh my god..I live in a suburb and have no car of my own and have to take the bus and a train every day. I walk around everywhere by myself no problem. I never feel not safe.....I just don't worry about it.

I take the bus not by choice but by necessity. My bf on the other hand is so car dependent it's stupid. He'll drive up the road to go to somewhere that I just walk to. And he claims he wants exercise...well there you go..walk instead of being a lazy ass and you might get some.

[Andara Bledin]

Probably not. There are two bus systems in town, but it's far, *far* more convenient for me to drive my car.

I work 4 miles from my house. To drive in, it takes me 10-15 minutes, and I can leave when it's convenient for me and I can do errands after work without planning them out beforehand. To take the bus, it takes 60 minutes, minimum, I have to go in on the bus' schedule, it costs more, I can't run errands on my way home, and I still have to walk about a mile total, which sucks when it's raining because there aren't any sidewalks for the section between the stop and my work.

However, I did have a job in downtown LA for a while, and it was much more convenient to ride the metro in. It didn't take much longer, was much cheaper (no parking fees), much less stress, and not much more walking.

^-.-^

[blas87]

A few people around here who can't drive, every morning wait for the first bus of the morning. It has to take a lot of extra time to wait for the bus, then have to wait for all other stops before yours.

I prefer being able to get in my car whenever I want and go. Of course, I live in a pretty small part of Wisconsin, not a place with a lot of public transportation, just a few stinky busses that only run during regular business hours and extremely over-priced taxi cabs. Around here, if you can't drive, you're going to have it pretty tough.

[telecom_goddess]

A few people around here who can't drive, every morning wait for the first bus of the morning. It has to take a lot of extra time to wait for the bus, then have to wait for all other stops before yours.

I prefer being able to get in my car whenever I want and go. Of course, I live in a pretty small part of Wisconsin, not a place with a lot of public transportation, just a few stinky busses that only run during regular business hours and extremely over-priced taxi cabs. Around here, if you can't drive, you're going to have it pretty tough.

Those of you in more remote areas Yah I can understand why you drive...it's a shame it is still setup in such a way that it's car dependent but oh well.

In this area I just really get tired of people who depend on their cars when it's really not necessary. We have a decent bus system..and while it's less convienent on the weekends it still is possible to get around. And it's way cheaper for me to take the bus than it would be to maintain a car, 26 bucks a month total trans costs.

[Andara Bledin]

And it's way cheaper for me to take the bus than it would be to maintain a car, 26 bucks a month total trans costs.

Nice. For me, as a single rider, I would have to pay a minimum of $60/month for a pass that would allow me to realistically get around via buses. I currently pay about $80/month to have a car (gas, insurance, no maintenance). Since there are two of us using that car, that puts us ahead by $40/month.

The worst part is that we live in a major metropolitan area, and the bus situation still sucks. Our city has a great system, but since we're on some gerrymandered spur to the north of the rest of the city, it doesn't really cover us. And the line that would work for us is outsourced to some company that doesn't collect enough from their contract to actually cover their costs, so their buses are always breaking down.

^-.-^