Some things I've noticed while riding public transit. And not just in this city, either.
1. Some old people will insist on hobbling as far back as they can before they stumble into a seat when the bus starts moving, even though there are plenty of seats in the front emptied specially for them.
2. Some people will stand directly in front of an empty seat, effectively preventing anyone else from getting to it. This happens on really crowded buses or on near-empty ones in which there are plenty of other places to stand.
3. Black people always sit in the back. Always. I have seen this on schoolbuses and city buses and I still do not understand it.
4. There's usually someone standing directly in front of the rear exit for about ten stops, making it extremely difficult both to get by on the way to the back of the bus and to get off.
5. In this city at least, on certain bus routes at a particular time of the afternoon, there are always huge groups of Asian teenagers chattering loudly and obnoxiously, bumping into everyone and completely ignoring the presence of other human beings. If you see any of these kids anywhere else when they're alone, they're utterly silent and take up as little space as possible. It's bizarre.
6. On bus routes going up to the bridge or any other historic places, there are always tourists carrying maps who sit anxiously by the front, trying to hide their nervousness by getting chatty with the bus driver or making touristy comments to their comrades.
7. Men always sit with their legs wide apart. Always. I'm sorry, but I highly doubt your junk actually takes up that much space.
8. There is always the pretty girl checking herself out in the window.
9. Speaking of Asians and old people, there are always (in this city) little old Asian ladies who will push their way past you to get on the bus first and they will shamelessly take up as much space as possible with lots of plastic bags filled with god-knows-what.
10. Sometimes, during a traffic spat, or if someone on the bus is being particularly obnoxious (talking on the phone, or a child screaming), other people on the bus will look at each other, sigh, and laugh, as though for a moment they have bonded, and then they will spend the rest of the ride avoiding each other's eyes, even if they get off at the same stop.
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This blog post is hella true.
ReplyDeleteI've been so irritated by #7 lately. Especially those guys who also stretch their arms wide enough to hit the person next to them or shuffle through their things by jutting their elbows every which way. We actually discussed it in one of my classes.
Another thing I would add to the list:
*People who play music really loudly or sing along off-key while on their headphones.
*People who, on crowded buses, decide to plop their bag or jacket on the seat next to them, indicating that no one can sit there.
*Relatively healthy old people who take the "yield for seniors" sign literally and yell at younger people who can't stand or move very far (usually someone disabled in some way, a heavily pregnant woman, or a child).
*On the flip side, those assholes who won't move for someone who's ACTUALLY too old and feeble or disabled.
I knew I was forgetting something. Or several somethings. Then again, I don't ride the bus NEARLY as much as you, dear.
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