Tag: bus tips

Bus tip: Think about where the people who get on after you are going to need to get to.

The gentleman sitting on the steps made it very difficult to get onto the upper part of the Max train today. Misuse of space on a crowded Max train is one of my biggest pet peeves of the collective nature of public transportation. Rule of thumb: if you are standing in front of a space that people might like to stand, be ready to move aside at a moment’s notice.

I happened to be carrying a big bag and two large rolls of curtain-making material and I wasn’t a bit sorry when, after he refused to get up, those things hit him as I moved by him. I didn’t do it purposefully, let’s just say that I wasn’t as careful as I might have been if he hadn’t been so rude.

Bus tips: Tuck in.

This photo was taken (all stealthy like although that guy sitting below noticed me doing it) on the #6 bus. You remember that bus, right? The super crowded one that has all sorts of interesting people? This woman was using her bag as a defensive maneuver to avoid someone sitting next to her. I find this rude, especially on a crowded bus line like this one.

So here’s the deal. When you have a bag (or more than one) it is your job to keep it in your space. Your space is defined by the line separating two seats. If there are other people on the bus, it is your responsibility to stay within the bounds of your seat. This helps not only to pack the bus efficiently, but also to keep people from having to ask if they can sit there.

And men, that line is there for you too. Just because you think you have to sit with your legs spread wide doesn’t mean that you actually get to. Tuck in. Seriously. Also, both men and women: if you bring more than one bag on the bus, it is still your responsibility to keep all your possessions in your space. If you can’t do this, it is your responsibility to send out massive apologetic vibes to everyone who eyes the space you are taking up.

Bus tip. Throw away your garbage…

In the proper receptacle. Like the handy trash can sitting not 10 feet from this bench.

Look. It’s like this: at your home, you can throw your waxy q-tips wherever you choose. But here, at the platform where many, many people wait for trains, please take the time to deposit your detritus in the trash can provided.

I could write a separate post about not cleaning your ears in public, but I think you might be too far gone to understand why personal grooming is best done in private.

Bus tips.

First in an occasional series.
When riding the bus, or any kind of public transportation, take a seat. If you feel like standing, move to the rear of the bus. Do not stand at the front of the bus near the driver. When you do that people have trouble getting onto the bus and everyone’s commute takes longer.

One thing that often happens on semi-crowded buses, is that people will “move to the back” but stop at about the point where the woman is wearing the tan coat, instead of walking up the rear steps all the way to the back of the bus. Then other people can’t get by them, so the front of the bus becomes quite crowded while often there are still some seats left in the very back. If people would instead walk all the way to the very back of the bus, more people would be transported more comfortably.

Remember, the key to happy public transportation is to not only watch out for yourself, but your fellow travelers too.