First off, if you don’t ride the bus, thank your lucky stars. It’s not a terrible way to get around, but does have it’s challenges.
Here are a few tips I can offer you for the next time you ride.
1. Be aware of smelly people. Some are worse than others. Any smell that reminds you of a skunk is a marijuana smoking individual. Now you know what they do in their spare time. TMI for sure!
2. A significant choice upon entering the bus is whether to sit or stand. I always try to find a seat if I can, even in the back of the bus, as it’s more comfortable for longer rides. As you walk down the center aisle searching for a seat, there are often people crowding by the back door. They may be planning to exit the bus soon and don’t want to take a seat for just a few blocks, or they just don’t want to sit. Either case, they are blocking the access to the back of the bus where there are often 2 or 3 seats waiting to be had. Politeness helps one get past those ne’er do wells to the valuable seats. Many people do not want to ride in the back of the bus, but there are often as decent folks in the back as farther forward, so don’t be afraid to venture back.
3. One feature of bus riding you can’t control is how the bus driver chooses to drive. This is a factor most affecting your ride. Many drivers will give you time to get situated either in a seat or gripping a seat pole before they move out into traffic. Other drivers make an art out of how smooth they can pull away from the curb or come to a stop. Their buses are a delight to ride but unfortunately, they are the exception. Other drivers give you the impression they are always behind their schedule and are working to catch up with jerky movements as they stop, start and take the corners. That’s the ride where you can get nauseous from all the jerking around. And, forget reading a book or Kindle under those circumstances.
4. Stay tuned for Part 2 of How to survive a bus ride!