Bus etiquette advice from the Seattle Transit Blog

[savoirfaire]

This may be a little snarky, but it’s also dead on:

PSA: Standing the Right Way

I’d add two things to it:

– Take off your bulky bag or backpack and hold it down by your feet. It leaves more room in the aisle for other people to stand, and has the added bonus that you won’t unintentionally smack your seated fellow riders in the head with your stuff.

– If the bus is filling up and you’re close to an empty seat, just sit down. You can always offer the seat to another rider later if that seems appropriate, but in the meantime you won’t be blocking the aisle.

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[JanS]

interesting comments in that link. I remember the articulated buses in Frankfurt, Germany in the mid 70’s. There were no seats in the movable part in the center, but there was a bar along the accordion sides that moved when the floor moved, so you could hold on while standing. We always aimed for that part. :)

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[anonyme]

Two more: take the backpack off BEFORE you board the bus. There isn’t enough room to take it off inside without hitting someone.

When you get on board with your dripping umbrella, hold it down near the floor – not elevated, where you drench everyone along the aisle as you search for your special reserved seat.

One extra: guys, please stand facing forward (or backward) and not sideways with your groin thrust to within two inches of the face of a seated female passenger. I sometimes experience tics that cause my elbow to jab sharply upward.

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[JanS]

anonyme..the comment about your tics made me giggle..

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[savoirfaire]

Me too!

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[2 Much Whine]

The most obvious courtesy? When you are stealing I-phones from riders, please wipe down the muzzle of your gun with a sanitary wipe between victims to prevent the spread of germs. Thank you. It’s bad enough to lose a phone but when you get the flu on top of that it is simply unacceptable.

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[miws]

Good points, but I do have to say that on the (fortunately relatively rare) occasions that I have to stand, I’ve become one of those that generally won’t go past the area of the first forward facing seat, because I no longer have my “bus legs” that I had for decades of riding Metro. I pretty much need the little divider panel, between that forward facing seat, and the aisle facing seats, to support myself along with a death-grip on the vertical stanchion, to keep me from flying around as the coach stops, starts and turns. But I do try to scrunch up the best I can, to let others by.

I do try to remove my backpack, when I have it, to avoid the very situations described above. But sometimes, if I have packed with heavy stuff, it’s difficult to impossible for me to hold it in my free hand for any length of time, especially if I already have heavy shopping bags to hang onto, and if I try to put it on the floor between my feet, it’s going to be a challenge not to get tangled in it while dealing with the jerks, (inertia, not other passengers) ;-) and trying to keep it from falling over and becoming a trip hazard for other passengers.

Oh, and I’m juggling a cane too!

As far as the more able-bodied folks giving up their seats to the seniors/lesser-abled; Yes! Please!

Now, on the 60 coming back from Harborview, (an average once a week trip) it can be crowded enough that I occasionally have to stand until maybe 12th & Jackson, with a lot of stops, starts, and turns.

Trouble is, with that Route serving at least three Medical Facilities, the other passengers often appear to be no more able-bodied than myself, and sometimes lesser-abled.

It’s not unusual to have at least one, or even two scooters/chairs, and add into the mix, maybe any combination of walkers, and shopping carts, what with the Route also serving the (perhaps loosely considered) upper edge of the International District, with a lot of shopping options.

Now, the 128 is a different story.

I have resorted to trying to make my once per week-ish trips to Thriftway on Sundays, as not only is it a bit quicker of a ride than weekdays, what with the Route not taking that back-tracking jog to the College, but in the early to mid-afternoon on the Runs heading to Southcenter, and even occasionally on the late morning Runs to Admiral, the bus can be rather crowded with College kids.

Add to that, in the early to mid-afternoons kids from Madison and West Seattle High, the 128 can be often packed. I’ve seen the bus barely clear of standees by the time it gets to the College, where it will sometimes once again become packed to the gills. That happened a few weeks ago, and when I got off my regular stop at southbound 16th & Henderson, one you man was actually courteous/bright enough, to step off the coach for a moment, as suggest above.

Yesterday was one of those once a month times that I visited Thriftway on a weekday, after a haircut and lunch in the Junction. I was actually a bit surprised, when I stepped on the bus at 42nd & Morgan, that there were Jr. or Sr. High kids on already, at 1:30 in the afternoon. Not totally packed like before, but a few standees, as I recall. I lucked out that the first aisle facing seat behind the door was just vacated by the guy that got off there, so I didn’t have to ask one of the young people to give me their seat.

And yes, after a few times of not doing so, standing there juggling a couple heavy bags of groceries, a cane, and perhaps the backpack if I made the quick decision that it would be a(n) (admittedly not much) better option to leave it on, while hanging on for dear-life, I need to start asking for a seat from an able-bodied appearing person, if none is offered.

In any case, nowadays, I don’t like to be too far back in the bus (after being a decades long preference of sitting allllllll the way back in the bus), as stepping down off the bus can be a challenge, and quite often is not only risky enough from the front door, but much more so from the back, especially at the stops in both directions on 16th at Henderson; narrow uneven parking strips, narrow sidewalks, and located in such a way that it’s difficult for the Driver to get even the front door close and parallel to, the curb.

Please forgive if this seems a bit convoluted. Just so much to say, and as usual, my brain types way faster than my hands. I’ll be for than happy to clarify any points that may seem confusing.

Mike

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[Ms. Sparkles]

You’re a twisted one 2 Much Whine….and I Like it!

JanS – About 6 months ago I took a picture of a mans…um,package and posted it on FB because it was literally 8 inches from my face ;-)!

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[anonyme]

Mike, if you have a cane you should have a seat at the front of the bus. Period. The drivers don’t usually enforce this unless asked, but you absolutely have the right to expect seating if you are disabled/physically challenged. Unfortunately, I’ve found that very few young and/or able-bodied people volunteer their seats these days unless ordered to do so.

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[savoirfaire]

Thanks for sharing that perspective, miws, and anonyme is right–you’re entitled to a seat, and other people should be volunteering theirs at the first sight of a cane. Definitely tricky, though, as you point out, on routes that serve medical centers. I wonder whether anyone at Metro thinks about that.

FWIW, miws, I hope none of this came off as mean, because that certainly wasn’t my intention, and there are plenty of good reasons why a person might not be able to, or choose to, do any of these things. I’ve just been on so many buses where people were left behind and it was clearly unnecessary, just due to people not paying attention.

I wonder if we need a new Oppy:

http://subwayartblog.com/tag/the-subway-sun/

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[miws]

Don’t worry, no offense was taken, as I understand they were comments about other riders in general, and figured that you, anonyme, and others would allow logical exceptions in your views. Plus, I actually agree with most, if not all of the comments, when speaking of other (presumably able-bodied) riders.

Just thought of another peeve that’s gotta be a common one as well; legs stretched across the aisle, not being moved as others try to get by.

It happened just yesterday, on that 128, coming back Home to Highland Park from Thriftway. A young male, (looked to be one of the school kids) and an adult woman. They were practically across from each other, in the front, aisle facing seats.

Fortunately for me, being in that first spot, I didn’t have to negotiate them on my way out, but I did see at least one person struggle to get around the woman’s feet/legs. (I think the guy drew his legs back in).

Mike

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[miws]

Cool retro ads!

There are about ten coaches in the fleet of the Metro Employees Historic Vehicle Association, http://mehva.org/index.php that have been restored to road worthiness, and go on a few excursions a year, that have ads on them that were probably left there after each coach was retired, as they seem to be from the era of that happening, in each instance.

Mike

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[gmabetty]

Miws I have some of the same complaints as you. Knowing you, you definitely deserve a disabled seat! I too cannot stand and balance on the bus anymore and definitely am a senior. I’ve learned to be “forward” and ask if someone could give me a seat. I also hate the huge backpacks and bags , especially if they take up a seat or hang in my face. I don’t think anyone even reads the signs regarding senior and disabled seating. Early Release days happen and i have gotten caught in the crowd when thought I had plenty of time before the mob. I think others need to be in yours or my place to fully understand our complaints. I had a driver complain once about he lift being used for the handicapped after I asked for it because that particular day I had a bad knee and steps were bad. She’d seen me on the 128 many times when ok so felt I was wrong. Irritating!!

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[singularname]

I’m wearing that huge backpack because I need to transport 40ish pounds, so no … I won’t be lugging it on and off my back.

And I don’t care for women’s stuff, upper or lower, in my face either, but I can live with any of it for the sake of being in the public. If I think it’ll kill me, I’ll move.

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[gmabetty]

Sometimes we can’t do much about “stuff” in our faces but have had backpacks bump me in the face. Everybody can’t stand at the front entrance or close either.

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[metrognome]

just to clarify; the issue of making ‘priority seats’ available to persons with disabilities was not addressed in the original 1991 federal rules; all that was required was that the designated seats be marked. In a 1993 rulemaking, based on public and transit agency comments on a proposed rule change, the feds added the following requirement:

Subpart G—Provision of Service

§37.167 Other service requirements.

(j)(1) When an individual with a disability enters a vehicle, and because of a disability, the individual needs to sit in a seat or occupy a wheelchair securement location, the entity shall ask the following persons to move in order to allow the individual with a disability to occupy the seat or securement location:

(i) Individuals, except other individuals with a disability or elderly persons, sitting in a location designated as priority seating for elderly and handicapped persons (or other seat as necessary);

(ii) Individuals sitting in or a fold-down or other movable seat in a wheelchair securement location.

(2) This requirement applies to light rail, rapid rail, and commuter rail systems only to the extent practicable.

(3) The entity is not required to enforce the request that other passengers move from priority seating areas or wheelchair securement locations.

(4) In all signage designating priority seating areas for elderly persons and persons with disabilities, or designating wheelchair securement areas, the entity shall include language informing persons sitting in these locations that they should comply with requests by transit provider personnel to vacate their seats to make room for an individual with a disability. This requirement applies to all fixed route vehicles when they are acquired by the entity or to new or replacement signage in the entity’s existing fixed route vehicles.

[56 FR 45621, Sept. 6, 1991, as amended at 58 FR 63103, Nov. 30, 1993]

http://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/12876.html (Part 37)

and

http://www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/12876.html (this includes the preamble that discusses why the specific rule was adopted.)

Some drivers will automatically ask people to move if they don’t voluntarily; others wait for the person with the disability to ask them (either is allowed.) This is for two reasons: a) not all disabilities are as visible as the person thinks they are, and b) some people with disabilities get upset if the driver voluntarily asks people to move as they don’t want the accommodation. In any event, the driver is not required to force anyone to move.

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[gmabetty]

Laws? Rules? There is such a thing as courtesy. At one time there was such a thing as respect and courtesy to elders at any time. Where did that go? Either kids are not Taught that or don’t listen when they are. Rules and laws aside, there still ought to be a little courtesy.

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