Home › Forums › West Seattle Rants & Raves › Rant: People w/ no bus etiquette
- This topic is empty.
-
AuthorPosts
-
July 20, 2009 at 3:55 pm #591613
JustSarahParticipantEvery morning, I take the 54X at either approx. 7:40 or 8:00 from California & Fauntleroy. Lately it’s been the 8:00, and there’s one particular woman who keeps showing up after several of us have already been at the stop, then jumps the “line” when the bus shows up. She just walks in front of everyone who’s been there longer. No, it’s not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it annoys me that she has this sense of entitlement. And she pays in cash, so she holds up the line straightening her bills and feeding them through the machine.
So, woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing the purplish-print shirt and brown slacks this morning (7/20), please – learn to yield to those who have been waiting patiently longer than you. The rest of us manage to do it.
July 20, 2009 at 4:27 pm #672435
flowerpetalMemberTruly rude. I think I would organize a blockade with my bus stop buddies. Perhaps she’s not too clueless to get the point.
July 20, 2009 at 4:27 pm #672436
swimcatMemberThis kind of behavior annoys me too- I rarely ride the bus, but now I say something to people that jump the ‘line’. Especially if I know the bus will be lacking seats when I get on!
July 20, 2009 at 6:26 pm #672437
SueParticipantThis happens at our bus stop as well. But I’ve also seen this interesting event: 2 people will have arrived before me at the bus stop. The bus stops in front of me with open doors, and I wait to let those 2 people go first since they were there first. But it turns into one of those new Pemco commercials for the “4-Way Stop, You Go. No You Go. No You Go. Guy” where neither of them will move at all (or they’ll be moving at a snails’ pace). So I just get on the bus at that point because SOMEBODY has to move. But more often than not, it’s what you describe – where someone will just march up to the front of the line and get on first.
July 20, 2009 at 7:00 pm #672438
JustSarahParticipantHa! Sue, I know exactly what you’re talking about regarding people who don’t *go* when the bus shows up. I haven’t said anything to this woman for a couple reasons: one, I’m never the first one at the stop, usually 5th or so (out of 15-ish there), so I don’t quite feel it’s my place to say something. Also, this bus almost always has enough seats to go around (esp. at this stop), so crowding isn’t an issue.
On the other hand, I think that it almost bothers me more that she rushes ahead of everyone when there are always plenty of seats. What’s the point?! At that point it just seems intentionally rude or clueless. Ah, well…
July 20, 2009 at 9:40 pm #672439
KenParticipantIts pemco but it’s the “east coast transplant”.
I moved from the south to Boston in the 70’s. I would have starved to death if I had not figured out that the pushing and shoving and shouting were considered the normal way to order a sandwich.
Driving is the same way. A red light is considered to have the same weight as advice from a distant relative. It is up to the “green lighters” to push their way into the traffic stream.
One polite Seattle driver could cause a riot at a roundabout.
July 20, 2009 at 10:37 pm #672440
KBearParticipantDoes Pemco have a “confused by the green light guy”? They should!
July 21, 2009 at 12:03 am #672441
datamuseParticipantKen: it is true that I had to radically change my driving habits once I started driving out here. Stuff that’s perfectly normal on the east coast (such as using one’s horn to wake up “confused by the green light guy”) just isn’t done out here.
Though Boston is a special case. It’s the worst driving I’ve ever seen in the U.S. (though not in the world: I’m not that widely traveled but my current personal leading contender is Greece).
Now that I think about it, though, the order of boarding for transit in most places I’ve used it is whoever happens to be nearest the doors. Mind you, the queue is not a familiar concept in either Washington D.C. or Bangkok.
July 21, 2009 at 6:20 am #672442
BookGalParticipantI usually wait at transfer points (multiple buses stopping at one location). So, my observations have been that most people do not stand in any sort of obvious line, but stand as far back from the curb as humanly possible. Line, what line? – at least at the stops I use.
Perhaps its all about putting things in perspective… as to what one will tolerate and what one considers more rude, inconsiderate, or clueless behaviour. Consider comparing the level and the length of time of some behaviour and/or situations:
1. Someone “jumping” the line to get on the bus a few moments before you. Maybe they get motion sickness if they sit in the rear or middle area of articulated buses? A friend of mine actually does get motion sickness from that very thing.
2. People who HOG seats – then pretend not to notice new passengers getting on, or when the bus is obviously full? These same folks always act as if it is such an inconvenience for them to move their stuff to allow another passenger to sit.
3. Those folks who talk incessantly on their cell phones (usually loudly and about the most inane topics) for the ENTIRE bus ride.
4. All those people who have their music cranked-up to ear-shattering decibels. Guess what you will become hard-of-hearing if not deaf years down the road.
5. Being unable to breathe easily for an entire bus trip due to the person sitting next to you: is drenched in heavy perfume/cologne, has pungent body odor, has alcohol breath, exudes alcohol sweat, smells like cigarette smoke (on their clothes), or has halitosis (bad breath) and is a mouth breather.
Hmm, a few moments (seconds) compared to an entire bus trip (15 – 45 minutes). I can live with someone “cutting in line” in front of me.
Can you?
July 21, 2009 at 6:31 am #672443
JustSarahParticipantBookGal:
It really bothers me when people make the argument that there are worse things out there; bigger, more important issues to worry about. Of course there are, and like I said, this isn’t a life-changing issue. However, it’s still annoying and I have a right to let it annoy me every morning for a minute. Then, yeah, I get over it. I’m annoyed by other examples of poor bus etiquette, including those you mentioned.
Anyway, at my stop at 8:00 the only bus people are waiting for is the 54X. This woman definitely knows what she’s doing, and there are always plenty of seats to go around, so it’s not an issue of scoring a “prime” seat. This is also why it doesn’t bother me more; I know I’ll have a seat. But, as cliche as it sounds, it’s the principle of the matter. I just think it’s rude to walk right in front of others who have been patiently waiting for the bus. I give someone the benefit of the doubt for a while, but this woman has done this every time I’ve seen her, and crowds her way in even when the first people at the stop are closer to the bus door.
July 21, 2009 at 6:19 pm #672444
austinMemberI love the seat hoggers. I’ve perfected a move I like to call “the wedge”.. if you’re ever hogging a seat on the bus and you notice someone moving you to one side with their butt, feel free to say hello! Oh and I’m not stealing your bag, I’m just placing it on top of you.
July 21, 2009 at 6:33 pm #672445
gunnerddogMemberBus etiquette question. In all seriousness, I’m interested in people’s opinions. At this particular stop, people get there early and sit on the bench. Others sit on the concrete planter. Others spread out along the sidewalk in both directions from the stop. Prior to the arrival of the bus, there is no discernable line at all and people are standing all over the place. I will usually walk up to where the bus normally stops and wait for the bus. Again, the bus is not there, there is no “line” for me to stand in. I realize I end up boarding the bus before people who have been waiting longer. I am also aware that unless there is a “take a number” machine, there is no real way to ensure absolute fairness. Is this considered line jumping, or is this conversation referring to once the coach arrives and people then line up?
Interested in people’s thoughts.
July 21, 2009 at 6:38 pm #672446
pampireMemberGunnerdogg, I think you are safe in getting on the bus first if you are the one standing nearest the door when the bus pulls up.
July 21, 2009 at 7:17 pm #672447
KBearParticipantGunnerdogg, while you may not know in what order the other people arrived, you DO know that everyone who’s already there has been waiting longer than you have. So you know your own place in (the imaginary) line.
July 21, 2009 at 7:56 pm #672448
squareeyesParticipantI’m with gunnerddog.
It’s always been my habit to wait right where the bus stops. If people are there but no line has yet formed, I’ll start the line before the bus is even in view. The exception is when I’m at an unfamiliar stop and don’t know the schedule; I’ll stand back until I see my bus number then queue up.
July 21, 2009 at 8:04 pm #672449
CMPParticipantLOL…I agree with KBear @14. If there are that many people waiting for the bus by the time you arrive, then you should know you ought to be the LAST person to get on the bus gunnerdog.
Bookgal’s point #5 is one of the reasons I stopped riding the bus. I can’t tell you how offensive I find stinky people on the bus, especially on a hot day. Smokers and barflys are the worst.
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.