My Trip Downtown

We have been down to one car for about 4 weeks now. It’s a long story and I won’t bore you with the details but it all started when Wes rear-ended someone on his way home from work on October 3. Owning an older vehicle is like owning an older home. As soon as you start on one job, you discover many others that need doing.

As a result of this inconvenience, I’ve been taking the bus more often lately. It’s been good for me and I have felt quite smug and self-righteous about doing my part for the “One Tonne Challenge” by using public transit.

I have learned a thing or two about bus etiquette and I will post a list of things that I feel need to be addressed. Keep in mind that I do not use the bus during rush hour. I generally end up riding the bus between the hours of 10:00 AM and 3:00 PM along with old ladies, homeless people, some university students, and various people who do not look like they are gainfully employed.

Here’s my list. Unfortunately for me, the people who should be reading this list will not recognize themselves but it feels good for me to get it off my chest anyway. Maybe I should print it up and post it on the bus shelters…

1. Please make sure you are at the bus stop a good minute before the bus is scheduled to arrive. That way we won’t have to wait for you as you attempt to run to catch the bus.

2. Have your ticket/bus pass/money ready so that you can deposit it into the thingy as soon as you get on the bus.

3. If the bus is full and you are standing in the aisle, move aside for me when I’m trying to make my way to the door. And hold onto the pole please, not the handles that hang from the ceiling of the bus. I don’t want to stand under your armpit.

4. This leads me to the most important point of all, TAKE A BATH before you plan to ride the bus. Don’t you notice that I am gagging, holding my nose and trying to stay down-wind of you?

5. If you are not too steady on your feet, don’t stand up to leave until the bus stops. That would save you from falling onto my lap as you are struggling to walk while the bus is moving.

6. If you are chubby and are sharing a seat with me, it is important to clench your butt muscles and make yourself as small as possible to avoid touching my butt.

7. You might enjoy the music on your Discman but I’m not. Keep the volume down!

8. This one is serious folks. If a woman with a baby, an elderly person with a cane or anyone else who should be seated comes on the bus, GIVE THEM YOUR SEAT! Whatever happened to common courtesy? I am appalled at the young people especially, who will not give up their seats for some of these people.

Our van should be ready some time this week. It will be a little easier for me to get around once I have sole use of the car. It’s been good for me though, to have rubbed shoulders (or butts) with people using public transit. It struck me as ironic one day as I was taking the bus to meet with Wes and our financial planner to talk about RRSPs and investments that I was sharing my seat with a smelly, homeless man who was carrying his possessions in a back pack.

Life can seem mighty strange sometimes.
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