I take the bus
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To most people, there’s nothing good about taking the bus. First you have to go to a bus stop. Then when you get there, you have to wait. When you finally get on, it can be really slow - especially during rush hour. And if the bus is crowded, you have to stand instead of sit. If it’s an old bus, it’s probably dirty, it might even smell, and it’ll wobble and lurch when it moves. If there’s a TV or a radio playing on the bus, it’s probably not playing what you like, and you can’t change the station. And when you finally get to your stop, you’re probably still not where you have to go, and you have to walk some more – or worse, take another bus because where you want to go is so far away that you have to transfer.
In my city, the opportunity to undergo this ordeal is limited from 6 in the morning to 11 at night. If I stay out late, I have to take a taxi. And the bus is one of the uncoolest ways to get around. It’s probably worse than every other kind, with the exception of the bicycle. Going out on a date? Haha. Going shopping? Be prepared to carry everything you buy. You can choose the brand and condition of your car, taxi, scooter, or even bicycle – but with the bus, you’re stuck with whatever comes along.
So I can definitely understand why most people don’t take the bus. But even though I can afford to ride a scooter or drive a car, I still take the bus. I try to support public transportation as much as possible, but there are other reasons also.
Riding with a bus full of strangers, you can see all different kinds of people (except for the ultra rich). Old and young, beautiful and not so beautiful, clean and dirty. Some people will bump into you and say “Sorry,” while others will just bump into you and go on their way. Some people will give up their seats to the elderly or pregnant women, while others will pretend to sleep or not see anybody. Some people will talk loudly on their cellphones, while others will whisper. Some people will smile at you, while others will avoid making any eye contact at all. And to me, seeing all these different kinds of people on the bus that you’ll probably never see again, even if it’s just for a few minutes, is fascinating.
In the past when I used to ride a scooter, I’d often be late. But all I had to do was step on the gas and whiz through traffic. But when I’m late and on a bus, I have no choice but to accept my fate. I learn that I just have to control my time better, leave home earlier, or take a different route. The bus is going to go fast or slow depending on the driver – not me. So the bus teaches me I can’t control everything, and it brings me face to face with that reality every day. Stressing out about it is not going to help the situation, so riding the bus is an opportunity to relax and slow down.
You don’t have to worry so much about getting into an accident, since the bus is the king of the road. In traffic and in life, you can’t beat the bus - it usually wins. When you’re riding a scooter, it’s almost impossible to get bored because you’re too busy paying attention to traffic and trying not to get killed. But on the bus, what can you do? You’re not in the driver’s seat, so you have to find something to do. At first, it may seem extremely boring. But then you discover that you can read a book, call a friend, try to sleep, people watch, look out the window, or just listen to your own thoughts. Riding the bus is one of the few times every day when there’s not much pressure to do anything because you’re in control of almost nothing. In these modern times when we’re always so busy hurrying around, being forced to do nothing for a short time is a great way to just simply be.
Cars and motorcycles are pretty nice – but I think buses aren’t so bad, either.
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