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How to Ride A Bus-Why are you so freakin’ scared?

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1.) This is a European Commercial
2.) Depending on your city, the bus may or may not be as nice as the one in this video
3.) The Driver is Cool

We live in a car obsessed society. Our love affair with cars has gotten so out of control that people take out enormous loans for a depreciating asset and seem to lose any semblance of rational thought when doing it. Don’t get me wrong I would love a Maserati or a Jeep Patriot. But, that’s not the point of this post. I would like to encourage people to learn a life skill that doesn’t seem obvious. Why should you learn how to ride a bus?  Well, I’ve listed some reasons in the post. Let’s get a couple of things out of the way before you freak out on me.

Your objections
1.) Your city doesn’t have a  good transit system
2.) You have kids. Listen, I am not proposing that you always take the bus instead of driving. Of course if you have kids obviously you don’t want to take the bus all the time. I just want you to have a working  knowledge of how to take the bus
3.) Not all cities have a transit system (different than #1-a complete lack of transit is what I’m talking about)
4.) The people scare me. Ok, I  have a serious lack of patience with this one. The bus is a colorful cross section of the reality of life. Get over it.
5.) You don’t know how to ride a bus and it’s intimidating. Fair enough. I’m going to teach you now.

How to Ride a Bus
1.) Figure out your timetable. So, if you will be gone for 3 hours you need:

  •  Plan your departure time from your stop
  •  Know when you will arrive at your destination
  •  Think about when you would like to depart from the place you went to
  •  Know when you would like to arrive at your final destination.
  • Look up the schedule online or go to a bus terminal to get the information. Be careful that you are at the right terminal for the right bus system
2.) Look up and plan your schedule several days out. ESPECIALLY if you are trying to go to work, and interview, or a doctor’s appointment
3.) Leave a little earlier than you originally intended. Which you should do anyway, so that you’re on time
4.) Have music or a book
5.) Don’t flash money. You shouldn’t do this anyway
6.) Have exact change. If you’re not sure how much the bus costs, get online and check. I have never heard of bus drivers making change in the U.S. this may happen elsewhere but not here.
7.) The destination is always on front and side of the bus.
8.) Arrive at least 5-7 minutes earlier than the time listed. You can handle it. Even if it’s cold. Sometimes buses arrive earlier, sometimes late. At least you’re on time.
9.) One of your fellow human beings will sit next to you. Sometimes this is a humbling experience.
10.) Be nice (but not too nice) if someone talks to you. Respond, smile, and continue with what you’re doing.
11.) Make sure to “ring the bell” push the stop button, or pull the cord. Just understand how to signal that you would like the bus to stop.
12.) Don’t reach over other passengers to ring the bell. It’s annoying and rude.13.) Have a sense of humor 🙂

14.) Use the bathroom before you get on ESPECIALLY if it is a ride between cities

So, you’re asking WHY yourself does Michelle want me to know how to do this??
1.) What if your car broke down and you didn’t have the money to fix it?
2.) What if you moved to another place and you needed to know how to use public transit?
3.) Why not know how to do it? Isn’t additional knowledge a good thing?
4.) What if you were sent to another city to a conference and you have to get around?
5.) Save money on gas
6.) It’s earth friendly
7.) Reduce the wear and tear on your car

I have been taking the bus my entire adult life. I have managed to use public transportation in the following cities:
1.) Denver/Boulder
2.) New York City
3.) Los Angeles-really. They even have an underground subway!
4.) Chicago
5.) Toronto
6.) All over Europe (diff. languages)
7.) Buenos Aires (had to do this in Spanish)
I have saved thousands of dollars  because of living a car free lifestyle. I should mention that my job provides a free bus pass so I don’t have to pay for transportation. Yep, I only pay for the taxi when I go out. I love it.
You can do it too! The bus is like dealing with people; you never know what you’re going to get. The quality of the service depends on the city and how much the citizens value the service. If you don’t use it, you lose it. So, have an adventure. Take the bus. Have fun.
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Michelle

I am an obsessive foodie, but not self-righteous with it, love travel, meeting new people, helping you look good, and am freaked out by people who don't enjoying reading...something! Grab a Perrier, read my blog, feel free to drop me a line! Hope to hear from you soon.
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