Ok so today didn't start too well. It all went wrong at about 3am this morning when my ear ache cranked up the pain to an 8 and didn't go away after the first 2 paracetamol so I took 2 more at 5.30am. Naughty, I know, but the pain was such that anything that might render me unconcious was better than being awake!
Then, I did that fatal thing and stayed in bed for 5 mins extra than normal. Cue tail chasing all day! It wasn't just me who had a bad morning. Hubby had a bad morning cos daughter managed to catch his cereal filled spoon whilst giving him her coat showering him in sweet sticky milk and making him shout at daughter, so daughter's morning also not too great.
This should have screamed out to me that bus catching and journey weren't going to be straight forward but I ignored the signs!
Obviously the above meant we were running late, probably a given on a Monday morning anyway. So hubby dropped me off at the last stop he goes past before he has to turn off for his work. I was waiting for ages for a bus, bearing in mind that there should be a bus every 5 mins, I think I waited 15 mins, which always seems longer when your running late or think your running late cos of the rushed morning so far.
Well, once a bus turned up it was pretty full, standing room only. The lady who got on with me was obviously more awake than I was cos she spotted a seat that no one was sat on. However, on further investigation neither of us wanted to sit there because of the infamous "smelly man"!
Maybe a description of the smelly man at this point would be appropriate. He is, I assume a homeless bloke, who always wears wellies and a blue anorak no matter what the weather. (He does also wear other clothes but I can't remember enough detail to describe them on here, I'm sure he'll make an appearance on this blog again and I'll try and expand on my description.) He also has a black bin bag with him. He's almost a local celebrity, always hanging around bus stops on the stretch of road leading up to the city. When the bus goes past him someone will inevitably shout "Look it's the smelly man!" I've heard people talking about him on the phone and almost fondly say that he's still ok cos they've seen him at the bus stop. I'm sure he's a lovely guy but he really does smell. I once got off the bus at a bus stop that he was sitting at and I could smell him as I walked in the opposite direction.
So when faced with the opportunity to sit next to the local celebrity that I could smell half way up the bus when he was sat at the back it's hardly any wonder that me or my fellow bus stopper declined.
Once the bus had left the bus stop a man in the seat on the other side of the aisle to the smelly man volunteered his seat for me saying he was getting off soon. Now this man would never have given up his seat if it hadn't meant that he could have moved slightly further away from the stench which had meant that on a cool spring morning the bus had all it's windows open! Of course there is no polite way of turning down such an offer that I know off especially on a Monday morning when your starting to accept the fate that the day is just going to be one of those days!
Meanwhile the bus continued picking up passengers. One woman strode up to the empty seat next to the smelly man and promptly sat down. She had either never encountered the smelly man, had no sense of smell at all or strode so confidently towards the empty seat that once she realised why it was empty she felt too embarassed to not sit in it. Whichever one it was you have to admire her for sticking it out.
Eventually the smelly man got off and slowly the bus came back to life, people who had been holding their breaths or breathing shallowly started talking, people felt that they could finally blow their nose but particular mention has to go to one woman who must have been equally replete of any sense of smell as the woman sat next to smelly man.
Once the woman sat next to smelly man had let smelly man out she sat back in the seat nearest the aisle which seemed sensible to me. Then the bravest woman or as I say the most replete of any sense of smell woman asked to sit in the seat that smelly man had vacated. Amazing! Those two women had certainly not had too much to drink at the weekend. That smell was enough to turn the strongest stomach.
What puzzles me about this scenario is why smelly amn was allowed on the bus in the first place!?! Maybe some bus drivers do have a heart... Or maybe they just enjoy watching the other passengers reactions almost as much as me!
Monday, 11 April 2011
Saturday, 9 April 2011
Bus Stop Dancing
Was browsing the internet as you do and came across these great video's of "The Bus Stop" song, dance and thriller at the bus stop and had to share!
Friday, 8 April 2011
That Friday Feeling
Where does the time go in the morning? One minute we're on time leaving for the child minders the next we're running late and hubby has to drop me off several stops up than normal so I can catch a bus on time! Always amused that because of the interesting winding route of buses you can usually catch them up.
Several people were at the bus stop before I turned up so kept a mental note of who they were so I could make sure they got on the bus before me, nobody likes someone that pushes in. A bus finally arrives, it's a single decker and I naturally wait for the people that arrived before me to get on the bus but for some puzzling reason a man who turned up after me seemed to think he was in control of the queue and indicated that I should get on first. Not sure why this would be but after a moment's hesitation I realised that if I didn't shift no one was going to get on the bus!
Once on I was pleasantly surprised to find there were double seats available so sat down enjoying the space for as long as I could. Never lasts too long though and soon a studenty type sits down next to me. She was much more sensible than the other studenty types that decided to congregate around the drivers cab again even though there was loads of room and they were talking to their mates half way up the bus anyway! Even worse than yesterdays girly gaggle! So much worse in fact that the driver has to ask them to move down the bus please!
Oh and just in case you were wondering that bell sound you occassionally hear on buses means that someone intends to get off at the next stop. Not only is this a clear auditory aid for the driver the standees could also use this to get out of the way! As my cleverer than some studenty type finally squeezes her way to the front of the bus with many an excuse me (sigh) I'm joined by a broad bloke.
Just a tip when sitting next to someone on a bus if their skirt or jacket is on the seat it would be considerate to ask them to move it so they don't have to yank it from under you, and, if you sit down and your thigh's touching the other persons thigh then you are probably sitting a little bit too close. Whats more if the person doesn't move when you sit on their thigh it tends to mean there's no more room for them to move into! With this in mind I'll not go into the remainder of the journey.
This afternoons journey home was longer, my hubby went home sick so I had to catch the bus all the way home, almost an hours journey, but less eventful.
A family friend got on the bus just after me so it saved any problems with seating, might as well sit next to the person you know rather than some random. I never did understand why people were happy to talk to each other over the back of the seat and sit next to people they don't know when they quite clearly know the person behind them. I remember sitting next to a woman who's boyfriend was sat in front of her and they were messaging each other on their phones instead of talking to each other. Very odd!
Seeing that this was gonna be an uneventful journey blog wise I thought I'd pose the question of what would you do to improve the bus service to my friend and he came up with some great ideas I'd like to share with you now!
Well that's it til Monday x
Several people were at the bus stop before I turned up so kept a mental note of who they were so I could make sure they got on the bus before me, nobody likes someone that pushes in. A bus finally arrives, it's a single decker and I naturally wait for the people that arrived before me to get on the bus but for some puzzling reason a man who turned up after me seemed to think he was in control of the queue and indicated that I should get on first. Not sure why this would be but after a moment's hesitation I realised that if I didn't shift no one was going to get on the bus!
Once on I was pleasantly surprised to find there were double seats available so sat down enjoying the space for as long as I could. Never lasts too long though and soon a studenty type sits down next to me. She was much more sensible than the other studenty types that decided to congregate around the drivers cab again even though there was loads of room and they were talking to their mates half way up the bus anyway! Even worse than yesterdays girly gaggle! So much worse in fact that the driver has to ask them to move down the bus please!
Oh and just in case you were wondering that bell sound you occassionally hear on buses means that someone intends to get off at the next stop. Not only is this a clear auditory aid for the driver the standees could also use this to get out of the way! As my cleverer than some studenty type finally squeezes her way to the front of the bus with many an excuse me (sigh) I'm joined by a broad bloke.
Just a tip when sitting next to someone on a bus if their skirt or jacket is on the seat it would be considerate to ask them to move it so they don't have to yank it from under you, and, if you sit down and your thigh's touching the other persons thigh then you are probably sitting a little bit too close. Whats more if the person doesn't move when you sit on their thigh it tends to mean there's no more room for them to move into! With this in mind I'll not go into the remainder of the journey.
This afternoons journey home was longer, my hubby went home sick so I had to catch the bus all the way home, almost an hours journey, but less eventful.
A family friend got on the bus just after me so it saved any problems with seating, might as well sit next to the person you know rather than some random. I never did understand why people were happy to talk to each other over the back of the seat and sit next to people they don't know when they quite clearly know the person behind them. I remember sitting next to a woman who's boyfriend was sat in front of her and they were messaging each other on their phones instead of talking to each other. Very odd!
Seeing that this was gonna be an uneventful journey blog wise I thought I'd pose the question of what would you do to improve the bus service to my friend and he came up with some great ideas I'd like to share with you now!
- Having a conducter at peak times to keep passengers from getting too rowdy on the upper deck.
- Get someone to clean the interior of the bus during the day. There is always so much rubbish by the afternoon that some seats are avoided cos of the volume of stuff from drinks bottles to Metro's! It would be nice to know you didn't have to check your seat for Muller corner residue!
- Some way of communicating between drivers on the same route, so if buses are delayed (should that be when?) they can work out a plan to get the buses back on timetable. It would save that whole 4 buses turning up at once if they had a strategy in place instead of leapfrogging each other at every other bus stop!
- Wifi on the bus so you could do work during the hour journey to work. Trains can offer such services maybe buses could try something similar.
- A reliable system at every bus stop that tells you how long the next bus will be. I think this one is a complete dream cos the system that they had has just been scrapped because it was completely useless and inaccurate.
Well that's it til Monday x
Thursday, 7 April 2011
So Day 1
On the way to work this morning I decide to sit on the top deck rather than being jostled and bumped by the standees on the lower deck when the bus is full to bursting. There must be something in the air today cos the whole top deck smells of cheap and not so cheap aftershave. I quickly choose to sit next to a rather smart looking man (shirt and tie) and I'm almost certain he gets off half way into my journey. Luckily he's a polite bloke and graciously gives up his hard won leg room, why don't bus interior designers measure the average blokes legs when sitting down and realise that they need more room than they give them! I really feel for them. I'm not short myself so I understand a little of their discomfort and always feel a bit guilty for encroaching on the badly needed space but it finally all pays off and he gets off the bus and I have 2 seats all to myself! I know it sounds like such a small thing but it's such a luxury in the morning.
Now the way back today was where this whole idea was born. As I approach the bus stop after leaving work I can see the queue is massive. This normally means there's been some hold up of traffic into the city. I'm in the lucky position of being able to catch 2 different buses when hubby's at work so as soon as the first bus I can catch turns up I rush for that ever growing queue hoping I'll be in time before the bus driver says, "Too full!"
I manage to get on the bus but there's only one seat left and I let a lady in her 60s take this. So I move as far to the back of the bus as I can expecting the other standees to do the same but no! For some reason the gaggle of girls that follow me on think it better that they congregate around the drivers cab, thus making the bus look fuller in the drivers eyes than it is and meaning no one can get on or off the bus without having to get very up close and personal with every one of them. Please don't tell me this is why they do this, there are much better ways of geting a cheap thrill! So off we go flying past the first few bus stops with people waiting because the driver thinks his bus is bursting but if I was talented enough I'd be able to do the highland fling! I decide to ignore the woman who jumps straight into the seat nearest me before the poor bloke has finished getting out of it and end up with the next available seat which is on the back seat.
Whilst sitting there I was trying to remember the last time I'd sat on the back seat of the bus and was mildly amused (if I don't chuckle about this stuff I'd end up in tears most nights) by the sight that must be in front of everyone else on the bus (if they cared to look). A petite blonde girl texting rapidly, me and the largest, tallest man I'd seen for a while. If anyone had cared to turn and look they would have been greeted with a staircase of height to beauty with me trying to bridge that gap and probably failing on both counts.
Whilst I was ponderng the image 2 seats together became available, and I was suddenly struck by the fact that I had no idea about the etiquette of the back seat!!! When you sit in the usual 2 seat position and your sitting next to a stranger and your in the aisle seat it is common practice to move once 2 seats together become available, but does this still stand when on the back seat? I wasn't sure so I sat it out and someone else inevitably moved there and I got off the bus.
Such is my half hour before and after work. I wonder what tomorrow will hold...
Now the way back today was where this whole idea was born. As I approach the bus stop after leaving work I can see the queue is massive. This normally means there's been some hold up of traffic into the city. I'm in the lucky position of being able to catch 2 different buses when hubby's at work so as soon as the first bus I can catch turns up I rush for that ever growing queue hoping I'll be in time before the bus driver says, "Too full!"
I manage to get on the bus but there's only one seat left and I let a lady in her 60s take this. So I move as far to the back of the bus as I can expecting the other standees to do the same but no! For some reason the gaggle of girls that follow me on think it better that they congregate around the drivers cab, thus making the bus look fuller in the drivers eyes than it is and meaning no one can get on or off the bus without having to get very up close and personal with every one of them. Please don't tell me this is why they do this, there are much better ways of geting a cheap thrill! So off we go flying past the first few bus stops with people waiting because the driver thinks his bus is bursting but if I was talented enough I'd be able to do the highland fling! I decide to ignore the woman who jumps straight into the seat nearest me before the poor bloke has finished getting out of it and end up with the next available seat which is on the back seat.
Whilst sitting there I was trying to remember the last time I'd sat on the back seat of the bus and was mildly amused (if I don't chuckle about this stuff I'd end up in tears most nights) by the sight that must be in front of everyone else on the bus (if they cared to look). A petite blonde girl texting rapidly, me and the largest, tallest man I'd seen for a while. If anyone had cared to turn and look they would have been greeted with a staircase of height to beauty with me trying to bridge that gap and probably failing on both counts.
Whilst I was ponderng the image 2 seats together became available, and I was suddenly struck by the fact that I had no idea about the etiquette of the back seat!!! When you sit in the usual 2 seat position and your sitting next to a stranger and your in the aisle seat it is common practice to move once 2 seats together become available, but does this still stand when on the back seat? I wasn't sure so I sat it out and someone else inevitably moved there and I got off the bus.
Such is my half hour before and after work. I wonder what tomorrow will hold...
Hello and Welcome
Ok so this is it. I wanted something new to do and my hubby's fed up of listening to my bus travelling stories, so we came up with the idea of me venting them on here.
Firstly about me
I'm a nearly 30 year old mother of a 2 year old daughter who works three days a week in an east midlands city. For most of my journey to work I travel with my hubby by car but for the last 3 miles into the city I have the pleasure of travelling by public transport, also know as the bus.
Buses would be a great mode of transport and probably are a great source of transport when there's no other passengers on them, but once you get a bus load (pun intended) of other passengers on the bus a strange red mist seems to come before my eyes and people seem to go out of their way to wind me up!
Please feel free to vent your own experiences of what I shall from now on call bus rage or rage from any other form of public transport. I'm hoping this will be very calming for us all!
Firstly about me
I'm a nearly 30 year old mother of a 2 year old daughter who works three days a week in an east midlands city. For most of my journey to work I travel with my hubby by car but for the last 3 miles into the city I have the pleasure of travelling by public transport, also know as the bus.
Buses would be a great mode of transport and probably are a great source of transport when there's no other passengers on them, but once you get a bus load (pun intended) of other passengers on the bus a strange red mist seems to come before my eyes and people seem to go out of their way to wind me up!
Please feel free to vent your own experiences of what I shall from now on call bus rage or rage from any other form of public transport. I'm hoping this will be very calming for us all!
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