Featured image by R.A. Paterson via Flickr
I know that most people would read this title and instantly wonder what’s wrong with me. I feel like most people despise the bus entirely, but as someone who, up until 2020 (thanks a lot, Covid-19, you flop), took the bus almost every day I kind of miss it. I’ve transitioned to driving my car to and from work (save for the odd day when the roads are either too icy, or, you know, coated in 50 layers of snow), but there are things about public transit that I do in fact miss on the daily.
– Zoning out (sometimes, the longer a ride the better for me) to music. Not to be dramatic, but if you catch me plugged into my music and gazing out the window longingly, I’m probably pretending my life is a movie montage. I’m totally that person and I regret nothing.
– Having the time to write or read. Weekday writing and reading unfortunately just isn’t happening for me right now because by the time I get home from work and accomplish all that I have to, I have zero motivation left to read or write and instead fall asleep at the ripe hour of 8:30 PM more often than not (I wish I was joking. Thanks a lot Covid-19).
– People watching. Not in a creepy way. Just casually wondering where someone is going or where they found their outfit. Why does that person choose to clip their nails on the bus? (true story). That is an incredibly drawn Freddie Mercury on their backpack! How much does that person know about the band that’s on their t-shirt? Is this person going on a date or do they always get this dolled up? Etcetera.
– Doing my miniscule part for the environment. Carpool party with dozens! Sometimes there’s even someone with a whole pizza. It’d be nicer if they shared said pizza, but at least we can all indulge in the scent of their dinner.
– The occasional interesting or inspirational chat on the bus or at the bus stop. Comparing tattoos with an ex-convict (he really dug my silhouette tattoo of Peter Pan and Wendy!), discussing the importance of long-johns in the winter months with a feisty middle-aged woman, being praised by a homeless young man when I revealed that I was headed home after my day of classes at the U of W (he was working on getting his life back on track), being told not to sweat the small stuff in life by an elderly man who sat next to me on the bench at a bus stop (we watched several buses drive by together and complained that they were all going the wrong way).
– Shared experiences. Like that time a whole bunch of us were laughing in a bus shelter because of a huge rainstorm and buses being eons behind schedule. Or that time we drove by an accident and all expressed our horror. Honestly just driving downtown any given day is like a jungle safari tour. It seems like there’s always someone doing something bizarre or an event out of the ordinary occurring.
– The humbleness of taking the bus at all. Do you know how many times I’m met with the comment of: “You take the bus!?” from people, all either disbelieving, or, frankly, disgusted over the sheer mention of public transit. Like taking the bus is a sin.
Of course, there is a flip side. Not everything about taking a bus is great and it should also be acknowledged.
– Like when an individual stirs up some kind of trouble on the same bus as you and rants about wool and the government the entire ride. Or picks their nose and chants racist remarks. What I’m trying to say here is that our government needs to do a better job in helping people with exceptionalities and addictions. Racists need a hardcore wake-up call and basic education.
– Crowds and body odour. I’ve literally been on a bus where one person took out a bottle of body spray and spritzed the individual with a case of B.O. next to them. “YOU STINK, MAN!” they shouted to the heavens.
– Late buses (especially in frigid weather). I’ve said it countless times before and I’ll say it again. Layers are cool. The homely look is all the rage during winter in Winnipeg.
– Transit Fares A bit excessive, no? We are literally packed like sardines in a (late) tin can at times during rush hour. It’s not like I’m getting a hot towel or champagne served to me on a silver platter.
I’m not saying the bus is perfect by any means, I’m just saying it’s kind of nice to allow my brain to turn to gobbledygook once in a while and to let someone else stress about the traffic.
Are you a bus rider? How often do you take the bus?