More complaints about the bus....
In the light of the recent misfortune of my car being stolen (See Roz's post: "The Police: Too Busy for Crime!"), I have been forced into something that I hoped I would never have to rely on: Public transport.
Don't get me wrong here, I think public transport can be a great thing. I like to think of myself as an environmentally friendly New Zealander. While living with my parents we recycled everything. You know, sorted all the cans and plastic bottles and wine bottles (of which there were many) into little bags and set them out to be picked up with the rubbish, and at the flat I live in now we do the same. My parents even recycle all the vege peelings and sundry other biodegradable items.
I even refrain from littering when it can be oh so tempting to biff that empty coke bottle out your car (if you have one) window whilst zooming along on the open road.
But one thing that has always got me is public transport. Yes it is good to get lots of people to their desired destinations in one vehicle of massive proportions. Yes it is a great thing that you can save money by not paying for that pesky fuel. Yes it is wonderful that it is even free for students in Palmerston North to take the bus ANYWHERE in the city.
But is it really worth it?
Since my car has been stolen I have been relying on a lot of people and things to get me where I want, when I want. And the bus has been a major factor here.
Let me get this out of my system first: I think that buses are cold, late, dangerous (drivers....) and a breeding ground for all sorts of disease.
The bus drivers are, to be quite frank, extremely rude and obnoxious. Sure, you sometimes get one who is cheerful (why?) but for the most part they are just plain grumpy and make you a tad nervous with their driving. One driver the other day kept going onto the curb when he pulled into the stops. At several points he cut off traffic by changing lanes (I mean come on, it's a great big f*** off bus, no one's going to not get out of his way and I think he was abusing that privilige he has as a driver of a heavy vehicle). Nor did he bother to stop for pedestrians at corssings, which by LAW he is obliged to do. I was not impressed with his braking skills either.
I don't think I need to elaborate on lateness. It's just a really big issue especially in winter. And for a sickly wee thing like myself. Speaking of which - DISEASE! Sick people in confined spaces = spreading of sickness. Gosh, I'm probably guilty of spreading around my various colds that I have had so far, but that's not the point. You know the scene in Shaun of the Dead when Shaun is sitting on a bus surrounded by sickly looking people and Zombie Nation is playing in the background? It's like that. Who knows maybe we'll even end up as zombies.... And I will blame the buses.
Also, several bus drivers don't seem to have grasped the concept of heating the buses either. The buses do have heating, I know this because sometimes they are warm. But it tends to be when you're really desperate for a bit of warmth that they neglect to do anything about it. Maybe they figure if they keep the temperatures sub zero then there will be less chance of the whole spreading of disease thing. It's just not very nice when I can still see my BREATH like it's frickin' Antarctica.
Alright, have got that off my chest and now feel better :-) Better go study for that exam tomorrow huh?
Don't get me wrong here, I think public transport can be a great thing. I like to think of myself as an environmentally friendly New Zealander. While living with my parents we recycled everything. You know, sorted all the cans and plastic bottles and wine bottles (of which there were many) into little bags and set them out to be picked up with the rubbish, and at the flat I live in now we do the same. My parents even recycle all the vege peelings and sundry other biodegradable items.
I even refrain from littering when it can be oh so tempting to biff that empty coke bottle out your car (if you have one) window whilst zooming along on the open road.
But one thing that has always got me is public transport. Yes it is good to get lots of people to their desired destinations in one vehicle of massive proportions. Yes it is a great thing that you can save money by not paying for that pesky fuel. Yes it is wonderful that it is even free for students in Palmerston North to take the bus ANYWHERE in the city.
But is it really worth it?
Since my car has been stolen I have been relying on a lot of people and things to get me where I want, when I want. And the bus has been a major factor here.
Let me get this out of my system first: I think that buses are cold, late, dangerous (drivers....) and a breeding ground for all sorts of disease.
The bus drivers are, to be quite frank, extremely rude and obnoxious. Sure, you sometimes get one who is cheerful (why?) but for the most part they are just plain grumpy and make you a tad nervous with their driving. One driver the other day kept going onto the curb when he pulled into the stops. At several points he cut off traffic by changing lanes (I mean come on, it's a great big f*** off bus, no one's going to not get out of his way and I think he was abusing that privilige he has as a driver of a heavy vehicle). Nor did he bother to stop for pedestrians at corssings, which by LAW he is obliged to do. I was not impressed with his braking skills either.
I don't think I need to elaborate on lateness. It's just a really big issue especially in winter. And for a sickly wee thing like myself. Speaking of which - DISEASE! Sick people in confined spaces = spreading of sickness. Gosh, I'm probably guilty of spreading around my various colds that I have had so far, but that's not the point. You know the scene in Shaun of the Dead when Shaun is sitting on a bus surrounded by sickly looking people and Zombie Nation is playing in the background? It's like that. Who knows maybe we'll even end up as zombies.... And I will blame the buses.
Also, several bus drivers don't seem to have grasped the concept of heating the buses either. The buses do have heating, I know this because sometimes they are warm. But it tends to be when you're really desperate for a bit of warmth that they neglect to do anything about it. Maybe they figure if they keep the temperatures sub zero then there will be less chance of the whole spreading of disease thing. It's just not very nice when I can still see my BREATH like it's frickin' Antarctica.
Alright, have got that off my chest and now feel better :-) Better go study for that exam tomorrow huh?
posted by Susie at
1:05 pm
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