Friday night after work, the bus ride home did not disappoint! It's a Friday so you know it's bound to be a little bit wilder.
Half way home the bus stopped at the main terminal and we sat there for a few minutes waiting to catch up on our time. Besides our bus there were a few other buses sitting there and all bus drivers were outside gathered chatting & smoking. Then i realized they were not just shooting the shit, but they were all gathered to discuss something and it seemed like there was something going on or something had happened. Then a commotion breaks out and the bus drivers ran back to their buses and shut the doors, and just as soon as our bus driver got back on the bus a guy, maybe early 20's, runs in front of the bus and bangs his hands on the front windshield and keeps runing towards the other buses. Bus driver picks up the phone and calls 911 and says "i would like to report an altercation involving a knife" and continues to talk to the dispatcher. So that would explain why the drivers were talking and why they ran back onto the buses! I groan to myself 'oh great' and the guy beside me heard and said 'doesn't surprise me, i've seen worse things happend here'. I look around and all the other drivers were now on their phones calling in the incident. I don't think the guy who hit the bus was the knife guy but i think he was running to alert the drivers to call someone. Our driver is still on the phone and i hear him say "so should I continue with my route or do I stay here and wait?" NO, i want to go home!! Don't make us sit here while there is a maniac outside! Get us home to safety! I guess other passengers heard him question waiting and they decided they were not waiting. 3 people got up and got off the bus. Really? You want to go out there? I would rather sit & wait! Another guy piped up and told us what was going on. Before he got on the bus he saw a group of guys dealing drugs and i guess it went bad and a knife got involved. And thats all we know! So after about 10 minutes we finally leave the bus terminal and we get no more than half way down the street when the bus driver slams on the brakes to let a speeding cop car, sirens & lights going, cut down the street in front of us. The guy beside flew into me and his elbow got me in the ribs. He asked if i was okay and I just laughed and said i was fine. Bus driver looks up and nervously laughs 'Sorry about that everyone, that was the first time i ever had one of those incidents!'
And let's hope it stays that way.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
The bus, the bus, the bus is on fire.
On my way home from work, long day at the office, bus is packed, traffic is slow, nothing out of the ordinary here. HOLY SHIT THERE IS SMOKE ON THE BUS! Smoke is rising up from behind the seat two woman are sitting in. Someone open a window & someone tell the bus driver! But where is the smoke coming from? The woman are joking that their seat isn't warm and there is nothing under the seat burning. Is it seeping in from outside? Is it coming from the wheel, it is under them. Okay we are pulled over and the driver is outside having a look at things. One person just got off the bus oh and another just got off the bus. They probably figure we are about to be told to get off the bus anyway. Bus driver is done checking things out and is back on the bus. He hasn't said anything and he's continuing to drive. Hmm....interesting. There is still smoke rising up from behind their seat but it's not a concern? At least i am beside an emergency exit in case we have to bail! Second window just got opened. The smoke is on the move, it is now rising up from behind another seat! And a third window just got opened. Ok time to start reading the instructions for the emergency window. Oh crap, we are now on a bridge and about 100 feet above the water! Now where are we supposed to go! My head hurts, I can't tell if it's from a day of work or sitting in a smoke filled bus, or the thought of plunging to my death into the water. We're off the bridge and my stop is in sight! I guess the mystery of the smoke will remain a mystery.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
A few of my LEAST favourite things
Last post was a positive post, but now its time to get back to being negative. So what better way to do this than to discuss what annoys me on the bus.
Two things: screaming children & backpacks! Let's talk about the backpacks today.
I don't think there should be a size restriction to them but if you are going to be rude & oblivious about your back pack then yes, there should be a size limit. For example, the other day a lady got on the bus with her back pack and she decided she wanted to stand so she could talk to her friend instead of sitting (plenty of seats available). She was standing near the front of the bus which meant every person getting on the bus had to move past her, however this lady seemed oblivious to how large her backpack was (more than a foot out into the aisle) and didn't bother moving out of the way. People were asking her to move so they could get by but her voice was so loud she couldn't hear them. One lady finally just pushed her out of the way. Also when she got excited during the conversation with her friend she would kind of flail around which made her bag bump into everyone around her. At this point the bus was packed so other people were now standing beside her, but she still didn't even consider the fact her bag was hitting people in the face. So that's the oblivious bag person, and then there are the rude bag people. Rude bag people are the people who treat their bag like its a person and make sure their bag has a seat too! The bus could be packed and most people are standing, but they refuse to move their bag so someone can sit down! One guy had his bag on the seat and everyone standing near him would make eye contact with him and then glare at his bag like they were hoping he would get the hint and move his bag. But nope he would just turn his head and look out the window. Finally a lady had to ask him to move it which he did. However i think its rude that the only way he would move his bag was to be told to do it. I have even seen people reserve a seat for their bag instead of offering the seat to a mother with her child! Sometimes i wish the signs on the bus that suggest giving your seat up for an elderly/disabled/ or person with child would flash neon pink at times like this. And they should flash right in the rude persons face!
Please remember, if your bag sticks more than a foot out into the aisle, take it off and set it by your feet. If there are no seats left and someone has to stand, put your bag on your lap and let that person sit down.
Two things: screaming children & backpacks! Let's talk about the backpacks today.
I don't think there should be a size restriction to them but if you are going to be rude & oblivious about your back pack then yes, there should be a size limit. For example, the other day a lady got on the bus with her back pack and she decided she wanted to stand so she could talk to her friend instead of sitting (plenty of seats available). She was standing near the front of the bus which meant every person getting on the bus had to move past her, however this lady seemed oblivious to how large her backpack was (more than a foot out into the aisle) and didn't bother moving out of the way. People were asking her to move so they could get by but her voice was so loud she couldn't hear them. One lady finally just pushed her out of the way. Also when she got excited during the conversation with her friend she would kind of flail around which made her bag bump into everyone around her. At this point the bus was packed so other people were now standing beside her, but she still didn't even consider the fact her bag was hitting people in the face. So that's the oblivious bag person, and then there are the rude bag people. Rude bag people are the people who treat their bag like its a person and make sure their bag has a seat too! The bus could be packed and most people are standing, but they refuse to move their bag so someone can sit down! One guy had his bag on the seat and everyone standing near him would make eye contact with him and then glare at his bag like they were hoping he would get the hint and move his bag. But nope he would just turn his head and look out the window. Finally a lady had to ask him to move it which he did. However i think its rude that the only way he would move his bag was to be told to do it. I have even seen people reserve a seat for their bag instead of offering the seat to a mother with her child! Sometimes i wish the signs on the bus that suggest giving your seat up for an elderly/disabled/ or person with child would flash neon pink at times like this. And they should flash right in the rude persons face!
Please remember, if your bag sticks more than a foot out into the aisle, take it off and set it by your feet. If there are no seats left and someone has to stand, put your bag on your lap and let that person sit down.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Friendly Bus Driver
In the morning i usually take the same bus at the same time which always has the same bus driver. Not just any bus driver though, the BEST bus driver! For years now i have seen him driving different routes and he is always so pleasant. For the past few months he has been doing my morning route and thank god for that! If i am running a bit late sometimes a bus driver may not wait for you even if they see you running for the bus. This guy waits even if he doesn't see me because he knows i will be running across the street at any minute! One day i didn't have to run for the bus and i was already at the stop waiting like everyone else. As i got on the bus he laughed and said "You didn't have to run today! You made it!" and then we both laughed. Some days he doesn't even make me dig through my purse for my bus pass, he just waves me on through! And the part i like the best, he refers to men as gentleman and women as 'my lady'. Everyday he greets me with "good morning my lady". If i am having a bit of a bad day it really cheers me up. I know it might sound a bit corny but trust me, with some of the bad attitude bus drivers out there, this makes a huge difference!
Monday i wasn't feeling good and had a hectic time getting ready for work and it was one of those mornings where it was one thign after another going wrong. I missed my regular bus so i had to catch a later one. As i was crossing the street the bus started to pull away and thought to myself the day couldn't get any worse. But then the bus stopped. I thought maybe it was just lettting traffic go by, but then the dorrs opened. I stood there not knowing what was going on and finally decided to approach the bus. The doors stayed open so i hopped on. It was my friendly bus driver!!! His route changed to the later bus and he saw me at the last moment crossing the street so he pulled over! I love this guy! But the amazingness that is my bus driver doesn't end there. We approach my stop to get off but in my sick haze i forgot to pull the "request stop" so i grumbled i would have to wait until the next stop to get off. Even though i didn't pull the request stop, the bus pulls over anyway and the doors open. No one was getting on the bus, and no one else was getting off the bus. It's because the driver knows what stop i always get off at so he pulled over for me! This could quite possibly be the best driver ever!!!! Keep up the good work driver!
Monday i wasn't feeling good and had a hectic time getting ready for work and it was one of those mornings where it was one thign after another going wrong. I missed my regular bus so i had to catch a later one. As i was crossing the street the bus started to pull away and thought to myself the day couldn't get any worse. But then the bus stopped. I thought maybe it was just lettting traffic go by, but then the dorrs opened. I stood there not knowing what was going on and finally decided to approach the bus. The doors stayed open so i hopped on. It was my friendly bus driver!!! His route changed to the later bus and he saw me at the last moment crossing the street so he pulled over! I love this guy! But the amazingness that is my bus driver doesn't end there. We approach my stop to get off but in my sick haze i forgot to pull the "request stop" so i grumbled i would have to wait until the next stop to get off. Even though i didn't pull the request stop, the bus pulls over anyway and the doors open. No one was getting on the bus, and no one else was getting off the bus. It's because the driver knows what stop i always get off at so he pulled over for me! This could quite possibly be the best driver ever!!!! Keep up the good work driver!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Do I look like a babysitter?
Best thing I have ever heard on the bus!
A lady gets on the bus with her daughter about 4 years old. There are no seats left so a man gets up to offer this lady & her daughter his seat. She says 'no that's alright' and the man insists she take a seat. Again she replies 'no thanks' and the man ask if she is sure and she responds 'yah i'm sure, but you can put her on your lap so i can hold my other daughter' and before the guy can even react she picks her daughter up and plunks her down on his lap!! From behind her emerges an even younger daughter and then she asks 'you don't mind do you?' Um....I don't think she really gave him a choice! The look on the guys face was priceless! He didn't know what to do! He sat there with this little girl on his lap, just staring at him. He held his arms out like he wanted to hold her on his lap so she wouldn't fall but couldn't bring himself to do it because he was in shock and felt awkward not knowing this little girl!
A lady gets on the bus with her daughter about 4 years old. There are no seats left so a man gets up to offer this lady & her daughter his seat. She says 'no that's alright' and the man insists she take a seat. Again she replies 'no thanks' and the man ask if she is sure and she responds 'yah i'm sure, but you can put her on your lap so i can hold my other daughter' and before the guy can even react she picks her daughter up and plunks her down on his lap!! From behind her emerges an even younger daughter and then she asks 'you don't mind do you?' Um....I don't think she really gave him a choice! The look on the guys face was priceless! He didn't know what to do! He sat there with this little girl on his lap, just staring at him. He held his arms out like he wanted to hold her on his lap so she wouldn't fall but couldn't bring himself to do it because he was in shock and felt awkward not knowing this little girl!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
The Wheels on the bus go....
...round & round. Or at least that's what they did on my way home from work when we got stuck in a snow storm!
Bus pulls up at a bus stop on a hill, and when it attemps to drive away of course we get stuck in the snow. The wheels were spinning and we were fish tailing but at a rate of what felt like a foot a minute we eventually made our way up the hill! Everyone on the bus started cheering and clapping when the bus finally got traction and continued on with its route! The weather is horrible! What was snow has now turned into ice pellets! We're going across the bridge and you can hear the ice hitting the roof of the bus! Ah I just got pelted in the face with ice, but i'm inside! Oh great, the seat i am sitting in has a faulty seal around the window and the force of the wind is pushing the ice through it! Ah and another one hit my hand! Haha i'm not the only one getting hit! A lady just rubbed the back if her neck and is looking around trying to figure out what hit her, and the guy sitting across from her just wiped his head and is now putting his toque back on! It seems a few windows have broken seals and now we have an ice storm INSIDE the bus! Oh a better seat just became available, i think i will steal it! Hmm or at least i thought it was a better seat. Once again a window has a faulty seal except there isn't ice (ice which has now turned into rain) coming through the window, but a pool of water in the window seal that splashes over everytime we brake! Hmm maybe if this screw below it was tightened it would solve the problem. Oh well, no longer my problem, I'm finally at my stop and excited to get off this stormy bus!
Bus pulls up at a bus stop on a hill, and when it attemps to drive away of course we get stuck in the snow. The wheels were spinning and we were fish tailing but at a rate of what felt like a foot a minute we eventually made our way up the hill! Everyone on the bus started cheering and clapping when the bus finally got traction and continued on with its route! The weather is horrible! What was snow has now turned into ice pellets! We're going across the bridge and you can hear the ice hitting the roof of the bus! Ah I just got pelted in the face with ice, but i'm inside! Oh great, the seat i am sitting in has a faulty seal around the window and the force of the wind is pushing the ice through it! Ah and another one hit my hand! Haha i'm not the only one getting hit! A lady just rubbed the back if her neck and is looking around trying to figure out what hit her, and the guy sitting across from her just wiped his head and is now putting his toque back on! It seems a few windows have broken seals and now we have an ice storm INSIDE the bus! Oh a better seat just became available, i think i will steal it! Hmm or at least i thought it was a better seat. Once again a window has a faulty seal except there isn't ice (ice which has now turned into rain) coming through the window, but a pool of water in the window seal that splashes over everytime we brake! Hmm maybe if this screw below it was tightened it would solve the problem. Oh well, no longer my problem, I'm finally at my stop and excited to get off this stormy bus!
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