by Catriona Mills

Dear Bus Driver

Posted 14 May 2008 in by Catriona

I don’t have the same number of complaints as Nick does about Brisbane public transport—I generally find the bus drivers efficient and courteous. But then, my daily trips are much shorter than Nick’s.

I did, however, come up with this imaginary epistle after this morning’s bus trip to the university.

Dear Bus Driver,

I realise, of course, that there’s a reason for the bus being quite late. That reason is readily apparent from the vast number of people standing in the aisle, desperately trying to cling to whatever support they can grab.

What I’m wondering is why you continued to stop at bus stops—not only mine, but at least two more on the route to the university.

By the time you stopped at my stop, people were crammed nearly up to the front windscreen. I only managed to find a space when a lovely elderly gentleman—who was 80 if he was a day, and should not have had to stand—was kind enough to share the pole with which he was supporting himself.

I realise I had the option not to get on the bus and, in fact, nearly waited for the next one, but Wednesdays are not days when I have a great deal of spare time, and I felt compelled to get to work as early as possible.

By the time we arrived at the university, of course, people were actually bouncing off the windshield, because you had continued to stop at the bus stops. Those of use who were buttressed further back in the aisle were becoming far too acquainted not only with the bus’s various safety features but also with one another.

I do think it is very kind of you to attempt to convey as many of us as possible. But honestly? I would rather the bus sailed by than that you lured me into thinking it had room for me; by the time I have my foot on the step, it’s too late to turn back.

Buses in Sydney are restricted in the number of standing passengers that they can carry, and have been since I was in high school. I hate to think what might have happened to my nice, elderly aisle-neighbour had we had to stop suddenly.

Perhaps some such restriction would work here, too?

Sincerely,

Your Slightly Bruised Passenger.

Share your thoughts [2]

1

heretic wrote at May 14, 05:58 am

Heheheh there are restrictions of course. They ignore them.

My personal favourite thing about Sydney buses is the sticker below the driver’s window, which is head height for someone standing outside: “do not access bus through this window”. There’s not much else to like, though.

2

Catriona wrote at May 14, 07:25 am

They used to take them very seriously—at least in the outer suburbs, where I caught buses—back when I caught buses in Sydney at all, which admittedly is not since I got my driver’s license thirteen years ago.

But then, that was in the suburbs and it was immediately after the various accidents that had prompted the restrictions in the first place.

I imagine that inner-city bus drivers are at least as bad—and, given the higher traffic congestion in Sydney, probably worse—as they are in Brisbane, which I why I always move around the city on trains.

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