Let me preface this post by mentioning that I do love riding the bus in Bangalore. I love living in a city that has a [relatively] well-organized public transportation system. I love that there is a bus stop around the corner from my house and that most of the places I go to in the city are easily accessible by bus. I love that traveling by bus is cheap and that it means I don't have to deal with too many rickshaw drivers who hear my accent and immediately think they can rip me off.
But all that being said, there are quite a lot of things that annoy me when I'm on the bus. They include - but certainly are not limited to - the following:
people who don't get up for pregnant women, ladies with babies, or very elderly people who visibly have trouble walking and/or standing. I mean really, it's common courtesy. whenever people get on who clearly need a seat, the people already sitting will stare out the window or pretend to be asleep so that they don't have to give up their seat. inevitably I am the one who gets up.
men who sit in the ladies' seats. I wouldn't be bothered if they were elderly men who needed the seat, but no, they're men in their late 20s to early 30s who are just fat and lazy. there are clearly pictures of a woman drawn on the side paneling, and it clearly says "ladies" in both English and Kannada. and yet they still don't get up when they see a woman get on the bus. part of the problem is that many of the women won't stand up for themselves and ask the men to get up, which is why they don't see the problem with it. but for any of you who know me, you know I'm not the kind to just sit back and keep my mouth shut. no sir. I get in their faces, and I refuse to move until they get up. it's actually quite fun, just ask my interns.
people who push to get off the bus. usually the people in front of you are also getting off at that stop. there's no need to shove your girth in my back, I'm getting off as fast as I can while trying not to trample someone in the process.
people who crowd around the door when they're not getting off at the next stop. and then they give you dirty looks when you have to shove through them to get off. true story: while getting off at the arch tonight, I stomped on someone's foot, and I'm pretty sure I elbowed someone else. but they weren't even attempting to make room for me to pass, so I had to make room.
people - mostly ladies - who don't realize their size. now, I know I'm not exactly skinny. but I do feel like I have a very good idea of the size of my body and how much space it should take up. I know what spots I can and cannot fit in to. I have literally been pushed out of a place in which I was standing because some lady thought she could squeeze into the miniscule space between myself and another lady. I hate to break it to you aunty, but you're not as skinny as you used to be.
people with annoyingly loud ringtones who let their phones ring and ring and ring. I am not begrudging anyone their mobile phone. even though I don't really like to talk on mine in public [or really at all], I try my best not to judge others who are constantly on their mobiles the entire day. but some of these people on the bus have really loud, really obnoxious ringtones, and when their phones start to ring, they'll pull it out of wherever they keep it, look at the display for a moment, and then replace it in its original place. WITHOUT PUTTING IT ON SILENT.
ladies who push and shove and, at times, crawl over you to beat you to an open seat. yes, this actually happened to me. one lady literally tried to crawl on top of me when a seat opened up next to where I was standing. I told Prakash that if I ever get like that, it's time for me to stop taking the bus.
there's more, but I figure that's enough for now. never a boring day on a bangalore city bus.
xx
But all that being said, there are quite a lot of things that annoy me when I'm on the bus. They include - but certainly are not limited to - the following:
people who don't get up for pregnant women, ladies with babies, or very elderly people who visibly have trouble walking and/or standing. I mean really, it's common courtesy. whenever people get on who clearly need a seat, the people already sitting will stare out the window or pretend to be asleep so that they don't have to give up their seat. inevitably I am the one who gets up.
men who sit in the ladies' seats. I wouldn't be bothered if they were elderly men who needed the seat, but no, they're men in their late 20s to early 30s who are just fat and lazy. there are clearly pictures of a woman drawn on the side paneling, and it clearly says "ladies" in both English and Kannada. and yet they still don't get up when they see a woman get on the bus. part of the problem is that many of the women won't stand up for themselves and ask the men to get up, which is why they don't see the problem with it. but for any of you who know me, you know I'm not the kind to just sit back and keep my mouth shut. no sir. I get in their faces, and I refuse to move until they get up. it's actually quite fun, just ask my interns.
people who push to get off the bus. usually the people in front of you are also getting off at that stop. there's no need to shove your girth in my back, I'm getting off as fast as I can while trying not to trample someone in the process.
people who crowd around the door when they're not getting off at the next stop. and then they give you dirty looks when you have to shove through them to get off. true story: while getting off at the arch tonight, I stomped on someone's foot, and I'm pretty sure I elbowed someone else. but they weren't even attempting to make room for me to pass, so I had to make room.
people - mostly ladies - who don't realize their size. now, I know I'm not exactly skinny. but I do feel like I have a very good idea of the size of my body and how much space it should take up. I know what spots I can and cannot fit in to. I have literally been pushed out of a place in which I was standing because some lady thought she could squeeze into the miniscule space between myself and another lady. I hate to break it to you aunty, but you're not as skinny as you used to be.
people with annoyingly loud ringtones who let their phones ring and ring and ring. I am not begrudging anyone their mobile phone. even though I don't really like to talk on mine in public [or really at all], I try my best not to judge others who are constantly on their mobiles the entire day. but some of these people on the bus have really loud, really obnoxious ringtones, and when their phones start to ring, they'll pull it out of wherever they keep it, look at the display for a moment, and then replace it in its original place. WITHOUT PUTTING IT ON SILENT.
ladies who push and shove and, at times, crawl over you to beat you to an open seat. yes, this actually happened to me. one lady literally tried to crawl on top of me when a seat opened up next to where I was standing. I told Prakash that if I ever get like that, it's time for me to stop taking the bus.
there's more, but I figure that's enough for now. never a boring day on a bangalore city bus.
xx
HA! This is great! I also hate the cell phone thing (ie, keeping the ringer REALLY LOUD and then letting it ring on & on).
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