Public Transit Pragmatism

I see all the time, and my friends tell me of examples about this as well, of people completely lacking basic human common sense in terms of public transit etiquette and efficiency. In recent years I've lived in both Ottawa and Vancouver, and now Toronto, and the TTC riders of Canada's first city definately take the title of obliviousness.

A first example would be that people just cannot wait for others to get off the bus or train, they have to immediately push their way on, or worse stand directly in front of the doors and wait for the others to run them over. This kindergarten logic, let people off first, then get on after. I can understand sometimes people are late for work or anxious to get home when the train in nearly full, but even this is ridiculous; if you're the first one at the door you will get on, otherwise you wait your turn, and if you don't make this ride you'll get on the next one. When this happens on occasions when there is clearly enough room on bus, I'm just completely baffled at what people are thinking. Theres enough room on the bus for eveyone, you're gonna get on, don't worry about it!

Then you have people who insist on being the first ones off the bus. Again, we're all going to get the opportunity to step outside; theres enough room out there, theres enough room in the world, on the outside for all of us! As if the streets are so packed that you're gonna get stuck inside the bus forever!

Yesterday I hopped on the bus from my street to Pape station to catch the subway there. Its a ten minute walk, literally a two minute bus ride; the bus is packed, a woman gets on at Sammon. Ave one stop before Pape Station, there is an empty seat in front of me but I dont take it because the bus is so congested and we're all getting off at the last stop in 27 seconds. This woman miserably scuttles her way through half the crowd, I saw her eye the seat from afar to I knew exactly what she was doing, pushes my backpack out of the way, and sits down for 4 seconds before we all have to get off at the last stop. Just an absolutely unreasonable display of stubborness.

Then you have people who are sitting at the back of the bus, but for some reason feel they have to go all the way to the front doors to get off. You just passed the back doors, they're there for you to use, feel free.

Thats all I have for now. I will provide more examples as they come to me. And believe me I will not be short on inspiration.