I find that every place has it's own communication culture. We all communicate differently, in public, around friends, around strangers. I was always taught to be kind, courteous, and unafraid of strangers. Strangers are people too.
When I was young, friendship relationships built by levels. A potential friend maybe sat next to you at school. This relationships starts with a conversation, finding similarities, talking. Maybe after that, you both decided that you would take your relationship to the next level by hanging out in public. A.K.A, you guys decided to play at the playground at lunchtime. After a long while of that, when the time was right, you took your relationship to the personal level, by letting your friend come over to your house. They then saw your house, your room, the food you eat in your family, the way you live. This is a huge step. This was only done after a good while. As the years pass, your relationship with this person develops from buddy, to chum, to kindred spirits of sorts. These people are allowed in your personal space, because your comfort level with them is quite high.
An interesting thing happens though when you ride the public transportation. I realized this the first time I rode a packed bus. I was on the bus early, so I got a seat in the front. However, as the bus piled in, people were everywhere! Literally. I dreaded the idea of someone sitting next to me, since my broad shoulders were sure to make anyone else a human sandwich. And then, he came, an older gentleman who couldn't walk very well. He was bigger than me and wearing a huge jacket and a backpack. He looked at the seat next to me, and before I could say anything, he was sitting down pretty much on top of me, and rearranging his bag. After we both rearranged ourselves the best we could, I was expecting he was going to look at me and introduce himself at least. After all, we were pretty much sitting on top of each other, and were it not for the fact that there was not even an inch of standing room, I would have moved. He, however, did no such thing, instead he looked at me and put his arm around me and held onto the pole on the other side of my arm. His only words to me were, "I don't wanna fall."
I was amazed. People in public spaces like this, cramped together like sardines at times, and everyone is ignoring each other. Don't you want to know who is sitting in your lap???? I was amazed. Shocked. Confused. This was a different playground, with different rules. In any other situation, if a guy tried to put his arm around me like that when I didn't want him to, of course I would have decked him good right in the face. But I was so confused, that I had to literally sit a whole bus ride, with this guys arm around me, and for the first time in my life, I let him.
Who knew people would be comfortable holding onto a stranger. Talk about stranger danger. Hehehehe.....
Monday, January 23, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Bus Terminology #1
I find myself to be the most unintelligible person at times. I can't help it that my brain works differently than everyone else. I was that annoying child growing up, that always asked, "what is that?" or "why?" My parents can attest to this. And like I said, if my brain doesn't understand it, it isn't it. It's just a something, but definitely not it. Laugh all you like, but I honestly had no idea what any of these things were when I started riding the B-U-S. But now, thanks to all of my annoying questions, and the perfectly annoyed drivers, we are pretty much old friends now.
TERMINOLOGY:
1) Stop (noun): The place where buses may or may not actually stop. These specific areas are identified by a small blue bus stop sign thingy on top of a pole. They have the bus system insignia on them, as well as numbers of the buses that stop at each particular stop. Warning: If there is no one at the stop when the bus approaches, the bus will not stop there. Not that I thought that or anything...
2) End of the line: The end of the line refers to the last stop of the bus or train route. The bus will not go further than this, they will simply turn around and do their route again, backwards. Not literally of course.
3) Transfer
(verb): To go from one bus or train, to another bus or train. I transferred from the Blue Line Southbound to the 215 bus going Northbound.
(noun): A ticket, received on a bus after you have paid the fare. This transfer indicates a time limit by which you must use the transfer in. You can only use transfers once. You'll be disappointed if you try to use it more than this.
4) Fare: This is a monetary unit which you pay before you can ride a bus or train. This is different from the one spelled F-A-I-R, which can mean a huge, fun, carnival with lots of rides and awesomely weird food, which I though the driver meant before. Obviously, I was a bit confused.
5) Stop Request: In every bus and train there are cable like ropes that run through the bus. Pulling on this cable will light a sign in the front near the bus driver that reads, "Stop Requesting." It is also accompanied by a really annoying buzzer sound. This will signal to the driver that he/she needs to stop at the following stop, wherever that may be. Be careful not to pull the cable too early, or you may be let off at the wrong stop. Stop Requests need to be timed perfectly. Warning: everyone on the bus knows exactly which stop they are getting off on, so if you don't you will look like a dunce! If you are unsure, talk to the bus driver and bribe them with candy to let you off at the right place. Works like a charm. ;)
That's all for now. Be good, and travel safely.
TERMINOLOGY:
1) Stop (noun): The place where buses may or may not actually stop. These specific areas are identified by a small blue bus stop sign thingy on top of a pole. They have the bus system insignia on them, as well as numbers of the buses that stop at each particular stop. Warning: If there is no one at the stop when the bus approaches, the bus will not stop there. Not that I thought that or anything...
2) End of the line: The end of the line refers to the last stop of the bus or train route. The bus will not go further than this, they will simply turn around and do their route again, backwards. Not literally of course.
3) Transfer
(verb): To go from one bus or train, to another bus or train. I transferred from the Blue Line Southbound to the 215 bus going Northbound.
(noun): A ticket, received on a bus after you have paid the fare. This transfer indicates a time limit by which you must use the transfer in. You can only use transfers once. You'll be disappointed if you try to use it more than this.
4) Fare: This is a monetary unit which you pay before you can ride a bus or train. This is different from the one spelled F-A-I-R, which can mean a huge, fun, carnival with lots of rides and awesomely weird food, which I though the driver meant before. Obviously, I was a bit confused.
5) Stop Request: In every bus and train there are cable like ropes that run through the bus. Pulling on this cable will light a sign in the front near the bus driver that reads, "Stop Requesting." It is also accompanied by a really annoying buzzer sound. This will signal to the driver that he/she needs to stop at the following stop, wherever that may be. Be careful not to pull the cable too early, or you may be let off at the wrong stop. Stop Requests need to be timed perfectly. Warning: everyone on the bus knows exactly which stop they are getting off on, so if you don't you will look like a dunce! If you are unsure, talk to the bus driver and bribe them with candy to let you off at the right place. Works like a charm. ;)
That's all for now. Be good, and travel safely.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)