I like to think that I generally keep things pretty positive on here; true, I may complain here and there, but overall I try to see the bright side of things. That's not gonna happen in this post.
The M.I.O. is the city sponsored system public buses here, and while I don't really have any qualms with the entity as a whole I certainly do have some issues with the passengers. Now, if you are one of the M.I.O. riders that is capable of acting civil and like a decent human being, then congratulations, you are in the small minority of people that does not get an eye roll or huff from me at the station. We have have actually at one time or another shared a frustrated glance, thanks for being awesome. Unfortunately, such people waiting for the bus are few and far between. In fact, they sometimes seem nonexistent. Here's the problem: everyone wants to be the first person to get on the bus they are waiting for which, in turn, causes not only a mad dash for the doors when said bus arrives, but it brings people to clustering around the doors that approximately 2.5 people can fit through at any one time. That means, even if a person sees that the approaching bus is not the one they desire, they will hold their ground firmly in front of the sliding glass doors so that when their bus does come, they can get on first. News flash people: THIS DOESN'T WORK. Really what you are doing is causing mass chaos and more importantly, irritating the hell out of me. Hi, I'm the one kindly waiting at the back of the crowd until I see the T31 coming from down the block. And guess what? I always manage to get on the bus. Although, sometimes its a close call after I have to push my way through the crowd serving as a blockade for the door. Sure, I may not always get a seat, but its really not a big deal. I come from the land of L trains and CTA buses where getting a seat isn't always likely, and sometimes standing is the better choice anyway.
Then there are those who are fond of the psych out. The "I have been standing here in front of you and now as a bus that you need comes I am going to move toward the door like this is also the bus I am waiting for, but then stop dead in my tracks so that you have to re-route around me and almost miss the bus you waited 20 minutes for. I was actually just trying to get closer to the door." Thanks. I get it people. You are worried about getting on the bus and getting a seat, and I understand why. I sometimes worry too when I see the 4:00pm crowd waiting for the E21 and E31, but you are only making it worse. When you crowd the door, it makes other people nervous too, so they crowd the door and then people have to push through 30 people deep just to get the gosh darn T31! See? Its a positive feedback loop, not much different than this one:
So if everyone just waited for their bus to come before stampeding toward the door, then we wouldn't have this ridiculous problem, and everyone could get on the bus peacefully. But it won't just happen, be the change people.
Oh and don't even get me started on the guy who gets on the bus and stops approximately 8 inches in from the door. Hi, sir. Do you realize I can't get passed you and the door is now shutting on me and the 20 others trying to get on the bus? Thanks for caring.
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