# I took the bus home yesterday. Pity me. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 19, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266 "2003-08-19T20:00:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/21 "2003-08-20T12:58:37Z")
You don’t have to care if I don’t like the window seat. All you have to care about is how badly you want to sit down. Wanna sit? Sit in the seat that’s available to you. Don’t like it? Move it the fuck along, bub. Sorry to burst your bubble, Alan Owes Bess, but I already own an SUV gas guzzler. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/22 "2003-08-20T13:14:28Z")
Juanita, You own an SUV? Lucky you! That’s just fantastic! Drive it ruthlessly and with extreme prejudice. Don’t forget to not swerve too sharply to avoid those who think they can talk to freakin’ whales. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/23 "2003-08-20T13:16:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > **You don’t have to care if I don’t like the window seat. All you have to care about is how badly you want to sit down. Wanna sit? Sit in the seat that’s available to you. Don’t like it? Move it the fuck along, bub.** Woohoo! I’m a bub! 🙂 I understand that, I’ll just think you’re a jerk for doing it. And if I’m in a really foul mood, I’ll figure out a way to irritate you for the duration of our ride. Otherwise, I’ll just get over it and move on with my life. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/24 "2003-08-20T13:20:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Coldfire \* > \*\*You can’t take a dog on a city bus in the US? Seriously? \*\* Pet dogs aren’t allowed on any public transport anywhere in the US, AFAIK. They certainly aren’t/weren’t in any of the cities I’ve lived. Dogs in Europe are allowed in many more places than they are here. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/25 "2003-08-20T13:20:48Z")
Juanita, You aleady own an SUV? Lucky you! That is just fantastic! Drive it ruthlessly and with extreme prejudice. Don’t forget to not swerve too sharply to avoid those who think they can talk to freakin’ whales. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/26 "2003-08-20T13:51:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > \*\*Woohoo! I’m a bub! 🙂 > > I understand that, I’ll just think you’re a jerk for doing it. And if I’m in a really foul mood, I’ll figure out a way to irritate you for the duration of our ride. > > Otherwise, I’ll just get over it and move on with my life. \*\* I can live with being a jerk. As far as figuring out a way to irritate me, you can do what some of the other perverts do and rest your nuts on my shoulder while you stare down the top of my shirt. You do have to be of a certain height to choose this method of irritation. I think it would wiser (and safer for your boys) to opt for getting over it and moving on with your life (bub). ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/27 "2003-08-20T14:06:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Dogs in Europe are allowed in many more places than they are here. Not universally so. We have the standard hygiene requirements (no pets in food prerarations areas, and most stores not allowing any animals other then Guide dogs. our public transport doesn’t allow pets on board, but I’m sure Ive seen one or two that broke the rules. AOB? you’re an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/28 "2003-08-20T14:08:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CanvasShoes \* > **To commute to Eagle River (10 miles north of Anch) would require a person to rise at 4am, catch a 5 am bus to be in Anch by 6am, arrive at their job about an hour to an hour and a half early, then leave work before close of business, and arrive home at about 8 or 9 pm. And that’s the only time the bus to that area is available. No “every half an hour” or “every 10 minutes” here. Routes in the city itself are almost as bad. Buses stop every hour or hour and a half, and most require 2-3 transfers.** Damn, that’s worse than the bus service in the New Orleans 'burbs. At least it’s warm down there. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/29 "2003-08-20T14:35:35Z")
I probably should expand on that. Jefferson Parish extends from Lake Pontchartrain ( **Pon** ·cha·train) to the Gulf, the section between the lake and the Mississippi is called The East Bank. To the west are bayous and to the east is New Orleans. When I left there in '88, [Jefferson Transit](http://www.gcr1.com/jet/maps.htm) only had three East Bank bus lines: Jefferson Highway, Causeway, and Veterans. The Metairie Rd. line may have existed then but I don’t remember. For some reason, the Williams line was (and still is) operated by the company that operates the New Orleans city buses. One could obtain transfers to transfer between Jefferson Transit buses but they aren’t valid for the Williams line due to it being operated by [NORTA](http://www.norta.com/home.php). Like Anchorage buses, Jefferson Transit left big gaps in the service area but it looks like things have imporved in the past 15 years. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/30 "2003-08-20T14:48:51Z")
**ToF,** Suck my dick. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/31 "2003-08-20T15:01:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > This is one of my pet peeves. Just slide the fuck over. No one cares if you don’t like the window seat. Like **Juanita** said, no one _has_ to care. The rule on mass transit is (and has _always_ been, ever since Rosa) that once you occupy a seat, that seat is yours until you choose to vacate it. If you’re standing and there are empty seats, you can choose to remain standing, or you can choose to sit in an available empty seat. But you can’t expect that someone already sitting move to a _different_ seat in order that you may have _their_ seat. Yeah, it might be easier for you if they just moved over. But that’s up to them, not up to you. ---
**Author:** ![TwistofFate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@TwistofFate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwistofFate)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/32 "2003-08-20T15:10:44Z")
No thanks, I’ll pass. > [@](#): > > Drive it ruthlessly and with extreme prejudice. Don’t forget to not swerve too sharply to avoid those who think they can talk to freakin’ whales. Ah yeah, those damn hippies. You should really trade in your SUV for a clue. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c37758/32.png) [@Alan\_Owes\_Bess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Owes_Bess)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/33 "2003-08-20T15:22:05Z")
**ToF,** Who mentioned hippies? Is that word really still being used in Century 21? Are you a child of the revolution? In all seriousness, I would never have the heart to kill a whale (unless I felt really hungry). ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/34 "2003-08-20T15:24:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RTFirefly \* > \*\*Yeah, it might be easier for you if they just moved over. But that’s up to them, not up to you. \*\* I never said it was anything except up to them. I said if they didn’t, I would feel they are a jerk. Just like I am not required to give up my seat to an elderly person (except in certain seats), it is the polite thing to do and I will do so. While the world may not require people to not be a jerk, it would certainly be much better if fewer people were. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/35 "2003-08-20T15:35:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Neurotik \* > I never said it was anything except up to them. I said if they didn’t, I would feel they are a jerk. You can feel whatever you want, I suppose. But by posting those feelings here, you’ve made them a subject of debate. Feeling that someone’s a jerk because they wouldn’t let you have their seat, is really pretty pathetic, ISTM. > [@](#): > > Just like I am not required to give up my seat to an elderly person (except in certain seats), it is the polite thing to do and I will do so. While the world may not require people to not be a jerk, it would certainly be much better if fewer people were. Yeah, not giving up your seat for an elderly, handicapped, or pregnant person is being jerky. I’m sure there’s no debate here. But you’ve got this rule in your own head that people should move to the window and give you the aisle seat, rather than just letting you into the window seat. This ‘rule’ is not generally recognized as a rule. That being the case, it’s just plain stupid to regard people as jerks for ‘violating’ a ‘rule’ that they have no reason to recognize. And there’s really no good reason that I can see, other than that it’s your personal preference, to even feel it _should_ be the rule. So your attitude is doubly pathetic. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/36 "2003-08-20T16:25:34Z")
Uh, without touching on any of the other issues here, **Neurotik** , some folks get way more bus-sick if they sit in the window seat and might want to avoid sliding over to it for you for that reason. Also, maybe their stop is coming up right quick. There are perfectly logical reasons for preferring an aisle seat that have nothing to do with imposing plain old personal preference on other passengers. (Not that I think there’s anything wrong with choosing the aisle seat even if you just like it better.) ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/37 "2003-08-20T16:42:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TwistofFate \* > \*\*Not universally so. We have the standard hygiene requirements (no pets in food prerarations areas, and most stores not allowing any animals other then Guide dogs. > > our public transport doesn’t allow pets on board, but I’m sure Ive seen one or two that broke the rules. > \*\* But you all are still, in general, much more forgiving of dogs in public places than the US is. It was very neat to see dogs in pubs and shops in London (and well behaved they were too!), which isn’t something you’ll ever see here (unless the shop is a pet store). It’s getting worse rather than better over here too, sorry to say. If **Juanita** was able to bring a Rottweiler on the bus, bet no one would ask her to slide over ever again 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Helen\_s\_Eidolon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helen_s_Eidolon)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/38 "2003-08-21T01:11:28Z")
I would definitely say it is bus etiquette, especially if the bus is crowded, to move over to make room for others. Letting them pass is inconvenient and a deterrent to anyone sitting down. Is the aisle seat THAT important to you? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/39 "2003-08-21T01:43:50Z")
I believe in the principle that your seat is yours until you choose to vacate it. _However_, I have also heard that one of the main rules for women’s safety on buses and trains is to take the aisle seat. As a very big, rough-looking guy, if a woman wants to share my seat, I’ll slide and take the window. But I am not obliged to. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266/40 "2003-08-21T07:29:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avalonian \* > \*\*Our buses are pretty decent as well… I don’t mind riding them at all. In fact, in downtown Seattle, I have more pity for the person driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic, watching them get frustrated as I fly by on my bike or relax in the bus, reading my book. \*\* Maybe I always ended up on the wrong one-but I am thrilled, _thrilled_ that given my current commute, riding the bus is now both more expensive and more time consuming than driving to and from work - and I’m on 520. I love the idea of public transportation. The reality sucks. The buses seem to be filled with the insane or those who are convinced that my suit and briefcase are a disguise, and I’m really just there to rob them on a crowded bus during rush hour (which does have the benefit that I don’t have to share a seat very often…unless it’s with one of the insane.) It’s uncomfortable. It’s smelly. It’s dirty. It’s noisy. It’s always freezing. It’s never on time, but unpredictably late. There are many wonderful, wonderful things about Seattle - the public transportation situation is not one of them. **Juanita** , you have my every sympathy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-the-bus-home-yesterday-pity-me/196266.md?page=3)