Who Was Right?
I’ve been in New York for about a year and a half. I’ve gotten a lot better at navigation. I can get on the train going the right direction and know when to transfer to a different train or bus. My first week in the city I got off a very crowded A Train to let people off with the intention of hoping back on. That didn’t happen. The doors closed and I ended up waiting for the next (crowded) train.
Because I live relatively close to where I work, I often ride a bike to work. Needless to say it’s very different than riding a bike in the Midwest. I stick to bike lanes and ride defensively. I wear a helmet (every single time, Mom). It’s a challenge and good exercise. This week I’m back to taking the train/bus because my fiancé wanted to bike to work. Something very strange happened today.
The bus this morning was busy. It wasn’t super crowded, but it was a little more packed than it usually is in the morning. The bus approached a stop and a few people got off. As some passengers attempted to board the bus, metro cards in hand, the driver stopped them.
“Take the next bus, take the next bus, take the next bus!” the driver said to the surprised commuters.
“The bus isn’t full, I see a lot of room, that’s ridiculous. You’re being very rude,” a shocked potential passenger countered. That was the end of the conversation. The doors closed and the bus sped away, leaving everyone at the station confused and angry.
Talking with co-workers in the office, I found this to be a common occurrence. Sometimes a semi-full bus won’t even stop at a station full of potential passengers. Why does this happen? I know the drivers are on a schedule, but sometimes they are stopping to let passengers off anyway.
There was definitely room on the bus, and I’ve ridden on much more crowded buses. Maybe the drivers are not supposed to let their bus get too crowded. Who do you think was right, the driver or the denied passenger? Maybe I’ll stick to the bike.
