Riding the bus is a community

The bus riding community is a rather diverse group of people. People take the bus for a variety of reasons; to save money, to save the environment, because they don’t have a license, because they don’t have a car, because they physically can’t drive a car, because they are too young to drive, because they are too old to drive, because they can sleep during the commute, because they can study during the commute. I could go on and on but I think I’ve made it clear that there are a variety of factors motivating people to take the bus. In reality the reasons don’t matter. Despite differences in motivations these people still have one thing tying them together. They ride the bus, and they do it consistently.

            There are a few shared values among regulars of the bus system. They are commonly shared beliefs that act as general guidelines to control behavior and make the bus ride pleasant for everyone. These include such basics and keep your music low, don’t have overly loud conversations, respect the drivers, never sit next to a stranger when an empty seat is available, don’t hold the bus up as you fumble with change, and be kind to your fellow riders. These are a few of the general rules that most bus riders understand and follow on a daily basis.
            Unfortunately anyone who has ever ridden a bus has probably seen examples of these understood values not being respected. Almost every day I see a rider’s poor behavior worsen the day of the other riders. These annoying riders are sometimes new riders learning the ropes, but often they are a rider who should know well enough how to act, but simply doesn’t care enough about others to alter their behavior. This is the main factor that works against the cohesion of the bus rider community. Public busses are a weird sort of area where no one likes to interact with others, and tend to keep to themselves. Because of this rude riders tend to get away with their behavior, much to the annoyance of the respectful riders.
            During my Junior and Senior year of high school I was a partial bus riding patron. I would occasionally use the public busses but was by no means a regular. This is where I learned the basic philosophy of respecting others and not causing a disturbance. Sense leaving High School I have relied on the bus getting me to and from school, work, errands, and meetings with friends and family. On school days I ride two busses a day. Workdays require four separate busses. About twice a week I have school and work, meaning at least six different busses in one day. With all this time spent on busses I am thankful for the general bus riding community. They are responsible for many hours of study and rest enjoyed in the low murmur of a well behaved bus.