Not so Magic Bus

Public transport is generally my best friend. This is not surprising considering the amount of time we've spent together over the years. However, I've developed an issue with the bus of late, or rather every other person who takes it.

Firstly there's the issue of merely getting on the bus in the fist place.
I have a bus ticket, the staple of a student who takes 3/4 buses a day.
This ticket should mean easy access to the bus through the ticket queue. Generally it does, provided there isn't a crowd getting on the bus. For some reason people paying with coin think it's perfectly reasonable to stand in the way of those who are trying to pay with tickets. They'll wait for a good five minutes to attempt to squeeze their way into the queue for coin - unfortunately they'll chose to wait in the doorway, ensuring that nobody who has a ticket and a very heavy bag can get on board. If you're paying with coin stay to the left. I didn't pay €78 for a monthly bus ticket to face a barricade of imbeciles with shopping bags.

Then there's seating.
For some reason certain individuals have a seat they seem to prefer on the bus. There's nothing quite like flopping down into your seat on the bus after a long day, heavy bag in hand and headache to boot. The higlight of a day such as this has to be the 'get up' look you receive from the lady who seems to think you're in her seat. No madame, I will not get up, nor will you guilt me to by staring at me indignantly. There are clearly other seats on the bus, move along and wipe that dour look from your face because I am not interested.

Alteratively there's that situation where someone chooses to sit next to you despite the fact that there are various empty seats on the bus. WHY I ask you, WHY? I quite liked not having to carry my bag on my lap.

Of course if you're sitting upstairs you have another issue - someone who goes upstairs ahead of you and decides half way to come back down because she wants two seats together and that's just not on offer. What a waste of time.

And finally come the children. Now I have no problem with kids, but I do have a problem with BOLD children and parents who ignore them. "Sih dowin Ryan" the mother moans as the child stands on the seat. But does she get up to get him? No. Does she make him sit down? No. She just disinterestedly drones "sih dowin Ryan" every five minutes, not even bothering to glance at the petulant child. My mother would have yanked me down on to that seat.