The Bus: And by "Bus" I
mean the sort that you would
take every day to get to
work or
school. Not the
fancy Greyhound kind you would take for a
long trip. I have to ride a
county bus for an
hour every
morning and
afternoon
YOU DO NOT WANT SOMEONE YOU DON'T KNOW SITTING NEXT TO YOU!
This is an
important rule and the
best for trying to make the
best of your
bus ride.
First, you will probably feel
cramped if there is someone next to you.
Second, these
type of
buses do not
attract the
kind of
people you
generally want
sitting next to you. There will be
dirty people,
smelly people, morbidly
obese people whose fat spills onto your
lap,
etc.
If you
know people on this bus, it is
easy, just
move next to them if the bus starts to get
full.
However, when you don't know anyone or there is no one
available to sit next to, you can run into
trouble.
Try taking up the seat next to you with
either your bag,
jacket, or
legs.
People will not want to
wait for you to
move so they can
sit down, and will
move on. If they bus starts to
get more
full, pretend to
sleep. They are even more
reluctant to
wake you so that you will
move.
Although you want to
avoid having
someone sit next to you,
never refuse to move your
bag or
legs when it is the
last seat left on the
bus.
No one should have to stand while there is a seat left.
Sleeping: I have
found it reasonably
safe to
sleep on the
bus. I just
keep a hand on the strap of my
bag, more because I'm worried about it
sliding away than someone
stealing it.
The
problem is actually
getting to sleep. If someone is
sitting next to you, you're pretty much
screwed from my experience. You might have a chance at resting your head on the seat in front of you, but that doesn't work too
well.
If you have
two or
three seats available, put your
feet up and your
head back, or if you have a big
bag you can put that on the seat next to you, lean sideways, and rest your head on the
bag (this position I find good for sleeping, but it can make your back hurt and your legs fall asleep).
If you are
very lucky you will get the
row of 5 seats in the
back and sometimes on the
side near the back, and you can just
stretch out full length and use your
bag or
jacket to rest your head on.
Boredom:If you
know people on the bus, you can talk with them, throw stuff at each other, whatever (sit in back, the bus driver won't notice and probably won't care if he does), as long as you don't disturb the other people too much.
Otherwise,
sleep,
bring a
book, do
homework, or something...
Leaks:
If it rains, the bus
may leak. Don't
bother moving, because the
leak will probably move and get you there too. Open an
umbrella and arrange it in such a way as to
protect you. You will look
strange but it is worth it.