Those Buses!
By Darcy Nemo
@YrNemo (20261)
June 26, 2018 4:22am CST
That day, deciding to try my luck again with the bus instead of having a normal 9 minute walk, I stood there at the bus stop, checking for any interesting news on my cell phone. Since I came 8 minutes before the time, I was so sure that I would be at the train station OK for that working day.
20 minutes passed and the bus still didn't come. I decided to check the bus timetable. AND that was when I found out they just changed the schedule! (How could they! That timetable had been the same since forever... 
)
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Walking home from the station, I thought I would try my luck again with the bus. This time I checked the bus timetable carefully. A senior in her 70s approached, smiled, 'bet you it hasn't come yet!'
We chatted about life, about children, grandchildren etc for 15 minutes but no bus turned up. A teenager approached and began to check the timetable. He told us that according to some app he got on his cell phone, the bus we were waiting for - had come earlier and gone half an hour ago! (The next should come in 25 minutes or so.)
Are you often lucky with public transport? I don't. Whenever I decide to walk after a lengthy wait, those buses would always drive pass soon after.
)
---
Walking home from the station, I thought I would try my luck again with the bus. This time I checked the bus timetable carefully. A senior in her 70s approached, smiled, 'bet you it hasn't come yet!'
We chatted about life, about children, grandchildren etc for 15 minutes but no bus turned up. A teenager approached and began to check the timetable. He told us that according to some app he got on his cell phone, the bus we were waiting for - had come earlier and gone half an hour ago! (The next should come in 25 minutes or so.)
Are you often lucky with public transport? I don't. Whenever I decide to walk after a lengthy wait, those buses would always drive pass soon after. 12 people like this
14 responses
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
26 Jun 18
Hi Darcy. I experienced that before when I left after waiting and suddenly the bus came. It was like someone is playing a trick on me. 
2 people like this
@mlgen1037 (29886)
• Manila, Philippines
26 Jun 18
@YrNemo But I hate the feeling. You would regret the decision to go and not wait for the bus instead.
1 person likes this
@josie_ (9763)
• Philippines
26 Jun 18
There are no timetable for daily bus commuters here. Actually Philippine transportation would drive anyone from first world countries crazy. The main mode of transportation is still the "jeepney", a WWII army jeep that was converted for public transport during rehabilitation of a war-torn country but somehow manage to continue being use despite it's inefficiency.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
27 Jun 18
I have given up using a bus for ages now. It is either a taxi or an auto and that too who are contactable.
1 person likes this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
28 Jun 18
@YrNemo I would not attempt taking taxis in a foreign country where I always took package holidays.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
26 Jun 18
No time table here but I haven't taken a public commute in this city where I live for so many years now I don't even know their routes anymore.
1 person likes this
@toniganzon (72285)
• Philippines
26 Jun 18
@YrNemo Better to take public commute. I have someone drive me when I'm lazy. And I'm usually lazy.
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
26 Jun 18
I wish I have the nerve to drive my car to work (I am worried that I might whack into people's cars while admiring the cloud patterns...) 
.
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@YrNemo (20261)
•
29 Jun 18
@sol_cee 
It was at 9:30PM night time too. That bus driver was mean, very mean when he did that to me. I walked back, in the 38 degrees C temperature and fuming. I could only curse him, what else could I do... Every now and then, we would bump into some meanies like that. Bad luck really.
It was at 9:30PM night time too. That bus driver was mean, very mean when he did that to me. I walked back, in the 38 degrees C temperature and fuming. I could only curse him, what else could I do... Every now and then, we would bump into some meanies like that. Bad luck really.1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
29 Jun 18
I think some bus drivers like to torture others. I remember hearing (and witnessed too) a few who waited for the people to come close then speeding up, leaving those poor and puzzled souls behind. I recently was taken by a bus driver to another route, and was dropped in a strange area 3km away from my place. He told me that 'sorry, we just had a change of route today!'. (I asked him repeatedly to drop me off the moment I realized he didn't use the normal route but he refused. I didn't bother complain that time, but i cursed that bus driver to eternity (I am hoping that my curses work though... ))
))1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (169940)
• United States
26 Jun 18
Yikes! Glad I don't have to ride a bus! That is really bad if people are relying on it to get to work,,,and they decide out of the blue to alter their schedule.
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20261)
•
27 Jun 18
Happened every now and then here. But then, if it was due to the trains, then bosses often became very understanding.
@topffer (42156)
• France
26 Jun 18
It depends of the bus line. 1 bus/hour is better than nothing but it is far to be good. They are creating "high level of service" lines in my place with a bus every 5 or 10 mn, but besides there are lines with 2 buses on the morning and 2 on the afternoon
. For the rest I would not complain about public transport here, they are relatively cheap and usually on time.
. For the rest I would not complain about public transport here, they are relatively cheap and usually on time.1 person likes this
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@caopaopao (12395)
• China
26 Jun 18
I met this situation yesterday. My daughter and I waited for half an hour. There was no bus. So we decided to walk. We just started about two minutes, and the bus came, of course, we didn't get on the bus.
1 person likes this
@sabtraversa (12924)
• Italy
26 Jun 18
I usually don't take the bus, and that's the reason.
I don't like to wait, not even 5 minutes, I'd rather walk.
When I do, I check the timetable online, so I don't wait much unless the bus itself is late (which can be).
Actually, there was one time I took the bus very early and later realized it wasn't even at its first ride, but it was getting there, because I live quite close to the bus deposit. The driver didn't complain though. 
I don't like to wait, not even 5 minutes, I'd rather walk.
When I do, I check the timetable online, so I don't wait much unless the bus itself is late (which can be).
Actually, there was one time I took the bus very early and later realized it wasn't even at its first ride, but it was getting there, because I live quite close to the bus deposit. The driver didn't complain though. 1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (48415)
• Canada
26 Jun 18
I've never taken public transportation, so I cannot offer any first handed experience.
For most of my life I lived out in the country, and as a result learned at a very young age to be very independent as far as transportation needs go.
Hopefully your next venture will be a more successful one.
1 person likes this
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@DianneN (246720)
• United States
27 Jun 18
Poor you, Darcy and how frustrating! The only time I took buses was when I was a little girl and going from school to downtown for my piano lessons. I've been driving since I was 16. Around here, there is no public transportation, since we live in a small town in the suburbs. Here, you either drive or call a cab, which is very pricey.
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
26 Jun 18
Ah in my small town we don't have public transport. Shocking I know. I am happy you met some nice people while waiting though
1 person likes this
@FayeHazel (40248)
• United States
27 Jun 18
@YrNemo Yeah, those are the choices. If it's in this town, I usually prefer walking (unless I have something big to buy, then I drive) - but most often I go to the larger nearby town (14 miles away) so I drive
1 person likes this
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