Woohoo: Public transportation

Buses are awesome! They take you everywhere you need to go. They could give you the chance to reconnect with a long lost friend, or your closest pals. The shared purpose to reach one’s destination is so infectious that bus riding builds a community out of total strangers. Conversations become connections; strangers turn into future house party buddies. There is a certain untraceable love for public transportation that transcends all its commuters.

And take the fabulous drivers! They love their jobs. Some are even  keen on making the bus ride a great experience for everyone. They might make goofy gimmicks like belting out a Gloria Gaynor hit on the PA system, or take pleasure in being a pilot by announcing road updates, making the passengers feel like they’re on a WestJet flight to Production Station.

I say buses are the greatest social-glue invention since shared sliced bread.

Boohoo: Late public transportation

Nothing gives you a slower emotional death than knowing that you did your best to arrive on schedule for the bus only to see seconds turn into minutes, and minutes into an eternity as you wait for the stupid bus to show up. You have exhausted all your patience and still can’t see any sign of those yellow neon lights.

You show up seven minutes before the bus’ scheduled time on your TransLink app. Unfortunately, it takes an extra five minutes to roll up to the bus stop and when it does, it causes a further three-minute delay: some thick-skulled duck doesn’t have his UPass for the new month, but insists on riding. While the unforgiving bus driver angrily tells the student to walk, you scream in your head, calculating the prolonged commute that lays ahead of you.

Imagine the impatient person who’s been waiting an extra 10 minutes at the bus stop ahead. Keep waiting, loser!