By: Meera Eragoda, Staff Writer
My ongoing experience of being on buses has featured drivers braking every two goddamn seconds for my twice-a-day hour-and-a-half commutes. I don’t know anymore if this is my life or if I’ve died and I’m in my own personal hell.
If I’m standing, I’m being flung into the laps of strangers — and neither of us want me in their personal space. If I’m sitting, I’m either sliding practically off my seat, or the jerkiness of the brakes is literally making me nauseous. And no, I am NOT exaggerating this point.
It’s gotten so bad that I now notice those magical bus drivers who manage to brake smoothly and make me feel like I’m gliding up or down the mountain on a beautiful, silky cloud. They are doing the Lord’s work and I make a point to tell them both (yes, there have only been two).
Clearly, there are no courses for bus drivers to take where they learn how to brake smoothly, or this problem wouldn’t be so rampant. TransLink really needs to make sure that their drivers know how to brake properly before being given a bus to operate. It would make a huge difference to the daily public transit experience.
Being on the bus these days is truly worse than being on a roller coaster. At least a roller coaster has the decency to give you a rush of adrenaline before the end of the ride.
