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29 September 2005
Existensial Question. Why is the bus so more depressing than the subway?
The bus is more depressing if the elderly and handicapped depress you. I personally don't find either depressing. I'm usually fascinated by the humanity (if it's not crowded) or pissed at being crammed in (commuter time). Anyway I'm in NYC, I don't know what bus you're riding.
Because you're completely at its mercy. The trains (mostly) run on time; they're not delayed much by traffic. When you're waiting for the bus, it could be early, it could be late. You have no idea. I spent one winter at the mercy of a bus that could be anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour late, and then a whole bunch of them would come at the same time. Plus, the ride takes so much longer. You stop at every corner, every stoplight. (I'm in Chicago.)
Due to my recent medical troubles (I'm scheduled for lithotripsy on wed., but I may die of red tape poisoning before then), I've been riding the bus all over astoria. MY GP's office is right across from the Astoria Houses projects. Last time I was in the bus shelter there, I had the experience resulting in the second anecdote in this comment. There must be a group home nearby. I did have the visual treat of watching three kids in parochial school uniforms clap hands in synch, singing "We ain't got no homework! We ain't got no homework!"
But the bus was filled with sad specimens of humanity, overweight toothless project moms. The mentally ill or handicapped bellowing at eachother and the like. In NYC, the subways have a wider swath of humanity. But maybe it's cause I only ride buses in Queens. I have enough in my brain keeping the trains straight, so I ride the bus less.
It was the q102 in midafternoon. That may have something to do with it.
The Bx21, the bus on the second part of my commute (after the 5 train uptown) is a nice bus. I'm 50-50 with which is better. The bus is more comfortable.
If we're comparing local buses to subways, then I find each equally depressing. Which is to say not all THAT depressing really. Long bus trips on something like a Greyhound make me much happier.
Buses are my favourite form of transport, tho i'll admit being a little less enamoured recently with the 7 July bombings (which is a dumb attitude ill readily admit), so (but recently) Ive chosen to walk to work instead.
I have always preferred trains to buses and avoid catching a bus like the plague. Buses are uncomfortable, vomit-inducing, smelly machines and you have to deal with a (usually) rude arsehole just to get on board. Trains, you can buy a ticket from a machine and never have to speak to a human - they are air-conditioned, smooth, on time (almost always) and relatively comfortable. On a train, even if there are no seats, you can sit down on the floor. It is a really good idea to pay attention to which side the platforms are on when the train is stopping if you sit leaning against the door though, as I found out a couple of weeks ago.
I have never seen a subway and the only time I have been on a bus was elementary school. That said, I think we should all get some paddles and go cow tipping and cow spanking. We'll rotate between the two activities. It will be jolly.
I've always figured buses are worse because you can keep track of how little progress you're making when the bus is going slowly. Buses also tend to be in ill repair.
i've assumed it had something to do with being under the eye of the noncommuting. and lack of shelter. and time. and fumes. and totally depend on where you are.
i like the top of double deckers. and some subways.
Busses? Subways? Fuck That Shit! Streetcars, Baby!
*ahem* That is to say, here in Toronto I find subways and busses equally depressing, but I enjoy riding the streetcar: it's above ground and the gentle rocking motion is like riding a boat down the middle of the street.
I love the bus in NYC. But I used to ride buses in Sapporo when I was in college -- Japanese bus drivers swing those things around like crazy. There aren't sidewalks on most streets there, just painted lines, and the buses constantly swerve to avoid little old men and women. When it's crowded, it's crazy:
You never go anywhere awesome on a bus, just to have bladder rocks pulverized with 8 million DB of styx blasted through your gut, or to eat diabetic sticky ass old sugar free candies with some lady who thinks you are your father.
Everyone on the bus is crazy or old or sad or you.
But the number one reason is a bus is just a big car and you can't really move around freely on it, you may not move around in the subway car, but you can!
Also the subway is an underground adventure, you could fuck around and end up in Cuba. Never happens on the bus, you are always going to JC Pennys to get some fucking pleated slacks that will pill up around the crotch and thighs on the bus. Always.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad not to be driving either. I'm thinking it's the locale (Queens' projects are especially depressing) and the time of day-midafternoon, so it's the old, the handicapped, the unemployed, the insane and me. This is one of the buildings just before my stop, to give you an idea of the atmosphere. I'm beginning to wonder if the reson it took so long for my doctor to daignose me was because he saw a white guy in the clinic and assumed I was seeking drugs.
When you are on the subway you are surrounded only by others on the subway. When you ride the bus you get to look out the window at folks motorvaiting in their own personal Mercedes Benz or sitting outside a cafe sipping white wine and your on the bus with a bunch of losers.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
