Personally, I might be creeped out if a guy purposely sat next to me on the bus, even if I'd been talking to him at the stop. She was socially "trapped" at the stop. If I were her and wanted to continue the conversation, I would have said so when I got on the bus (e.g., "Come sit next to me."). But I'm not shy.

It's hard to tell, without knowing the details of how the conversation started, how she reacted to you talking, etc. I can tell you, when I was living in New York, there were definitely times that a strange male started a conversation with me at the bus station, and I PRAYED while waiting for the bus that he wouldn't sit next to me. Although I assume that if you're a relatively aware, non-creepy person, you'd be able to judge from her reaction that she didn't want to be talking to you. I would say that a good all around solution would be that once getting on the bus, you should not sit right next to her, but sit near enough that you could continue the conversation without shouting.

Well she started the conversation by remarking on the lateness of the bus, and then, when the bus never showed up, she followed me to another bus stop (she was new in town so didn't know what the other options were). So I don't feel like she was trapped outside. But that doesn't necessarily mean that she wanted a conversation on the bus too.

I think you did it exactly right.

I think you did right, too. Unless you were in the midst of some hugely engrossing, in-depth, "OMG we're soulmates" type conversation. But assuming it was just friendly small talk, then I think knowing when to end it like you did is an etiquette skill that more people need to master.

I think you did okay. But it sounds like since she followed you to another stop, she was maybe looking for some local expertise and a brief, friendly connection -- not trying to trap you. (And let me tell you, I hate the trap as much as anyone.) So while in most instances I think finding your own private place on the bus would have been totally appropriate, this could have come across to her as an "Ooh, stop talking to me" kind of cast-off. But it could have been wrapped up by grabbing a strap as she walked to the back of the bus and saying "All right now, have a good day!"

Those situations are hard. I'm totally inept at them too. It's much easier to comment on them from here than it is to act appropriately in them there.

Thanks guys. While in hindsight, I think there are things I could have done better it looks like the core decision was the right one.

I probably would've sat in the row in front of or behind her, or possibly across the aisle from her. Far enough away that she wouldn't feel obligated to continue the conversation but close enough to acknowledge some sort of small connection. Then again, I'm a (physically) small woman, so there's probably less of a 'threatening' factor than if I were a man (I have no idea what gender you are or how threatening you may appear to strangers).

I think I like unsurprising's answer the best, but you did just fine.

In my 5 years of public commuting in NYC, I've learned that regardless of how much you've been talking with a stranger at a stop before the bus (or subway or train or whatever) arrives, the conversation ends when you get on the conveyance.

But that could be just an NYC thing.