This amazing time-lapse video taken from the upper deck of a Community Transit bus was taken by the ever-amazing Oranviri, via the Seattle Transit Blog flickr pool.
I know, this is usually the realm of the Bus Chick, but I overheard a man and a woman on the 66 today sharing funny bus stories. Their stories were okay, and it got me thinking about my most bus stories, and I’d like to share two of them with you. I apologize in advance if I offend anyone.
I was on the 14 two days ago and a mildly crazy man was repeating loudly “You used me as a go-between.” He repeated it all the way from Bellevue and Bellevue on Capitol Hill to Westlake, and this being rush-hour, that was a good 15 or so minutes, in the blazing heat. The 14 is a trolley bus, so it was nearly completely silent other than this one man repeating loudly “You used me as a go-between.” Finally at Westlake a woman in a wheel chair got on and as the driver situated the wheelchair, the woman typed into her computer which said in a computerized voice “Crazy. Man. Shut. Up.” Everyone burst out laughing and the really only mildly crazy man said, “I didn’t realize I was bothering anyone.” Classic.
About twelve years ago (I guess I am that old), on a Sunday in the summer and I was trying to get to Golden Gardens from downtown Ballard. If I had walked it would have taken me about 20~25 minutes, which wasn’t that bad, but a number 17 came right up and I asked the driver whether the bus went near there, and how long it would take to get to Golden Gardens if I took the bus. The answers were “Yes” and “15 minutes”.
The bus drove as far as Ballard High School when the driver stopped the bus and got out, walked into the whatever that restaurant is with the car on the roof. I was the only passenger, and completely dumb struck. After about three or four minutes, I followed the driver into the restaurant where he was ordering a burger and a milk shake. I asked him when the bus would be on its way again, and he told me it would only be after he finished his lunch. I pleaded with him that I, having grown up in Capitol Hill, I had no idea how to get to Golden Gardens from where I was, and that he had promised me it would be just 15 minutes. He said, it’d only take him ten minutes to eat his burger. I accepted that and walked back to the bus.
Being 15 and useless, I had no money and nothing to do (this was before tetris on cell phones). I tried to entertain myself on the bus, but without a book, a walkman or a gameboy, I was bored senseless. I got off the bus and walked around Ballard High School and talked to a girl who was standing there. I walked back to the bus and just as I was crossing 65th, the driver entered the bus and drove off, leaving me in what I felt was the middle of no where with no way to get back.
It worked out in the end, the girl led me to Golden Gardens and we had a great barbecue with the friends I was meeting. Still though, that was the devil driver from the beyond. I would not have been surprised if someone had told me, “but the 17 only runs on weekdays! That driver must have been a ghost!”
I was on the 545 and someone was talking very loudly on the phone about how much he hated riding the bus. He felt like sharing with conversation with all of us and proceded to discuss how his car was in the shop, how the bus was for poor people and losers, and how much the whole experience sucked. We were about half-way over the 520 bridge when a “bus friend” of mine – who takes the 545 every day – tapped him on the shoulder and asked him if he could please be quiet. The phone guy began to turn his head, said “Hey, I’m talking on the phone–”, but when he looked at tapper he spoke into the phone “oh crap, it’s my boss I have to go.” I thought that was funny.
Share yours in the comments but keep in mind that any that are offensive, racist, homophobic, mysogynistic, inspire hatred or obscene will be deleted.
Hello from Seoul!
I need to start chiming in here with observations about Seoul transit…
But bus stories?
I used to ride the 72 to high school. In those days (’99) the 72 had a lady who meowed constantly and in a very low tone. It more a kitten’s mew than an adult meow…
One day my friend gets on the 72 with me and I tell him, “That’s the meowing lady.”
He proceeds to bark in her general direction, to which she replies, “I’ll hit you over the head with a baseball bat.”
God I miss Seattle.
There was a meowing woman on the 271 when I took it to Blahvue every day 2 summers ago. Perhaps it was the same woman…?
I witnessed a woman with Down Syndrome who was smoking and swearing at another passenger (who swore back at her) on the 66 back in 1999. That’s the short, not-so-funny version of the story. The funny version isn’t appropriate for a family blog.
The 17 doesn’t even run by the high school or Zesto’s, so who knows what bus you actually got on. Could have been the 15, but that doesn’t go anywhere near Golden Gardens.
Could the routes have changed in 12 years?
How long has it been since a city route actually changed – the 50s? LOL
If you’re into history and have the time to spend, the Puget Sound Regional Archives is where all of Metro’s (and its predecessors) old documents are stored. You can pull up a very detailed route history and study where all the routes used to go. Old timetables and maps are also available. I spent an afternoon there just looking through stuff and learned many interesting things.
It’s open weekdays only, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. It’s a good idea to make an appointment since they have to bring the stuff out for you. Getting there is easy. It’s located up by BCC near the Eastgate P&R.
No, that’s impossible.
Or his favorite lunch spot was nowhere near his route.
That’s my bet. He wanted a cheeseburger, so he drove over to Zesto’s.
I have a “it’s a small world” bus story.
When I first moved to Seattle I took the bus from Magnolia to SoDo because I needed to return a Christmas present to Sears. On the ride back I sat next to a very friendly guy and we started chatting about his art projects, he had just bought paper at the Paper Zone to create some hand-made greeting cards. He seemed like a really nice guy and I had just moved here and was in need of friends, but I could tell he was gay and didn’t want to seem like I was coming onto him (what with me being straight and all.) So I didn’t ask for contact info, we said our goodbyes and he got off the bus.
Two years later I’m living on Capitol Hill and my gay roommate brings this guy home on a date. I didn’t recognize him, but he remembered me and apparently had told people about the friend who he had met on the bus and how he was disappointed we didn’t exchange contact info.
Him and my roommate only went on the one date, but we have kept in touch and are still friends now.
I think the entire population of Seattle has about 1 degree of separation.
Hahaha I think you’re right!
My favorite by far is the dazed guy who got on by the post office downtown, looked around, and then loudly asked the driver, “Wait a minute, is this San Fransisco or Seattle?” Whole bus cracked up.
I’ve certainly had the “driver stops for a bite to eat” experience. Heh, at least they usually call ahead and just pick it up. Gotta eat.
That really is a great video.
Did anyone watch the video? What is the bus doing driving in the left lane on the freeway? Washington has a state law that says you must keep right except to pass, and it’s clear the express lanes are not crowded, the bus is not passing, and the left lane is not an HOV lane.
The left lane becomes an HOV lane right after the video stops. Also, the “keep right except to pass” rule doesn’t apply on crowded urban highways, where all lanes are necessary to accommodate traffic volumes.
Have you been on 520 in rush hour? The left lane is usually the slower lane surprisingly.
Does that apply to Express Lanes anyway?
I don’t believe it applies anywhere there are left-hand exits, like there are in the greater Seattle area.
Re the video again, there is a left-hand exit to Lake City Way that also comes up right after the video ends.
There is no differentiation on volume or upcoming exits or whatever.
The law clearly states “Slower traffic, keep right.” Period.
Buses do this all the time on I90, blocking the left lane in anticipation of the left-hand exit ramp 2 miles ahead.
It’s illegal.
And don’t take that as some sort of ‘anti-transit’ rant. Saints were known to sin from time to time.
So how far in advance of, say, of the northbound Lake City Way exit should a bus start making the four lane changes across I-5?
Also, your opinion seems to ignore the fact that we have a speed limit, which is also law. Are you suggesting that the left lane is for passing only, or for people who want to break the law?
As long as a bus is driving the speed limit, I don’t care where it is.
The right lanes of I-5 are basically a clusterf*** because people don’t know how to merge onto the freeway in Seattle, or allow others to do so. So in essence, the left lane is often the only one moving anywhere close to the speed limit.
How often do you even get to drive 60 on I-5?
One thing I’ll never miss is driving a car in Seattle.
“So how far in advance of, say, of the northbound Lake City Way exit should a bus start making the four lane changes across I-5?”
A quarter-mile or half-mile max. The law says drivers must yield. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
“The right lanes of I-5 are basically a clusterf*** because people don’t know how to merge onto the freeway in Seattle, or allow others to do so. So in essence, the left lane is often the only one moving anywhere close to the speed limit.”
The law is the law. Slower traffic, KEEP RIGHT.
“Also, your opinion seems to ignore the fact that we have a speed limit, which is also law. Are you suggesting that the left lane is for passing only, or for people who want to break the law?”
It’s not your job to police speed infractions. Slower traffic, KEEP RIGHT!
I doubt half a mile is far enough with a large vehicle like a bus. Think momentum!
And, I am not a lawyer, but the actual law is considerable more nuanced:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.100
Also note that another law states that all vehicles “shall yield the right-of-way to a transit vehicle”:
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=46.61.220
I love the video, but doesn’t it seem the double-decker boards longer than the other buses?
Maybe, but does the 25 get as many riders per bus as the double decker CT bus?
Riding the 560 yesterday I overhear:
“There’s a law that says drivers can’t make you pay. I’m going to go down the library, print it out and then go to kinko’s and laminate it. When I board I’ll just flash it. It’s bad enough I have to ride the bus, and they want me to pay for it?”
He went on to say he and everyone he knows does not pay.
[...] stories on the Net, of course, ranging from the hilarious to the speculative to the horrific. Here are a few short funny ones (including a good one in the comments, if you read down.) Here are [...]