This is where the bus stops

While I was growing up, most of my commute was in the bus. If it was a walk able distance to local markets or shops, I would walk; if the distance was a bit farther or if I was carrying groceries and packages, I would take the rickshaw. But if I had to go to the other part of town or visit a friend or to school and college, I would take the bus. Bus commute was an integral part of anybody who lives in India. Without bus transportation, life would come to a standstill pretty much for most there. It is a means of taking people not only within town but also to go out of town to others parts of India, just like Greyhound here. But along with bus travel comes the fun of risking your life. Once you are in the bus, there is nothing to worry about unless something major happens. But the part of getting into the bus is where all the fun and frolic comes.

So where does the fun come? You stand and wait in the bus stop for your bus to come. You see the bus coming and you get ready to board the bus when the bus actually stops. But the bus stops not in the bus stand but a few yards ahead. So you literally run to catch the bus as the buses follow the 10 second rule. What is that rule? The bus would stop for 10 seconds and then start moving after that. People who are quick and those who can run and get on the bus are lucky that time; others wait for the next bus to come. Local buses in India don’t have doors like buses here, so it is easy to run for the bus and hop on to it. I have done that many times and I guess it is no-brainer but doing the unsafe trick of hopping into the bus safely is the key.

Now one might ask how safe can you be in doing something unsafe, knowing fully well that it is not safe. Well, this is the exact statement that the spokes person (I think it was the spokes person and I forget her name) for buses here said when the local news interviewed them about the rising rate of bus accidents and violation of traffic rules. When questioned, she said that whatever bus drivers are doing, even though it is unsafe, they are doing it safely. Buses in the D.C. area is on the rise in violating traffic rules like jumping red light and stop signs, not stopping at the appropriate locations, making illegal turns, not watching out for pedestrians. Case in point are the pedestrian accidents we hear and see lately.

What does the bus driver do when he or she has to jump the red light or stop sign? Look on both sides to see if there are any vehicles or people crossing or if there is a cop car near by; if not do it and consider it done safely? Buses are with bigger mass and when it hits a car or a person, the results are instantly seen. “With great mass comes great impact”. (Spider-man 3 is releasing this Friday and I have to make this one up as I am a fan of Spider-man – “with great power comes great responsibility”) Rules are there for a reason and it is there to be followed not broken or mended. If the bus drivers are following the rules and are vigilant while on duty, most of the accidents will be reduced. In the same token, pedestrians and other vehicles should look out for bigger vehicles like buses and trucks because they are of bigger mass and can’t stop easily as would you as a walker or a car would. Look out for each other.