So the bus strike is over. The buses are back on the road. You’d think passengers would be all smiles and cheerful. Nope. This morning everyone looked just as pissed off as they did before the strike. Angry faces from the front of the bus all the way to the back. Sitting there starring out the windows with a scowl and hatred in their eyes. The “Sit next to me and I’ll break your arm” look. So we return to the woeful existence of transit ridership. Nothing has changed. The bus was still late this morning. The driver was more silent than Anne Frank in the attic. And now there’s rumor fares are going up. Great… more money for the same unreliable service. I wouldn’t mind paying an extra quarter, two, or even a dollar if that meant a more enjoyable commute on here. During the strike I was lucky enough to be given a drive everyday to and from work. It was such a nice relief. I’d get to work on time, and leave at the end of the day. No standing around wondering “where the fuck is the bus?” No wind, rain, snow blowing into my face. No farting people, no evil stink eye looks from other people, no screaming children or babies. Now that the strike is over, here I am back with these people. It sucks. No doubt about it. No one enjoys it. —Day 1 of Miserable Commuting
This article appears in Mar 15-21, 2012.
Admit it. You missed it. >; )
Well I am only responsible for what I do and dont do and I was my usual cheerful pleasant polite mannerly self…..
the drivers….
first one was pleasant but cautious with everyone the second was arrogant, whistling while folks said hello, the entire time never said boo to no one..it provoked me…he exuded bad attitude. On way home polite driver……
It matters not what they did it matters that I said hello when I got on and thank you when I got off…
yes. it blows.
but c’mon… did you really expect people to be all cheery and chipper?
REALLY?
ya, I’m sure people were waking up in droves, all exclaiming
“YAY!!! I GET TO TAKE THE BUS TODAY!!!!!”
My bus commute today was fine, nothing late, no people scowling, drivers seemed up beat, too bad you had a bad ride.
I’ve read in several places bus rides are free.
I’m thinking of coming into town & going for a bus ride…or maybe a ferry ride…are the ferries running for free as well ?
Smoke weed?
Better than the only bus driver i’ve seen since they came back. Literally laughed about the strike and said “i got paid for taking a month off work!”
well shit o.p., can you blame people for being pissed off still. i don’t, these asshole caused a lot of grief for joe and jane citizen, and helped their asshole leader wilson, fuck up a lot of daily lives. let’s not forget the acess a bus and plow trucks. making it hazzardous to be out on the roads, for only 10 minutes or so, but still, a lot of shit happens in less time than that.
people could have died, as a result of this blunder, with the plows. i just wonder if he would have tried to block the ambulances next? or how about the cops?
What do you expect? Its not like everyone is going to change suddenly just because the buses came back. The few times I have been on the bus the trip wasn’t bad at all. Guess you caught the driver on a bad day.
more, yes, everything is free til end of march. i noticed that yesterday, therewas an influs of people getting on the 52 on main and titus streets. most east indians, and a few others mixed in. and no, i don’t take the bus anymore.
Is the first post strike bus bitch?
I notice the Magazine Hill is fucked up again! I was enjoying the bus-free commute. Alas it was not meant to last.
I hereby declare my right to not be cheerful first thing in the morning, though I will share my seat with you if you promise not to stink my personal space up or try to strike up a conversation and then ask me if I’m drunk or high because I sure sound like it. Fuck you. Even thinking about people like that make me feel like it’s 7:30 a.m.
I expect riders will be pissed off for quite a while with both the union and HRM as they both deserve it.
Yes this city is still a shithole. If you expected a strike to change that OB, you’ve surely earned your lesson by now