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ChineseSuspicion Confirmed
For some time I’ve been under the suspicion that bus drivers had a certain beef with bike riders boarding a bus, if not at least an annoyance for. There has never really been much indisputable evidence; I’ve never been slapped or spat upon or just plain passed (actually I have but I had no bike at the time). So without such hard evidence to prove my theory I figured it was just in my head. I make up a lot of things in my life. If I were to explain some of the neurosis in my head some might label me theoretically insane if not clinically. But I get by with boarding the bus as fast as I can and try to ignore the theoretical rays of hatred emitting from the bus driver’s eyes. Theoretical until last night that is.
After waiting a very modest five or so minutes for the wonderful new 728 to arrive I undid my helmet and got ready as she approached from Century Park East. The 728’s are all articulated so they come up on you fast and usually pull well ahead of the stop to make room for their ass end. Being a reg—and nervous about the whole bus driver hates me thing—I got well ahead of it so I wouldn’t be rushing up to the front and delay any boarding time. There were only four others boarding so if I were to miss a beat with my loading—catch a pedal on the rack, miss a tire in the back, whatever—it would most definitely be noticed.
So with precision I went through the motions like born in instinct. Like a lion taking down a gazelle. Drop rack. Lift and swing bike. Drop her in. Pull up bar. Lock it in. Jump to the left and step on the bus. No sweat broken. Breath held only slightly when I thought I was going to lose my grip on the locking bar. But alas, all went fluid and there I was showing my pass to the bus driver, and as I was showing him, he remarked on how fast I was. On how usually, bike riders are slow and delay the whole process. On how, “Whenever I see someone with a bike at the stop I always think how long its gonna take to board,” as if completely exhausted just thinking about bike riders boarding and getting all tangled up in the bike rack and losing precious seconds. Precious seconds that will make the bus late—because they’re ever on schedule, lolz—to the next destination.
And even with my mocking I was in fact somewhat flattered. I take a small bit of pride in my skill of boarding a bus because some people really are bad at it. It’s hard to imagine but it’s true. We’ve all ridden with and witnessed people that are simply bad at boarding a bus, though selfish might be more appropriate. They never have their pass out or if they don’t have a pass, never have the money ready, and we’ve all seen people with bikes who truly are terrible at loading their bike on. And as annoyed as I am by people who exit the bus from the front for no reason or who don’t have their money out and ready—get a pass—I’m equally annoyed by those who can’t navigate the bike rack, both getting it on and getting it off. Sure we all make some mishaps but it’s about as basic as it gets and watching someone struggle with it for a minute and more is absurd and like the bus driver expressed in his voice, exhausting. So even though the buses never really run on time I agree in that there’s no reason to make it delayed anymore.
So to all bike riders out there, figure it out so we can rid us all of those rays of hatred, which for at least one guy, do exist. And an extra tip from the driver; the doors and mirror combo on articulated buses are, “as big as a house,” so make sure to inform them of when you’re getting off so they know that some one is jumping in front of the bus. “You don’t want to get run over do you?”
Discussion
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Please keep discussions civil: exercise Troll Controll.
I’m not surprised a lot of bus drivers would be annoyed at some bicyclists (as well as some riders, especially the slow ones paying cash), which I can find annoying too. I have made a point of loading my bike on as fast as I can, and if there are one or two other people boarding, I am usually getting on board before they finish boarding.
Telling the driver when getting off is obvious (and I think mentioned on most sites with instructions). It’s also important since you wouldn’t want them driving off with your bike after getting off and you not telling them…
One bad apple spoils the whole damn bunch. And this is especially true for cyclists. For ever asshole cyclist, there are a hundred courteous and respectful ones.
Raphael,
Honestly, is 100:1 correct? I’d think 4:1 admirable and worthy of note.
Just as annoying is a wheelchair struggling to get in a packed late bus. For the 60BRT buses, Rapid 761 for me, I would notice people who were closer to the middle door waiting to exit, instead move to the front door to exit. The front and middle doors are not that far apart compared to the rear door. Sometimes, like drivers who speed through traffic only to take their time turning into a street they are headed to, people don’t care that they slow down others at the end of their journey.
Getting back to the bike topic, at one time, there was an older guy that seemed intent of just taking his time and seemed to purposely not know how to put his bike on the Orange Line bus. I’m sure he’s thinking to himself why this line can’t easily take bikes like other lines.
I too am pretty quick with mounting and unmounting my mountain bike. I can hold my bike off the ground in one hand while quickly putting the rack back up and then place my bike to the curb; I can tell the driver appreciates my speed even though I didn’t get complemented.
I am in no way quick about this. I’ve definitely messed up pulling out the arm and been awkward about unloading the bike every time i’ve tried. (both times.) that’s why i generally don’t bike and bus.
subway ftwz
Rob, I think my guess is right within an order of magnitude. Most bicyclists aren’t jerks. But the jerks are memorable!
You’d be amazed at how far a “sir” or “ma’am” would go to make the bike-bus thing easier.
I don’t bike and bus anymore, but now that I have a couple years experience of using the bike rack, I try and help others out if they look like they’re struggling. from what i’ve seen, they definitely appreciate it when it’s their first time.
btw, isn’t it annoying when you are the second bike to put on the rack, but the first guy has set his on the front most slot?
I get annoyed by that as well but I give the benefit of the doubt to that bike owner that someone else had there’s on already and then got off so at the time they had no choice.
Some bus systems (LADOT for one) actually say that you are supposed to use the outer slot first, and the picture on Metro’s website shows a rack with one bike on it in the front slot, so depending on which instructions they have read, they may think they are doing what they are supposed to be doing.
I’d like to see a follow-up article on how to not forget your bike on the bus.
If everyone in this world had the diligence and prudence of our Tyke Johnson, Communism would work out great.
well forgetting is a whole other issue for a future post. sadly, i’ve done it twice but from your wisdom nipples i now have my bike helmet on my lap at all times to make forgetting as hard as possible. so far so good.
I find that keeping the helmet in a place where you can’t forget it (like you your lap) helps a lot. Checking on your bike in the rack regularly keeps it fresh in your mind, and if you wear bike gloves, keeping them on can help too.
Although having a bit of an obsessive compulsive personality helps too (I basically can’t not think about my bike while on the bus, plus I’m paranoid about someone potentially stealing it).
Have you ever tried to chain the bike to the rack?
that might be a tad bit counter intuitive to the whole speed idea, wad
I bet with proper training you could get real fast at chaining up a bike to the front of a bus. Might be a good solution for that damn DASH buses without bike racks.
Also most if not all the instructions say NOT to chain the bike to the rack/bus. If they allowed it I definitely would, as it would take long at all to throw my U lock on (and I don’t really want to try it and potentially have the driver yell at me for it).