Life on buses... shuttle, city, and highway

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Bus life and culture needs its own thread, since it’s not the MRT. MRT culture is different… more Taipei and KTown. Buses are where country meets modern in most parts of the rock.

So… the impetus for this thread: last night arriving at TPE, catching the 705 shuttle to HSR, I witnessed a first (for me). Several non-wanese pax has oversize suitcases (they looked like exchange students), so the luggage area of by the central boarding door of the 705 was soon full. As more passengers boarded, the pax picked their way through the growing pile of luggage. During the trip from TPE to HSR, the luggage pile collapsed from turns enroute … the luggage rolled, spread, and tumbled across the floor to form a jumbled assemblage. At Taoyan HSR station… the stampede. The wanese stormed the pile, grabbing their small carryons in the scrum and WALKED ON TOP OF THE OTHER LUGGAGE to get out of the bus. There wasn’t a train in either direction for another 15 min. N-bound or 30 min. S-bound… but thinking through the implication… no need to rush … was beyond in the ingrained “bust the queue” trait. The wanese spewed off the bus like popcorn from hot oil, and I watched the look of shock sink in on the newly minted expats. Welcome to the 'wan.

2

People who sit by the aisle leaving an empty seat by the window. :fume:

People who crowd the front of the bus when there’s plenty of empty standing space at the back.

People who crowd the narrow corridor at the front, standing next to each other rather than in staggered positions, making it harder for others to get off.

3

Are you sure they were really Taiwanese?

Also, “wanese”? :unamused:

4

I do this on any bus in any country. I’ll also feign sleep on an aisle seat on a coach when it picks up more passengers. I can have 2 seats for my legs, unless you have the balls to ask me to move. On a train I’ll also have a seat for my case. You want the chair my case is on? ASK! :smiley:

5

Sure… and when I squeeze past you to go to the window seat, I hope you don’t mind my ass in your face! :smiley:

6

To be honest I could barely follow his story.

7

You may believe you’d squeeze in if I feigned sleep, however in my experience you’d go look for another seat, or wake me (if no more seats were available). A bus has a long narrow corridor and you don’t wanna be the asshole blocking everyone up, so you’ll move beyond my sleeping carcass for an easier ‘in.’ We all behave differently from bus to train to plane.

8

Ah, so you are one of those? I target the likes of you with my shoulder bag as I pass by in the aisle, usually aiming for the space between the temple and the ear. If I sit behind you, you can be sure to have your seat prodded by me knee.

And if I wanted your window seat, I would certainly not ask, more like tell. And then you couldn’t sleep much, feigned or otherwise, as I would be constantly be getting up to stretch my back.
I prefer the aisle seat for my long legs and access to back stretching, but I certainly do not hog the window seat.
I will save an extra large bag of garlic peanuts for my own personal consumption the next time I happen to have to sit next to such schweinhund.
:smiling_imp:

9

Sorry, it’s my 'mosa lingo, condensed for perplexion.

10

There were many clues, such as name and address tags on the luggage, and this was the Ubus 705 shuttle; the trans-strait groups would be on a tour bus.

“most Chinese travel in groups because it is a way to get a visa unless visiting for education. So free independent travel from china is unlikely unless wealthy.”
[lower case “c” in the original]

11

On a bus I wouldn’t pull the sleeping trick, cos we are only going on a short journey. Seats on a bus are usually made of a solid backing material (wood or metal) so you feel free to jam your knee as much as you like. On a coach, going a ways away, I am smart enough to lean my head inwards so you’d have a real job whacking me with your bag. Plus, I’d look like a sleeping innocent. You may believe you’d whack me and act like a prick to combat my incredibly selfish arseholishness, however, I have never seen such behaviour. People grumble, and move along. I must stress if the coach was getting really full I’d readily offer my spare seat up. If it’s say, half full, I’ll do a fake nap and you can go plonk your bum elsewhere. :smiley:

12

Bus drivers who thank every passenger as they get off. :bravo:

13

They let me drink beer on the bus. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

14

i always feel sorry for the poor driver. Once I caught a bus that became absolutely packed and when we all alighted at an MRT station stop - over 70 of us, me being the very last off - the driver went, ‘Xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. Xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. Xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie. xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, xie xie, thank you!’

I like to think he went home to tell his wife about his eventful day at work.

15

Try that on the MRT. Another data point in my premise that buses are closer to innate cultural values than MRT/KRT.