We are all navigating the daily ins & outs of this crazy life of ours. Most of us Millennials are always on the go, & most of us are doing it on Public transit. This has been quite the topic these days, so Your Polite Friend wanted to throw in her 2 cents.
1) Have exact fair or figure it out in advance
In the internet age it is pretty simple to figure out how much a bus costs & ways to pay. A simple google search & a trip to your local Walgreens can be a major time and energy saver.
2) Be aware of where you are sitting
Most public transit has seats reserved near the doors for elderly & disabled riders. If you take one of these seats be aware that you will likely be asked to move at some point. Try & look at the patrons & offer your seat to anyone who might need it more than you. Gentlemen, this includes ladies in heals who will have a harder time balancing with the jerky stops the average bus makes. Make your grandmothers proud.
3) The seats are for your BUTT
Please keep your feet, bags, legs, or any other body part that is not your backside off the chairs. The topic of "Man-spreading" has been a hot button these days, but us ladies & our purses are often guilty. If there is plenty of space on the bus, great, go ahead, but if it is rush hour or just a particularly crowded ride, try & keep yourself as contained as possible.
If you are on a bus and someone has their items on a chair, it is perfectly polite to say "Excuse me" & gesture towards the seat you wish to use. If after 2 or 3 "excuse me"s, you have permission to move their bag yourself.
4) Plan your commute
If you are commuting with items that take up a lot of space (groceries, large backpacks, luggage, storage bins, strollers, housewares... Your Polite Friend has seen it all), see if you can avoid rush hour. Certain public transit lines are packed tighter than sardine cans during Rush Hour. The 9 to 5ers will appreciate you waiting an hour, or going an hour earlier if you can.
If you have no choice, see if there is an alternate route you can take. A different bus line or maybe walking 2 or 3 stops down so it is a little less congested. All of this will make everyone commuting together more comfortable.
5) Keep the Music and Cellphone conversations LOW
Very simple: not everyone likes your music or likes to hear about your personal life. Not much more to say about that. Please just be quiet.
6) It is not your bathroom
Personal Hygiene is not OK on Public Transit. Your Polite Friend wishes she didn't have to say this one, but sadly, she does. Flossing, Nail Clipping, Teeth Brushing and anything in that realm is NOT OK! Ladies, putting on makeup is alright as long as there is no chance that it will get on your fellow patrons, EXCEPT FOR PERFUME. You do not know people's allergies so do NOT spray.
7) Wait for people to debark
Very simple math: You cannot get ON the train, if you don't let people OFF the train. Stand away from the doors & wait for people to come off. If someone is not letting you off, very loudly tell them "EXCUSE ME I WOULD LIKE TO GET OFF THE TRAIN/BUS". Sometimes a little public humiliation is OK to remind people that they might need to double check their behavior & personal space. If they are still not listening, it is OK to push.
Keep these tips in mind on your next trip out & about. This should help all of us have a more pleasant rides in our cities.
That's all for now friends. Please keep checking back for more etiquette tips & questions answered & feel free to write in with any questions!
XOXO
Your Amie Polie (That's Polite Friend in French-Talk)
No comments:
Post a Comment