Coping strategies for public transport

I know a couple of you have talked about how crappy it is to ride the bus in Edinburgh. On Location, Location, Location last night, it was named the best city to live in in the UK. I guess they didn't consider public transport, lol.

Yes, and I'm lucky enough to be moving there!  Yay!  I took the bus while I was up there last week and I didn't think it was any worse than the London buses.  A bit nicer, to be honest.

I know a couple of you have talked about how crappy it is to ride the bus in Edinburgh. On Location, Location, Location last night, it was named the best city to live in in the UK. I guess they didn't consider public transport, lol.

I realize that different people have different experiences, but I don't think the public transport in Edinburgh is any worse than the public transport any where else, and I've been using it off and on for over 20 years!

I lived in Edinburgh for 5 years and never had any issue with the buses.  The only thing that sucked was trying to get from the top level to the bottom while you are laden with shopping bags.   

I realize that different people have different experiences, but I don't think the public transport in Edinburgh is any worse than the public transport any where else, and I've been using it off and on for over 20 years!

i dont have a problem with it, really... public transport is the same just about everywhere you go!   As someone else sort of said, anytime you're dealing with 'the public', there's bound to be bother!   

My biggest problem with public transport in Edinburgh is disappearing since they got those funky signs at the bus stops telling you when the bus is due...my frustration was always that the bus was always late but now i'm happy to just know that it's coming.

A simple answer to avoid bother on Edinburgh transport is to always sit downstairs...upstairs is strictly for rowdy kids/teenagers, it's their territory (always has been)...enter at your own risk 

I know a couple of you have talked about how crappy it is to ride the bus in Edinburgh. On Location, Location, Location last night, it was named the best city to live in in the UK. I guess they didn't consider public transport, lol.

YYAAAAYYYAYYYYAYYA...I'm so proud!  But for the life of me i can't understand it, i mean it's a great place but i can think of much better places!

I can totally understand Mussy's fears of public transport. Men have exposed themselves to me several times and that is truly frightening. This was around 10 years or so ago but the experience has stayed with me. If I have to take public transport, I make sure there is no one threatening-looking sitting near me and if I feel threatened I change my seat or move to the next carriage; whatever I have to do to feel safe. Thank goodness I dont have to rely on public transport but some people obviously dont have that option.

I think transport in Edinburgh is better than other places - I'm not arguing that transport is bad here - I started this thread looking for advice and yes, help (Q-G I mean absolutely no disrespect to you whatsoever but if the word "coping" reminds you of psychobabble and someone who's read too many self-help books", I don't understand why you bothered a) to read the thread in the first instance and b) to comment on my issue when you already had negative conotations about the word.  I can't imagine considering coping as psychobabble - what exactly DO people do when they're having a hard time dealing with something?  )  I realize that not everyone has issues with public transport - I wasn't actually expecting to hear from people who wanted to tell me how strange it is to have this sort of problem - I was seeking advice as to what people do to cope with sitting on a bus for 2 and 1/2 hours every day (and nope, I don't take the 35 so I don't have to worry about that). 

I certainly have "bigger" issues to deal with - but right now, at this particular point in my life, I have serious concerns with dealing with people who want to crank their iPods so loud and being completely concerned only with themselves and not caring what other people think (which is just a big ol form of insecurity and bullying) - and i think it strikes that cord in me becuase of the bullying issue.

I rode the buses in Baltimore and in NYC - and I've spent 1/2 my life in the Glasgow area - so I know it could be worse (though NYC kicks butt on its public transport and a lot of transport agencies could learn from it).  But I know it could be better.

But this is a board - and this particular section is entitled grievances - so I though I'd have a go at - I had reservations when I put this on here

At any rate, I want to thank the folks who actually offered advice.  It's been very encouraging and helpful.

(Q-G I mean absolutely no disrespect to you whatsoever but if the word "coping" reminds you of psychobabble and someone who's read too many self-help books", I don't understand why you bothered a) to read the thread in the first instance and b) to comment on my issue when you already had negative conotations about the word.  I can't imagine considering coping as psychobabble - what exactly DO people do when they're having a hard time dealing with something?  ) 

 

I certainly DID NOT say that the word 'coping' makes me think of psychobabble.
I said that the term 'coping strategies' makes me think of psychobabble!   I see that as a big difference, because most people i know 'cope' without having a 'strategy'.   They/we just get on with things.

That's what i said, and that's what i meant.   

I've been thinking about this on and off for a couple of days.  I think there's a difference between what we can reasonably expect  and what is our right.  Personally I think it's reasonable to expect other people to be polite and respect our personal space and to not blast music or be loud in other ways, but I wouldn't say that I have an absolute right to that.  It's part of taking public transportation-yes it'd be nice, but it's probably not going to happen all the time.  Which is why I agree with the 'chose your battles' philosophy.  And although the bus company may have a policy of asking people to keep the noise levels down, I doubt very much that they can actually force people.  For one thing, I doubt that bus drivers have any training in anything other than driving the bus-and I'm almost positive that they don't actually have any authority to force anyone to turn their music down. And although they probably can tell people to get off the bus, then you're entering another situation where you're inconveniencing a lot of people over this.  If I was on the bus and the bus driver was distracted by someone complaining about loud music and had to actually stop the bus and get into a discussion about it that would really annoy me-and is probably the reason you were getting looks. It's the same thing that happens in my job with queuejumpers-people would rather I just waited on them because the argument about it usually takes longer and is more of an inconvenience.
There have only been two occasions that I can think of in 18 years of taking public transport when I spoke up-once was years ago on the tube when it was about 100 degrees and a huge group of Italian school children(teenagers) were lounging all over the carriage and I told them to get up and give their seats to a massively pregnant woman.  The other time was a few weeks ago when two idiot girls were trying to light a can of lighter fluid on the tube and I told them to put it away as I didn't want to die a fiery death.

As far as coping strategies go,  I would recommend sitting on an aisle seat so it's more difficult for people to sit next to you if that's an issue-although you do have to make room for people if there aren't any more seats.  Trying to sit near the front of the bus.  Avoiding eye contact.  Doing relaxation exercises instead of focusing on what's annoying you and trying to keep confrontation to a minimum.

Yes, and I'm lucky enough to be moving there! 

Better you than me!

But for the life of me i can't understand it, i mean it's a great place but i can think of much better places!

Well, this is Kirstie and Phil we're talking about here, after all! 

And let's face it, Edinburgh probably now has more native Londoners living in it than London itself.