The New Person’s Guide to Public Transit (5 Tips)
So, I’ve lived in California for about 7 months now, and I take public transit pretty much every day. And a
When I first came here, public transit freaked me out. I felt like there was a game going on, and everyone knew the rules except for me. When do you get on? Will this train or bus stop at my stop, or do I have to do something special? Do I tap my card here, or there? It’s all rather confusing.
Disclaimer: the public transit situation you might find yourself in will probably operate differently than mine, so I will not share any tips on when to buy a ticket, who to give it to, or how and when to tap cards.
With that said, here are my 5 tips for utilizing public transit:
1 – Figure Out Which Train or Bus You Want Beforehand
Do your research! Look up which train or bus you’re going to want before you arrive at the station. This is crucial because when you get to the station, I promise it will not be intuitive. Once you’ve figured out which way to go and you’re 100% sure of it, let that be your mission and DO NOT deviate from it (you’ll drive yourself crazy if you do).
2 – Arrive Early and Observe Others
Be aware – are people buying tickets? Swiping cards? If so, where are they purchasing these things? Once they’d paid, what are they doing? Which way do they go? You’re going to want to imitate these people, so watch closely!
3 – Act Like You Know What You’re Doing (Especially When You Don’t)
This goes along closely with #2. Once you’re done observing, copy. Act as if you’ve done this a million times as you replicate the people in front of you as best as you can 😉
4 – Move to the Center of the Car and Take Available Seats
Wherever the door is, move AWAY from it. That’s where the crowds will congregate and there is MUCH more room in the middle – trust me. If there’s a seat, take it (unless there’s someone who needs it more than you, or you feel like standing).
5 – Be Prepared to Exit When Your Stop Comes
PLEASE don’t be that person. I’ve seen it so many times. The train is so crowded that there’s literally NOWHERE to move, and these people are fortunate to have seats. However, they wait – until the LAST second – to push and shove their way to the front of the car to get out. Literally, they will wait until the train stops and the doors open, so they only have 30 seconds to shove everyone else out of the way and get off. So please, make your way to the front calmly and slowly a few stops beforehand – you’ll make more friends.
If all this fails you, just remember to be polite to everyone and stay calm (panicking usually makes things worse).
Good luck!
Until next time,
Hope Frances
Photo by Maria Molinero on Unsplash
