April 10, 2013

Penniless Aristocrat: Public Transportaion

http://weirdvintage.tumblr.com/post/24911084140/in-1858-crinolines-had-to-be-hung-outside-public

Unfortunately, few of us have the funds for our own private chauffers or horse drawn carriages. While cars are a more common luxery, many of us Aristocrats in the penniless state look to public transportation for the main form of long distance travel.
However, the image associated with public transport is anything but glamorous- crowded, dirty, plastic, and depressing. It is hard to discredit those images. Nevertheless, one's surroundings do not define a person, but, rather, the other way around.

http://www.bl.uk/learning/images/victorian/newspapers/large103308.html

As someone who often rides the bus, here are a few little hints for making bus or metro riding as pleseant as possible:

~ Always have your fare or travel card prepped and ready. Nothing is more trying than standing behind someone who fumbles through their pocket for the last few coins. On that note, always carry enough change or extra charge on your person incase there is an emergancy.

~ Greet the driver when you board. Thank him or her as you exit. Try to make it as sincere as possible rather than routine.

~ Don't talk on the phone, to your friend, or to yourself too loudly. The bus is to be shared by everyone.

~ If you have larger bags, make sure they are out of the aisle way so people can pass.

~ Do offer someone your seat if they are elderly, look exhausted, pregnant, carrying heavy things, or have small children.

~ Here is the corrallary: If someone offers you their seat, accept gratefully even if you feel you can quite easily stand the rest of the way.

Why?

A good deed requires two parties: the doer and the reciever. Though the offering of a seat statisfies the urge of polite behavior, a good deed is not done unless the seat is taken. I, overly sensative to all social interactions, will actually feel worse for disturbing someone who does not accept the seat and wonder if I have accidentally offended them. Granted, most people you meet won't fret about this, but it is such a simple thing to thank them and accept the offer.  They can feel truely virtuous and you can rest your feet.

http://media-cache-is0.pinimg.com/originals/96/fe/ed/96feed6415212ace258d90ff8278cced.jpg

Are there any other tips for how to ride public transport elegantly?



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