Days like this I thank my lucky stars I take the bus to and from town. Honestly, I think I would go insane if I had to drive myself. People are RUDE. They tailgate, fail to indicate, park where they ain’t supposed to, and cut you off freely. My walk home from the bus stop takes less than five minutes, and takes me round a corner on which there is a pretty average sized roundabout. Took me only a couple of minutes to pass through there, and for almost the entire time I was bombarded with the sound of cars honking. Impatient drivers, conducting arguments through their horns, ripping through the air every few seconds! I’m a really jumpy person. I HATE loud noises, especially loud, unexpected, shrill car horns. I was not pleased by this and spent the rest of the way home muttering about asshole Auckland drivers.

But at the same time, I love to hate the bus. There are a few blogs around devoted to Auckland public transport. Auckland Bus Stories, Auckland Trains, Auckland Transport Blog. which ALL have plenty of fodder thanks to the outrageously terrible system we have. But my gripe today, surprisingly, is less to do with buses or driver, but PASSENGERS.

Specifically, passengers who get on the express and then try to get off during the non-stop zone.

People, it’s called the EXPRESS for a reason! It says so right there on the timetables, and on the digital display on the front and side of the bus next to the route number.

Sometimes, there is even an extra physical sign saying “express” in the front window, and believe it or not, some intelligent and frustrated drivers even resort to reminding each and every person “this is the express” as they board.

Does this stop the problem? Nope. Not on your life. There’s always someone who pushes the buzzer sometime along Sandringham Road, at which point I cringe and hunker down. The poor confused person then edges down to the front, has quiet words with the driver, and slinks back to their seat.

I don’t know what else anyone can do, except CHECK and DOUBLE check. ASK if you’re not sure. I’m so sick of the same thing playing out every day – people getting upset because they can’t get off the bus – and I know everyone else, drivers AND passengers, is too.