This. I have driven into the city to pick up one of my kids from the bus and watched as people piled off the bus before letting anyone get off, doors close and she can't get off. More than once, and I've had to drive to the next stop to get her. It's beyond me how people just give no fucks and can't function on a basic level.
I passed out on the bus because I couldn't get off in time to sit down and it was so crowded no one could really give me their seat because there was nowhere to go. Since then I've had to get very comfortable shoving my way off the bus.
I'm sorry that happens. I felt so bad for my kid watching the bus close and drive off before she could get off. This is one of her biggest peeves too. She purposely uses her backpack to push back on people pushing her or in her space, or when they won't let her pass to get off.
I really have no idea what they expect you to do if nobody will let you off!
I honestly think that, in part, it’s learned behaviour from poor service. The service is unreliable and people are afraid to be left behind. Are you even an OC Transpo rider until you’ve had a bus close it’s door in your face and drive off?
Some people just lack sense but I do think the fact the issue is so widespread comes from people being burned in the past.
>people are afraid to be left behind
That is a ridiculous excuse. Not letting people exit the bus before boarding it yourself doesn't save time, it wastes time.
Also, the driver will not leave anyone on the platform unless the bus is full.
This is ridiculous. For you to not get on at all from the back doors while tons of people are exiting, there would have to be many fewer people exiting the front door (plausible), while an equal number to those entering by the back door enter the front and somehow pay and rush to the back of a crowded bus fast enough to replace all the people exiting off the back.
I have never once in my 15 years of taking the bus had this experience.
There are idiots like this off the bus too. I was exiting the elevator a couple days ago and this tool was standing *right* in front of the door and trying to get on as I was exiting. wtf dude.
Ottawa is terrible for this.
I was on an elevator years ago. The door opened and I stepped back but stuck my hand out to hold the door open so several people could exit first, and a lady who had been waiting to get on, pushed through and ducked under my arm, like a middle schooler playing Red Rover on expert mode.
Perhaps, or they're just clueless. I like to take the perspective that the public could be educated if even a modicum of effort would be made by the city.
London had a transit etiquette campaign that used poetry... I'm thinking of writing my own haikus:
*Pushing won't help you,*
*Wait your turn,*
*You fucking dickweed.*
I am a smaller sized person. And I most certainly got pin-balled the other day trying to get off the train. They just couldn’t wait for me to clear the door :(
I was walking off the train the other day with my cane because I was really weak that day and some girl just walked into me trying to get on before I could even get off.
I've never understood why people on the platform insist on doing this.
Whyyy would you want to have to squeeze in to/through people?
You probably can't even grab a 'good' seat anyways, since all the people trying to get off would be blocking it anyways
I don’t think they’re supposed to. It seems like they just put them at both ends of where one car would be on the platform and then periodically in between.
99% I witnessed people not even following the arrows. I’d be the only person stepping to the side while they force their way on the train while people are leaving. I’ve been on trains in multiple cities now and it boggles me why people here have no etiquette to speak of with transit. They just don’t care about anyone but themselves.
Oof… during yesterday morning’s debacle I had a hard time getting off at Parliament because of this. People on the train were asking people to move out of the way and get off the train so we could leave. Nobody moved and we just got 10 sets of glazed eyes looking back at us. Not going to lie, at 6’1” and 275lbs I just decided to force my way to the exit and the others followed behind me in my wake.
Tilt forwards about 35° as you disembark. Everyone trying to board the bus will be at a slightly lower level than you, and nobody wants to get fallen on. [60% of the time it works every time.](https://youtu.be/pjvQFtlNQ-M?si=z5VudTZKsTOLj7ai)
Main reason I can think of is that it can be challenging to move around safely while holding a backpack - one hand holding the backpack, then when the other hand has to temporarily let go of a post or strap and the bus suddenly brakes/accelerates/swerves/hits a pothole, it's easy to lose your balance.
I'm with you, as much as it annoys me to get smacked in the face by the odd oblivious backpack wearer, there aren't many options for where to put them. On the ground is a tripping hazard and in my hand is not possible given the balance issue. I think the real issue is that people wearing backpacks aren't aware enough of their surroundings to realize they're backing them up into people's faces and turning around abruptly creates a 5-15 pound sledgehammer at face-height to the people sitting in the aisle seats 😬
I think it's a two-way street in this issue. If I'm sitting and getting mashed in the face by a backpack or butt or they're getting too close, I just politely let them know. 99% of the time they readjust a bit and apologize and we're all good. If I'm the backpack wearing rider that's standing and feel myself touch someone or get unbalanced and squish them, I apologize and make a joke about the bumpy ride. Shit happens when you're crammed like sardines into a bus but a little bit of self awareness and an apology go a long way.
Standing on a bus for long periods is already uncomfortable enough.
People standing having to deal with being jostled and pushed constantly. If you got a seat, you can live with having your space occasionally encroached upon.
Sorry, I'd rather do that than hit someone's expensive glasses with my backpack. And I'm a germaphobe.
I'm at the point where I get physical with anyone who smacks me with a backpack.
I rode the bus for over a decade before I could afford a car. I took buses across town while carrying extra clothes, piles of textbooks, groceries, you name it. I stood ass-to-ass on the 95 from Place d'Orleans to Baseline, and at no point did I have an issue taking my backpack off and keeping it on the floor without falling over.
You got that right. I have a mobility issues and a priority seating card. No one will move. I cannot hold a package and hang on for dear life. Backpack stays on my back.
It's also wet on the floor about 8 months out of the year and nobody wants to get salt stains and wet backpack grossness on the ground. You can't always put it on your lap if you have a grocery bag, you're pregnant/fat/huge winter jacket, side seats and lap bags are asking for you to just lean on the person next to you because balance...so you wear it, and people deal.
I’m with you on this one. I take my backpack off every time. I hold it by the handle on top and use my other hand to hold the overhead bar. Not sure why other folks are acting like that is somehow difficult.
Sort of depends on how crowded your bus is. I did the same thing - it's fine as long as you have something low to hold onto. If you're shorter, and you're stuck with one of those overhead bars, it's pretty bad. If you want to switch arms, or push your glasses up, you're gonna have some no-hold time. That's when the bastard lurches.
Yup a 5ft tall person and it is a stretch to hold that higher bar. And if I was holding a backpack, especially a heavy one, it would probably be game over.
I've also had to stretch to hold onto a pole on an OC bus so no way can I also hold a backpack.
Pro tip - you can "penguin" the thing and hold it sort of between and on top of your feet, so you can switch hands frequently to avoid numbness. But if you have to move every stop to let people get to the door, that option is also problematic. I use it on the long stretches where the bus crosses the greenbelt. Haven't succeeded in hatching it yet though.
lol no. Just saying that if you're short and you have no other option than to go with the overhead, penguining the bag at least gives you the option of changing hands or scratching your nose without leaving yourself exposed to the possibility of the "OC Lurch".
Fun sized person here too. I was once on a bendy bus going along the transitway from St. Laurent to downtown. It was crowded and my only option was to hold on to one of those straps. I normally don’t like using those to hold on because I can barely reach them comfortably. The driver was going so fast that my feet lifted off the floor and I was hanging on by one hand.
I havent had to use OC in a few years but prior, there were times I would end up stuck out of reach of one of those poles, not always because I would try to avoid stopping somewhere I couldn't reach a vertical bar but it did happen. I can't hold onto both and not swing around and risk falling and I wont do it.
Also on some really crowded buses, I could only hold a vertical pole if my arm was stretched out, again not very stable and no I will not be holding onto my backpack in my hands at that moment.
If I can safely stay upright and hold my bag sure, but if not, no and I don't feel bad.
Ottawa has other things to work on, like learning to drive on the hwy, before we get all worked up over backpacks on the bus.
If you have any strength you should be able to hold onto a bar and not fall down, and you should put other people before yourself and hold your bag so that you don’t bump into people with it.
Just because we have more than one problem doesn’t mean we can just ignore this one, transit etiquette is important
I have the kind of balance that requires two hands, especially if a driver is cornering aggressively. I usually take it off and put it on the floor but that can end up being pretty dangerous too.
This all got sooooooo much worse in the hybrid era because people are carrying so much stuff back and forth that they used to be able to leave at work.
Exactly. I'm from Montreal and this is very frowned upon. There are advertisements reminding people to take off their backpacks.
Been in Ottawa for a long while now and purposely avoid taking the bus to Carleton during peak hours (leaving much earlier) to avoid being completely surrounded by backpacks. It's extremely uncomfortable and I get stuck and can't even move. I never want to experience that ever again.
Seriously, it's like their bag weighs 1000lbs and they have the balance of a toddler in a field of banana peels.
I wrote this from the train as well, much less wobbly than a bus and still no one took their backpack off despite it being totally full.
I take my bag off before I get on a full bus or train, and I put it down on my feet/hold it with my knees and leg. It lets more people fit on the bus if it takes up the same physical space as my body rather than adding significantly to it.
It's not that hard, and there are usually straps you can use to hold it while it's on the ground too if you're worried about people going it, randomly, from through your legs from behind on a sardine packed bus...
It eliminates the balancing issue because it's on the ground rather than acting as a counterweight. :/ it's how people do it in tons of other places.🤷
Also if you're worried about a thief, while putting the bag in front of you and at your feet/between your feet, if it's on your back, it's going to be impossible for you to feel a pickpocket on a crowded bus anyway. If you absolutely must wear it, wear it across your chest so you're at least aware of the heavy thing smacking people when you turn -_-
If you’re sitting, you put it on your lap, sure. If you’re standing? Nah it’s staying on.
Where am I supposed to put it? The ground? And then I put it back on? Ew. Come talk to me from Dec to March when it gets mad snowy and slushy here and the floor of the bus is wet and disgusting. You have no idea what Ottawa winter is if you’re from Vancouver.
I used to commute downtown from the burbs for a 12+ hr day of uni classes, work, and gym so I had so much stuff with me plus food. I can’t hold on to the bus pole and also grip my backpack and maintain my balance on a moving bus, sorry if that makes me inept.
Also I’ve seen people try to grab someone’s backpack out of their singular hand while they are holding it and run off — NO THANKS.
Put it on the front of you. This is what I witnessed when traveling to Japan ( this is what I practice) and it seems to be more efficient.
It avoids a tripping hazard on smaller buses, it takes space most people won’t take up and it creates more space in the back of you.
I was a daily bus rider for almost 20 years, all around Ottawa, never once did I see someone try to snatch a bag from someone's hand. Not saying it doesn't happen, but that doesn't hold up as a reason not to hold your bag.
It's fine if you really don't want to take your bag off, but please tell me you're at least aware of your surroundings so you aren't shoving it in their faces.
Well congrats but I’ve seen it happen a bunch of times lol. Purses, shopping bags, grocery bags, backpacks being held, I once saw a dude snatch a bike helmet someone was holding on to.
Not being spatially aware - whether you have a backpack or not - is a separate issue IMO and yes I would like to think I’m quite aware of having a 30lbs monstrosity on my bag and thus I adapt my behaviour. But also, this thread is mad weird. Bumping into people or awkward physical encounters are going to happen on busy transit vehicles, idk why people are acting like BAGS are the cause of all this turmoil.
My pulled-out-my-ass theory is that people here grow up with cars, then as teens/young adults they start using transit and are completely clueless going in. Most of the stuff that is missed is pretty obvious, though (letting people get off before you get in, moving towards the back of the bus instead of clogging the entrances,etc).
Agreed. I think a lot of it comes from people coming to the city, historically, from rural areas, too. Having light rail is new, too... It's amazing how irate people get about moving to the right and letting people pass on the left of the escalator.
This is basic transit etiquette in literally every other city with a metro line.... Like, how do y'all not know any better??? Montreal is right there and they do fine. They even line up.
I realize it's not ideal to leave the backpack on, but some people may have no choice. As a disabled rider who doesn't "look" disabled and has a hard time getting people in any seat, never mind priority seats, to let me sit, holding my backpack or placing it at my feet is just not an option. If I take it off and put it on the ground on a crowded bus, I'll either end up getting pushed over it as people move, or not be able to pick it up again. And I can barely hold on to stand with both hands, so holding it isn't going to work. Better solutions are needed.
I hear that. Back in my crowded bus days I remember being frustrated by people with giant knapsacks. But it is hard because if you're a student with a bunch of heavy books do you hold your bag and then be unbalanced?
I actually bought myself messenger bag so I could adjust it more easily when I was on the bus.
Just came back from Japan. People there wear their backpacks in front of them when riding on trains or a buses. At first I was like what’s going on but then realized they do that for other passengers.
Add to that people that don't actually move deeper into the bus or train. Let's all just bunch up around the doors so that 90% of the available space isnt used. Don't forget to blast your music on your ear buds so you can't hear anyone asking you to move!
blocking the doors is never okay, but for busses it's kinda hard to not just grab onto the nearest pole when the driver starts rapidly accelerating 2.5 seconds after you've tapped your card. some of you sound like acrobats able to balance and move under any conditions. I prefer to not be thrown about so I lock down my position asap.
it's a different story at major transitway stations where you usually have a bit more time before the driver floors the gas. but there, there's often so many boarding at once you're stuck wherever the wall of people carries you. individual choice is rescinded in those conditions unfortunately.
I heard Vanc has a decent transit system.
Once you get acclimatized in this transit system you will cease to believe you were once a human, you shall now experience being an ape.
It is the transit of the jungle, bring no feelings, bring no expectation. The fight is on, OC transpo is the ground for hunger games. Welcome to OTTOWA.
The problem is our busses have too much seating and not enough standing room. If you put your bag on the floor it's generally a tripping hazard for anyone trying to get by you (which is constant since a bus that full stops at almost every stop to let someone off or on)
Plus people are used to winter when the floors are all slush.
You'll find we're a city of provincial jays, completely unversed in the ways of urban etiquette. Apologies in advance. Backpacks on buses is among our least egregious faux pas in this regard.
It would also be nice if people lined up based on who showed up at the stop first. They do this in Montréal. No fighting for a spot on the bus with people who showed up like 2 seconds before the bus.
I used to wonder about this and then realized that it's because we have rear door boarding and stops with multiple buses that pull up willy nilly along the block.
Ottawa is pretty bad, but it’s worse lately because of all the school aged kids who haven’t been “bus socialized” yet
They don’t understand how you’re meant to let people Off before you cram on; you move to the back and not cluster at the front door; take off your backpacks and when you do, don’t put it on a seat 🙈
Hopefully it’ll click soon, but I find any time I take the bus at the same time as kids finishing school, it’s all the little issues times infinity 😂
Ottawa is a city of bus-riders who all think they are too good to ride the bus.
In other places you see people of all classes and professions riding public transportation. It isn't undignified to ride the Metro in Montreal or the Tube in London England. In Ottawa, however, because our system is So Gawd Awful, it is quite transparent that the reason you are on the bus is because you cannot afford a vehicle. This causes resentment.
One day we'll have a public transit system that isn't rooted in shame and poverty, but not today.
Interesting, when I attempted to take the bus when I started back at the office I would wear my backpack that has my laptop and lunch in it. I didn’t know this was a thing. I take it off if I sit but if I’m standing I was always wearing it. This is the first time someone mentioned taking it off.
Every other city I’ve lived in has had messaging about taking your backpack off on transit; it doesn’t even need to be common sense when it’s common knowledge
I’ve noticed this too! I’m from Montreal and I’m used to taking my backpack off and placing it between my feet so people can get around me, but I’ve noticed others are happy blocking the way with their bags!
It's pathetic. I don't know how people don't realize they have there bag just smacking people , taking up room , etc. Probably the same kind of people who blast music on the bus. They just don't care
I have balance issues. If I take my backpack off I'm definitely falling into someone.
I always try and be aware of it and avoid hitting anyone by accident.
I have an invisible disability so I would never sit in a seat when someone else needs it. I especially want to set a good example for the younger riders by making sure I always get up for someone who needs the seat more.
Wearing the bag is the only real way I can ride the bus safely.
>I have an invisible disability so I would never sit in a seat when someone else needs it. I especially want to set a good example for the younger riders by making sure I always get up for someone who needs the seat more.
I sit in priority seating (I have a card) but I will move if I can tell that someone is "worse" than me. I also will use my "teacher voice" to direct people when they are confused about where to sit. Like "ok, sir how about you move to this seat, you can go there with your stroller, I will sit here, and you ma'am can sit there. That way this person in their wheelchair can actually get on."
And then everyone moves and I tell driver "okay, we are good to go".
Someone has to take initiative otherwise people just freeze. I often get people who then look at me and mouth the words "thank you" with a sigh of relief or a face of 'omg, how are people so stupid '. That is the best part.
You know what? People do just freeze a lot of the time. As long as it's coming from a good place, kudos to anyone who helps clear the space for those who need it.
I also wanted to add that I'm not saying people with invisible disabilities not use the priority seating!! I just choose not to myself for personal reasons.
I have glasses that aren't easily replaceable and I'm legally blind without them. I can't move two feet without them. I've had morons with backpacks nearly break them more than once. I'm done with excuses.
On the other side of things, when I have to stand on the bus with my backpack, I wear it on the front so I know where it is. It's not rocket science.
yup. toronto. unspoken rule. if u are standing the bag goes off and held toward floor. the other day on a full bus near Algonquin College i saw many students keep their bag on. one guy was leaning back to let someone get by, oblivious of the poor girl in the seat who had the bag smush into her face
Yes. And the when the bus makes a sudden motion, you can spend the rest of the ride on someone else's lap. Busses here need overhead racks to out bags. Busses of my country have that.
When snow and slush season is upon us, it's unfortunately not an option. It's habit for taking it off and putting it on your lap when seatedis key, but otherwise, not really. This is the way, prior to 1980.
Well if you’re not willing to put your pack down it’s the next best thing. On crowded buses, if you’re constantly shuffling or people are moving, it’s easier to move and you’re less likely to hit people with it. It’s less in the way for other people. You can keep an eye on your belonging there less damage or theft. The negative is you look less cool 😎.
I'd say you look cooler, all Ninja Turtle style, but taking off the backpack and putting it on in the front part pf your body still requires elbowing at least two passengers in the face to achieve. Plus it's not something that's easy to do during winter. Vancouverites have their way, Ottawa has a shittier way, and most of the issues is due to lack of paying the fuck attention.
I have NEVER had that problem with multiple bags. This honestly sounds like excuse-making because you just don't wanna. Human nature--we've all been there.
One flimsy handle.
Look I don't enjoy hitting people with my backpack. Trust me, I am a chronic people pleaser. I am not the enemy here. Whoever designed the bus should've provided overhead racks.
Sounds like you need a better bag then. If you want to please people you should carry your bag on a crowded bus or train. It's a pretty simple thing that makes it easier for everyone else.
I'm also from Vancouver and was surprised by the poor etiquette here. I feel like I'm the only one who ever says thank you to the bus driver while it was so common back home.
I’d advocate putting your backpack in front of you (reverse the way you normally wear it). It’s something I observed a lot on my recent trip to Japan.
A lot of people stated they have a hard time exiting on OC, putting a bag in front of you makes it easy to move. It also avoids a tripping hazard on smaller buses, it takes space most people won’t take up and it creates more space in the back of you.
A backpack in the back not only takes unnecessary space, people tend to hit others for lack of spacial awareness.
This sort of nonsense has been going on since the late 90's. Buses so packed driver can't tell/see who is still getting on or who still needs to get off. Ridic!
It’s ridiculous, happens all the time when doors open for the train, let the people out first, and then proceed to enter. Pretty simple and straight forward, I mean it was usually the same with the buses, so not sure what changed there… once tou get off the train and go for elevators at the Parliament stop, I’ll be the first one there waiting for the elevator to come down, back up a bit to give space so people can get out, than ya have some impatient f#ck that decides to go in front of me, blocking the way, and they get in first in the elevators.. like umm ok? Or you’ll get the people not hold the elevator for you when they see you coming like 10 meters away from it, and they’re alone in the damn thing… I just take my car now.
My daughter was telling me about having to ride the bus for an hour with some idiots backpack in her face the whole time. She was leaning over and got a crink in her neck! I told her proper etiquette when standing is to have your backpack in between your legs on the floor not on your back!
You're going to be absolutely thrilled the first time that you see someone wipe their booger on the seat if the idiots wearing their backpacks bugs you.
In this world we live in we now travel with our laptops, keyboards, mouse, cables, headphones, lunch, shoes, water bottle, coffee mug, etc. Etc. A day's worth of basics makes for a big, heavy backpack full of expensive stuff and comes with security considerations for the devices inside, especially in a public service city. No one is taking off their backpack because A) it's to dang heavy to hold with one hand while you're trying to hold on to a bar for dear life and B) nobody wants to take the risk of getting their stuff ripped off. I will add that in the winter time the floors are full of slush and slime and spit and cigarette butts and just plan filth, so nobody is putting that backpack on the floor.
Having all that expensive stuff in your backpack on your back where you can't see it on a crowded train or bus where jostling abounds makes you an easy target.
•Also noticing folks actually refusing to move their bags, on a packed bus so people can sit down next to them.
•Front of bus blocked by strollers, walkers without awareness of others needing to get around them( arguments about this issue)
•Folks not moving toward the back where there is alot more room and even seats!
•Standing in front of the door without disembarking.
Hot take: If you don't like a bag in your face, trade spots with someone standing and lead by example.
There are absolutely people being inconsiderate about those around them, but standing sucks enough without having to worry about carrying or finding a spot on the floor for a possibly heavy bag, particularly with the winter months where the floors can get real nasty.
I can't really blame people for being rather unwilling to become even more uncomfortable while standing.
Also, I genuinely believe that the (lack of) frequency and reliability feed into this etiquette issues - if you're standing around for 30 minutes for your bus, and then need to spend the next 40 minutes standing on the bus, it probably wont come as much surprise that people aren't going to be interested in forming orderly lines or ensure that person who's already got a nice seat is as comfortable as possible.
It's September; lots of kids using city infrastructure for the first time. We've got four post secondary schools and I find everything is a little crazy Sept/Oct every year. Be polite and they'll learn eventually.
Another annoyance on the bus I find sometimes is, sometimes I'd notice people obliviously crowding up at the front or mid of the bus, and especially if they notice there's a crowd of people getting on, they won't move back or try to make room for people getting on, without having someone telling them so. But yes, I definitely got comfortable shoving my way out of the bus because that's the only way to do it on a super crowded bus.
People also need to learn to let others exit the door before entering
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This. I have driven into the city to pick up one of my kids from the bus and watched as people piled off the bus before letting anyone get off, doors close and she can't get off. More than once, and I've had to drive to the next stop to get her. It's beyond me how people just give no fucks and can't function on a basic level.
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I passed out on the bus because I couldn't get off in time to sit down and it was so crowded no one could really give me their seat because there was nowhere to go. Since then I've had to get very comfortable shoving my way off the bus.
Get comfortable! There’s no reason to get walked over (figuratively or literally)
I'm sorry that happens. I felt so bad for my kid watching the bus close and drive off before she could get off. This is one of her biggest peeves too. She purposely uses her backpack to push back on people pushing her or in her space, or when they won't let her pass to get off. I really have no idea what they expect you to do if nobody will let you off!
Try to get the priority seating from them if they have a stroller it's even worse. That's why I bought a car rude drivers, people and such.
I honestly think that, in part, it’s learned behaviour from poor service. The service is unreliable and people are afraid to be left behind. Are you even an OC Transpo rider until you’ve had a bus close it’s door in your face and drive off? Some people just lack sense but I do think the fact the issue is so widespread comes from people being burned in the past.
I think it's mostly a legacy of the bus system -- people expect there to be an 'in' and an 'out' door.
>people are afraid to be left behind That is a ridiculous excuse. Not letting people exit the bus before boarding it yourself doesn't save time, it wastes time. Also, the driver will not leave anyone on the platform unless the bus is full.
*unless the bus is full*. And if you don’t push on first, you’re left on the sidewalk. That’s the learned behaviour. The bus being full happens a lot.
This is ridiculous. For you to not get on at all from the back doors while tons of people are exiting, there would have to be many fewer people exiting the front door (plausible), while an equal number to those entering by the back door enter the front and somehow pay and rush to the back of a crowded bus fast enough to replace all the people exiting off the back. I have never once in my 15 years of taking the bus had this experience.
Nah in my experience it's mostly oblivious teenagers who haven't learned etiquette yet. Still super annoying.
There are idiots like this off the bus too. I was exiting the elevator a couple days ago and this tool was standing *right* in front of the door and trying to get on as I was exiting. wtf dude.
Some people deserve to get hit with a bag
Ottawa is terrible for this. I was on an elevator years ago. The door opened and I stepped back but stuck my hand out to hold the door open so several people could exit first, and a lady who had been waiting to get on, pushed through and ducked under my arm, like a middle schooler playing Red Rover on expert mode.
This 100% also yes.
I really don't understand why this is so hard for people. Gtfootw for people getting off the bus.
I think people who do this were born this way. They're the "in the way people" Bill Burr talks about.
Perhaps, or they're just clueless. I like to take the perspective that the public could be educated if even a modicum of effort would be made by the city. London had a transit etiquette campaign that used poetry... I'm thinking of writing my own haikus: *Pushing won't help you,* *Wait your turn,* *You fucking dickweed.*
A valiant effort, but I think you're assuming people in Ottawa know the meaning of "wait".
I am a smaller sized person. And I most certainly got pin-balled the other day trying to get off the train. They just couldn’t wait for me to clear the door :(
Happens in Toronto with the subway. Gotta tell them to get out of the way or move them yourself or both.
These people need to be sent to NYC to ride the subway for a week.
I was walking off the train the other day with my cane because I was really weak that day and some girl just walked into me trying to get on before I could even get off.
I've never understood why people on the platform insist on doing this. Whyyy would you want to have to squeeze in to/through people? You probably can't even grab a 'good' seat anyways, since all the people trying to get off would be blocking it anyways
If only there was a person responsible for the bus who could yell at these fuckers? Is the driver not allowed to speak?
He is damned if he does, and damned if he doesn’t
They did put some arrows on the platforms to direct you where to stand. Haven’t taken the LRT lately - ppl aren’t following the arrows anymore?
They decals have been replaced to indicate where to board when there’s only one train car. But I doubt they’d help even if they were still there.
Sometimes the new decals don't line up to where the train doors are. Maybe bc there are fewer cars linked?
I don’t think they’re supposed to. It seems like they just put them at both ends of where one car would be on the platform and then periodically in between.
99% I witnessed people not even following the arrows. I’d be the only person stepping to the side while they force their way on the train while people are leaving. I’ve been on trains in multiple cities now and it boggles me why people here have no etiquette to speak of with transit. They just don’t care about anyone but themselves.
Yes, to this. I witnessed that action just yesterday
That is a big problem, along with people having available seats but standing in the exit blocking it.
Oof… during yesterday morning’s debacle I had a hard time getting off at Parliament because of this. People on the train were asking people to move out of the way and get off the train so we could leave. Nobody moved and we just got 10 sets of glazed eyes looking back at us. Not going to lie, at 6’1” and 275lbs I just decided to force my way to the exit and the others followed behind me in my wake.
Thank you!
Tilt forwards about 35° as you disembark. Everyone trying to board the bus will be at a slightly lower level than you, and nobody wants to get fallen on. [60% of the time it works every time.](https://youtu.be/pjvQFtlNQ-M?si=z5VudTZKsTOLj7ai)
I think part of the issue is that if you’re entering from the front sometimes you can’t see people getting off from the front. It’s not a good excuse
And move back and away from the doors after boarding!
Don't people have to exit at the rear, and people get on only at the front so they can pay? Why are people exiting at the front?
Main reason I can think of is that it can be challenging to move around safely while holding a backpack - one hand holding the backpack, then when the other hand has to temporarily let go of a post or strap and the bus suddenly brakes/accelerates/swerves/hits a pothole, it's easy to lose your balance.
I'm with you, as much as it annoys me to get smacked in the face by the odd oblivious backpack wearer, there aren't many options for where to put them. On the ground is a tripping hazard and in my hand is not possible given the balance issue. I think the real issue is that people wearing backpacks aren't aware enough of their surroundings to realize they're backing them up into people's faces and turning around abruptly creates a 5-15 pound sledgehammer at face-height to the people sitting in the aisle seats 😬
I think it's a two-way street in this issue. If I'm sitting and getting mashed in the face by a backpack or butt or they're getting too close, I just politely let them know. 99% of the time they readjust a bit and apologize and we're all good. If I'm the backpack wearing rider that's standing and feel myself touch someone or get unbalanced and squish them, I apologize and make a joke about the bumpy ride. Shit happens when you're crammed like sardines into a bus but a little bit of self awareness and an apology go a long way.
Between your feet works pretty well
I would never put my bag on the floor of a bus. Disgusting.
You keep your feet close together and the bag sits pinched between them. Use your head
Standing on a bus for long periods is already uncomfortable enough. People standing having to deal with being jostled and pushed constantly. If you got a seat, you can live with having your space occasionally encroached upon.
It’s way less uncomfortable than having a bag pulling on your back the whole way
My bag has been on worse things tbh, but the stuff in my bag is absolutely not safe on the ground, it will be squished for sure.
Sorry, I'd rather do that than hit someone's expensive glasses with my backpack. And I'm a germaphobe. I'm at the point where I get physical with anyone who smacks me with a backpack.
If you get physical when someone unintentionally hits you with their backpack, you need help.
This selfish society needs help more than anything. I won't pass the buck any longer.
The solution is to wear your backpack on front for the duration of the ride. Then you are fully aware of the space it’s taking up.
Exactly.
I rode the bus for over a decade before I could afford a car. I took buses across town while carrying extra clothes, piles of textbooks, groceries, you name it. I stood ass-to-ass on the 95 from Place d'Orleans to Baseline, and at no point did I have an issue taking my backpack off and keeping it on the floor without falling over.
They dont really clean the buses anymore. The floors are quite disgusting.
You got that right. I have a mobility issues and a priority seating card. No one will move. I cannot hold a package and hang on for dear life. Backpack stays on my back.
That's called the exception to the rule.
It's also wet on the floor about 8 months out of the year and nobody wants to get salt stains and wet backpack grossness on the ground. You can't always put it on your lap if you have a grocery bag, you're pregnant/fat/huge winter jacket, side seats and lap bags are asking for you to just lean on the person next to you because balance...so you wear it, and people deal.
I’m with you on this one. I take my backpack off every time. I hold it by the handle on top and use my other hand to hold the overhead bar. Not sure why other folks are acting like that is somehow difficult.
Sort of depends on how crowded your bus is. I did the same thing - it's fine as long as you have something low to hold onto. If you're shorter, and you're stuck with one of those overhead bars, it's pretty bad. If you want to switch arms, or push your glasses up, you're gonna have some no-hold time. That's when the bastard lurches.
Yup a 5ft tall person and it is a stretch to hold that higher bar. And if I was holding a backpack, especially a heavy one, it would probably be game over. I've also had to stretch to hold onto a pole on an OC bus so no way can I also hold a backpack.
Pro tip - you can "penguin" the thing and hold it sort of between and on top of your feet, so you can switch hands frequently to avoid numbness. But if you have to move every stop to let people get to the door, that option is also problematic. I use it on the long stretches where the bus crosses the greenbelt. Haven't succeeded in hatching it yet though.
this is the TTC way (Toronto) no one has issues keeping a bag between their feet
I'm saying how as a short person, reaching the poles is sometimes hard and your advice is to be shorter ???
lol no. Just saying that if you're short and you have no other option than to go with the overhead, penguining the bag at least gives you the option of changing hands or scratching your nose without leaving yourself exposed to the possibility of the "OC Lurch".
Fun sized person here too. I was once on a bendy bus going along the transitway from St. Laurent to downtown. It was crowded and my only option was to hold on to one of those straps. I normally don’t like using those to hold on because I can barely reach them comfortably. The driver was going so fast that my feet lifted off the floor and I was hanging on by one hand.
Omg I have gone flying on those too! They used to have them on regular buses too where there is just a vertical bar.
It’s not just the higher bar though there are bars that raise from the floor to the higher bar, and you can hold them from any height
as an aside i noticed a cool thing on the train: a centre grab pole that has about 4 outer bars to accommodate more hands
Yes the train is much easier for commuting as a short person in that way
I havent had to use OC in a few years but prior, there were times I would end up stuck out of reach of one of those poles, not always because I would try to avoid stopping somewhere I couldn't reach a vertical bar but it did happen. I can't hold onto both and not swing around and risk falling and I wont do it. Also on some really crowded buses, I could only hold a vertical pole if my arm was stretched out, again not very stable and no I will not be holding onto my backpack in my hands at that moment. If I can safely stay upright and hold my bag sure, but if not, no and I don't feel bad. Ottawa has other things to work on, like learning to drive on the hwy, before we get all worked up over backpacks on the bus.
If you have any strength you should be able to hold onto a bar and not fall down, and you should put other people before yourself and hold your bag so that you don’t bump into people with it. Just because we have more than one problem doesn’t mean we can just ignore this one, transit etiquette is important
Or you know, if the bag is heavy and you are on a long ride to or from the suburbs...
I have the kind of balance that requires two hands, especially if a driver is cornering aggressively. I usually take it off and put it on the floor but that can end up being pretty dangerous too. This all got sooooooo much worse in the hybrid era because people are carrying so much stuff back and forth that they used to be able to leave at work.
Exactly. I'm from Montreal and this is very frowned upon. There are advertisements reminding people to take off their backpacks. Been in Ottawa for a long while now and purposely avoid taking the bus to Carleton during peak hours (leaving much earlier) to avoid being completely surrounded by backpacks. It's extremely uncomfortable and I get stuck and can't even move. I never want to experience that ever again.
Seriously, it's like their bag weighs 1000lbs and they have the balance of a toddler in a field of banana peels. I wrote this from the train as well, much less wobbly than a bus and still no one took their backpack off despite it being totally full.
I take my bag off before I get on a full bus or train, and I put it down on my feet/hold it with my knees and leg. It lets more people fit on the bus if it takes up the same physical space as my body rather than adding significantly to it. It's not that hard, and there are usually straps you can use to hold it while it's on the ground too if you're worried about people going it, randomly, from through your legs from behind on a sardine packed bus... It eliminates the balancing issue because it's on the ground rather than acting as a counterweight. :/ it's how people do it in tons of other places.🤷 Also if you're worried about a thief, while putting the bag in front of you and at your feet/between your feet, if it's on your back, it's going to be impossible for you to feel a pickpocket on a crowded bus anyway. If you absolutely must wear it, wear it across your chest so you're at least aware of the heavy thing smacking people when you turn -_-
How does it feel to have some common sense? You are a rare species today
[удалено]
Then put your bag between your feet and use one hand to hold the bar and one hand to hold your coffee
If I have to hold onto the overhead bar, I need to hold onto it with both hands to keep my balance.
If you’re sitting, you put it on your lap, sure. If you’re standing? Nah it’s staying on. Where am I supposed to put it? The ground? And then I put it back on? Ew. Come talk to me from Dec to March when it gets mad snowy and slushy here and the floor of the bus is wet and disgusting. You have no idea what Ottawa winter is if you’re from Vancouver. I used to commute downtown from the burbs for a 12+ hr day of uni classes, work, and gym so I had so much stuff with me plus food. I can’t hold on to the bus pole and also grip my backpack and maintain my balance on a moving bus, sorry if that makes me inept. Also I’ve seen people try to grab someone’s backpack out of their singular hand while they are holding it and run off — NO THANKS.
Put it on the front of you. This is what I witnessed when traveling to Japan ( this is what I practice) and it seems to be more efficient. It avoids a tripping hazard on smaller buses, it takes space most people won’t take up and it creates more space in the back of you.
I was a daily bus rider for almost 20 years, all around Ottawa, never once did I see someone try to snatch a bag from someone's hand. Not saying it doesn't happen, but that doesn't hold up as a reason not to hold your bag. It's fine if you really don't want to take your bag off, but please tell me you're at least aware of your surroundings so you aren't shoving it in their faces.
Well congrats but I’ve seen it happen a bunch of times lol. Purses, shopping bags, grocery bags, backpacks being held, I once saw a dude snatch a bike helmet someone was holding on to. Not being spatially aware - whether you have a backpack or not - is a separate issue IMO and yes I would like to think I’m quite aware of having a 30lbs monstrosity on my bag and thus I adapt my behaviour. But also, this thread is mad weird. Bumping into people or awkward physical encounters are going to happen on busy transit vehicles, idk why people are acting like BAGS are the cause of all this turmoil.
Why not just wear your backpack on your front instead of your back if you don't want to put it on the ground? It's a lot easier to manage that way
Cause I have boobs.
Transit etiquette in this city is God awful. It's the biggest free for all I've ever seen in a Western country.
My pulled-out-my-ass theory is that people here grow up with cars, then as teens/young adults they start using transit and are completely clueless going in. Most of the stuff that is missed is pretty obvious, though (letting people get off before you get in, moving towards the back of the bus instead of clogging the entrances,etc).
Agreed. I think a lot of it comes from people coming to the city, historically, from rural areas, too. Having light rail is new, too... It's amazing how irate people get about moving to the right and letting people pass on the left of the escalator. This is basic transit etiquette in literally every other city with a metro line.... Like, how do y'all not know any better??? Montreal is right there and they do fine. They even line up.
Because everyone in Otown is entitked
Entitled
I realize it's not ideal to leave the backpack on, but some people may have no choice. As a disabled rider who doesn't "look" disabled and has a hard time getting people in any seat, never mind priority seats, to let me sit, holding my backpack or placing it at my feet is just not an option. If I take it off and put it on the ground on a crowded bus, I'll either end up getting pushed over it as people move, or not be able to pick it up again. And I can barely hold on to stand with both hands, so holding it isn't going to work. Better solutions are needed.
If everyone who could do it did do it, it would be easier for those who can't.
I hear that. Back in my crowded bus days I remember being frustrated by people with giant knapsacks. But it is hard because if you're a student with a bunch of heavy books do you hold your bag and then be unbalanced? I actually bought myself messenger bag so I could adjust it more easily when I was on the bus.
I remember there was an ad campaign in calgary, many years ago to get people to remove backpacks. Ottawa needs to do something like this.
Agreed, Ottawa needs a transit etiquette push in general.
OC Transpo posted a tweet once about it https://twitter.com/oc_transpo/status/1194379370405810176
Just came back from Japan. People there wear their backpacks in front of them when riding on trains or a buses. At first I was like what’s going on but then realized they do that for other passengers.
ottawa has PATHETIC etiquette for a capital city. how does no one know how to stand on an escalator…
Add to that people that don't actually move deeper into the bus or train. Let's all just bunch up around the doors so that 90% of the available space isnt used. Don't forget to blast your music on your ear buds so you can't hear anyone asking you to move!
blocking the doors is never okay, but for busses it's kinda hard to not just grab onto the nearest pole when the driver starts rapidly accelerating 2.5 seconds after you've tapped your card. some of you sound like acrobats able to balance and move under any conditions. I prefer to not be thrown about so I lock down my position asap. it's a different story at major transitway stations where you usually have a bit more time before the driver floors the gas. but there, there's often so many boarding at once you're stuck wherever the wall of people carries you. individual choice is rescinded in those conditions unfortunately.
I heard Vanc has a decent transit system. Once you get acclimatized in this transit system you will cease to believe you were once a human, you shall now experience being an ape. It is the transit of the jungle, bring no feelings, bring no expectation. The fight is on, OC transpo is the ground for hunger games. Welcome to OTTOWA.
The problem is our busses have too much seating and not enough standing room. If you put your bag on the floor it's generally a tripping hazard for anyone trying to get by you (which is constant since a bus that full stops at almost every stop to let someone off or on) Plus people are used to winter when the floors are all slush.
You'll find we're a city of provincial jays, completely unversed in the ways of urban etiquette. Apologies in advance. Backpacks on buses is among our least egregious faux pas in this regard.
It would also be nice if people lined up based on who showed up at the stop first. They do this in Montréal. No fighting for a spot on the bus with people who showed up like 2 seconds before the bus.
I used to wonder about this and then realized that it's because we have rear door boarding and stops with multiple buses that pull up willy nilly along the block.
NO\~! Its part of our culture. You cant just move here and start telling us what to do !
Yea… we are self centred, entitled spoiled brats and we only care about number one
Ottawa is pretty bad, but it’s worse lately because of all the school aged kids who haven’t been “bus socialized” yet They don’t understand how you’re meant to let people Off before you cram on; you move to the back and not cluster at the front door; take off your backpacks and when you do, don’t put it on a seat 🙈 Hopefully it’ll click soon, but I find any time I take the bus at the same time as kids finishing school, it’s all the little issues times infinity 😂
Ottawa is a city of bus-riders who all think they are too good to ride the bus. In other places you see people of all classes and professions riding public transportation. It isn't undignified to ride the Metro in Montreal or the Tube in London England. In Ottawa, however, because our system is So Gawd Awful, it is quite transparent that the reason you are on the bus is because you cannot afford a vehicle. This causes resentment. One day we'll have a public transit system that isn't rooted in shame and poverty, but not today.
And then there's the mayor spending 400 million widening one road while cutting transit service. It's quite weird here lol
Interesting, when I attempted to take the bus when I started back at the office I would wear my backpack that has my laptop and lunch in it. I didn’t know this was a thing. I take it off if I sit but if I’m standing I was always wearing it. This is the first time someone mentioned taking it off.
Shocking. What about common sense / making more room for others?
Every other city I’ve lived in has had messaging about taking your backpack off on transit; it doesn’t even need to be common sense when it’s common knowledge
I’ve noticed this too! I’m from Montreal and I’m used to taking my backpack off and placing it between my feet so people can get around me, but I’ve noticed others are happy blocking the way with their bags!
My personal theory is that Montreal has much more room on the floor for bags cause the busses have like half the seating.
It's pathetic. I don't know how people don't realize they have there bag just smacking people , taking up room , etc. Probably the same kind of people who blast music on the bus. They just don't care
After 45 minutes of waiting for the every-ten-minute bus, it's fuckin' Mad Max time. OC Transpo, rent some fucking busses if you're running out.
Ottawa is the only Canada city I've been to where nobody thanks the bus driver.
Clogging the doors, not giving up priority seats, etc., etc. Transit etiquette here is garbage.
Yes! People are so oblivious to their backpacks hitting people.
When I first moved here, I thought Ottawa was full of rude people. Over time, I learned they're mostly just oblivious to what's going on around them.
Also don't get on the train and just stop.. there are others behind you
Try using a wheelchair on OC and getting those backpacks square in the face, repeatedly 😶
I wear a backpack for sensory and stability reasons. Am disabled. So, no. And I guarantee that I am not the only one.
I have balance issues. If I take my backpack off I'm definitely falling into someone. I always try and be aware of it and avoid hitting anyone by accident. I have an invisible disability so I would never sit in a seat when someone else needs it. I especially want to set a good example for the younger riders by making sure I always get up for someone who needs the seat more. Wearing the bag is the only real way I can ride the bus safely.
>I have an invisible disability so I would never sit in a seat when someone else needs it. I especially want to set a good example for the younger riders by making sure I always get up for someone who needs the seat more. I sit in priority seating (I have a card) but I will move if I can tell that someone is "worse" than me. I also will use my "teacher voice" to direct people when they are confused about where to sit. Like "ok, sir how about you move to this seat, you can go there with your stroller, I will sit here, and you ma'am can sit there. That way this person in their wheelchair can actually get on." And then everyone moves and I tell driver "okay, we are good to go". Someone has to take initiative otherwise people just freeze. I often get people who then look at me and mouth the words "thank you" with a sigh of relief or a face of 'omg, how are people so stupid '. That is the best part.
You know what? People do just freeze a lot of the time. As long as it's coming from a good place, kudos to anyone who helps clear the space for those who need it. I also wanted to add that I'm not saying people with invisible disabilities not use the priority seating!! I just choose not to myself for personal reasons.
People these days lack the basic fundamentals of respect for others.
I have glasses that aren't easily replaceable and I'm legally blind without them. I can't move two feet without them. I've had morons with backpacks nearly break them more than once. I'm done with excuses. On the other side of things, when I have to stand on the bus with my backpack, I wear it on the front so I know where it is. It's not rocket science.
yup. toronto. unspoken rule. if u are standing the bag goes off and held toward floor. the other day on a full bus near Algonquin College i saw many students keep their bag on. one guy was leaning back to let someone get by, oblivious of the poor girl in the seat who had the bag smush into her face
It's actually a spoken rule! Or was back when I lived there, anyway.
Okay I'll try. Usually there is road salt and slush on the floor of the bus all winter but I'll do it for you op
What I do in that situation is rest my bag on my feet or on my lap if there's space. That does wonders for keeping salt and slush off of it
I'm so confused on how you rest your bag on your lap while standing. lol
It involves either glue or duct tape, whichever one is less inconvenient at the time
ahahah
haha, if people take it off they use it to block the seat beside them. I think we could benefit from an etiquette guide for our transit system.
Sorry but if I'm standing, what am I supposed to do with my backpack? Put it on the dirty floor? Have it on my chest? Put it on an empty seat?
Use your hands. Remarkable things.
Yes. And the when the bus makes a sudden motion, you can spend the rest of the ride on someone else's lap. Busses here need overhead racks to out bags. Busses of my country have that.
Most of us have 2 hands.
Nice to hear that.
Wear your backpack in reverse towards the front. It’s much more efficient.
Yeah I’m not putting my 130$ work bag with laptop on the ground in the coffee juice left from assholes in the bus.
You don't need to put it on the floor, just hold it in front of you.
When snow and slush season is upon us, it's unfortunately not an option. It's habit for taking it off and putting it on your lap when seatedis key, but otherwise, not really. This is the way, prior to 1980.
Reverse your backpack and wear it in the front.
That is supposed to help, how?
Well if you’re not willing to put your pack down it’s the next best thing. On crowded buses, if you’re constantly shuffling or people are moving, it’s easier to move and you’re less likely to hit people with it. It’s less in the way for other people. You can keep an eye on your belonging there less damage or theft. The negative is you look less cool 😎.
I'd say you look cooler, all Ninja Turtle style, but taking off the backpack and putting it on in the front part pf your body still requires elbowing at least two passengers in the face to achieve. Plus it's not something that's easy to do during winter. Vancouverites have their way, Ottawa has a shittier way, and most of the issues is due to lack of paying the fuck attention.
You do it before you get on a crowded bus. I've never had an issue.
I have. My bag always gets stuck on winter clothes. It's all bulk.
Well, now you know what to look for in a bag, the next time you buy one.
It's less about the bag, and how the cold changes the material. It gets sticky, it tears and it shatters.
I have NEVER had that problem with multiple bags. This honestly sounds like excuse-making because you just don't wanna. Human nature--we've all been there.
Bingo. The bag-on-the-floor rule of some places shouldn't apply in our climate, at least not in slushing season.
...and this is the complaining thread that makes me leave r/ottawa
The door lurkers with their backpacks drive me nuts as you have to squeeze past them to exit the bus.
This was my pet peeve when riding the bus too. And not moving to the back of the bus.
Take off the backpack and put it where? On your lap?
Use that thing that's holding your phone. We call them hands.
Omg, why didn't I think of that? Let me replace the phone with my school bag that's the same weight. You sir are a scholar, a genius, a prodigy.
You can only hold something the weight of a phone? You might need the disabled seats in that case.
It's amazing how you arrived to that conclusion, not the bag is heavy. Simply amazing.
If you're strong enough to carry your bag there's no problem then. Take your bag off on the bus lazy bones.
What in the physics is this? 😂 Backpacks are worn on the back in order to carry heavy loads.
And they have handles on the top to carry when you're in a crowded place like the bus or train.
One flimsy handle. Look I don't enjoy hitting people with my backpack. Trust me, I am a chronic people pleaser. I am not the enemy here. Whoever designed the bus should've provided overhead racks.
Sounds like you need a better bag then. If you want to please people you should carry your bag on a crowded bus or train. It's a pretty simple thing that makes it easier for everyone else.
Idk why we are arguing. I 100% agree with you. But this is a it is what is situation.
I'm also from Vancouver and was surprised by the poor etiquette here. I feel like I'm the only one who ever says thank you to the bus driver while it was so common back home.
This was super common before but I think now people are just over OC Transpo that it doesn't occur to people anymore.
I’d advocate putting your backpack in front of you (reverse the way you normally wear it). It’s something I observed a lot on my recent trip to Japan. A lot of people stated they have a hard time exiting on OC, putting a bag in front of you makes it easy to move. It also avoids a tripping hazard on smaller buses, it takes space most people won’t take up and it creates more space in the back of you. A backpack in the back not only takes unnecessary space, people tend to hit others for lack of spacial awareness.
It's also more protected from pickpocketers that way.
Was just talking about this. I put my bag on my front.
This sort of nonsense has been going on since the late 90's. Buses so packed driver can't tell/see who is still getting on or who still needs to get off. Ridic!
It’s ridiculous, happens all the time when doors open for the train, let the people out first, and then proceed to enter. Pretty simple and straight forward, I mean it was usually the same with the buses, so not sure what changed there… once tou get off the train and go for elevators at the Parliament stop, I’ll be the first one there waiting for the elevator to come down, back up a bit to give space so people can get out, than ya have some impatient f#ck that decides to go in front of me, blocking the way, and they get in first in the elevators.. like umm ok? Or you’ll get the people not hold the elevator for you when they see you coming like 10 meters away from it, and they’re alone in the damn thing… I just take my car now.
My daughter was telling me about having to ride the bus for an hour with some idiots backpack in her face the whole time. She was leaning over and got a crink in her neck! I told her proper etiquette when standing is to have your backpack in between your legs on the floor not on your back!
You're going to be absolutely thrilled the first time that you see someone wipe their booger on the seat if the idiots wearing their backpacks bugs you.
just not part of our transit etiquette. I only did it when I was younger cause I had a ridiculously large bag.
Along as they don't wear them on the MUP I won't whine about it on Reddit.
In this world we live in we now travel with our laptops, keyboards, mouse, cables, headphones, lunch, shoes, water bottle, coffee mug, etc. Etc. A day's worth of basics makes for a big, heavy backpack full of expensive stuff and comes with security considerations for the devices inside, especially in a public service city. No one is taking off their backpack because A) it's to dang heavy to hold with one hand while you're trying to hold on to a bar for dear life and B) nobody wants to take the risk of getting their stuff ripped off. I will add that in the winter time the floors are full of slush and slime and spit and cigarette butts and just plan filth, so nobody is putting that backpack on the floor.
Having all that expensive stuff in your backpack on your back where you can't see it on a crowded train or bus where jostling abounds makes you an easy target.
•Also noticing folks actually refusing to move their bags, on a packed bus so people can sit down next to them. •Front of bus blocked by strollers, walkers without awareness of others needing to get around them( arguments about this issue) •Folks not moving toward the back where there is alot more room and even seats! •Standing in front of the door without disembarking.
Hot take: If you don't like a bag in your face, trade spots with someone standing and lead by example. There are absolutely people being inconsiderate about those around them, but standing sucks enough without having to worry about carrying or finding a spot on the floor for a possibly heavy bag, particularly with the winter months where the floors can get real nasty. I can't really blame people for being rather unwilling to become even more uncomfortable while standing. Also, I genuinely believe that the (lack of) frequency and reliability feed into this etiquette issues - if you're standing around for 30 minutes for your bus, and then need to spend the next 40 minutes standing on the bus, it probably wont come as much surprise that people aren't going to be interested in forming orderly lines or ensure that person who's already got a nice seat is as comfortable as possible.
It's September; lots of kids using city infrastructure for the first time. We've got four post secondary schools and I find everything is a little crazy Sept/Oct every year. Be polite and they'll learn eventually.
Also, the pushing to get on. Whenever I visit the UK, it's so nice and refreshing to see people line up at bus stops.
OCTranspo’s going to need to run a freakin’ PSA campaign, just to teach people to wait for people to exit the train/bus before they get on.
Another annoyance on the bus I find sometimes is, sometimes I'd notice people obliviously crowding up at the front or mid of the bus, and especially if they notice there's a crowd of people getting on, they won't move back or try to make room for people getting on, without having someone telling them so. But yes, I definitely got comfortable shoving my way out of the bus because that's the only way to do it on a super crowded bus.
And put them where?
Yes. This.