Mass Transit!

Weaver Adventure Blog for Week of June 18, 2012

Embracing Mass Transit

So as promised, today I really did leave the car parked and walk around the corner to my friendly neighborhood bus stop. I had done my homework and knew I wanted “Trunk Bus 153”.  These “Trunk” buses are somewhere between a local bus with many stops, and an express bus with very few stops.  I was told this Bus 153 would take me within a block of the office. I knew it would be blue. 

 I had the Seoul Bus App launched on my Iphone. 

 I had arranged for a special ATM card that doubles as a transit card (T-Money card) and allows the bus fare to just come directly from my bank account.  It was in my pocket.  I had my computer bag, and was, of course, fashionably dressed. 

I envisioned a bit of a wait, and even entertained the idea of popping in the coffee shop 20 feet (3m) from the stop.  (There is a 1:1 coffee shop:citizen ratio in Seoul, but more on that another time.) Good thing I didn’t, because as I approached the stop, so did Trunk Bus 153 – my bus to work!  I hopped on behind 5 or 6 other people, waved my T-Money card by the sensor (which beeped a welcome), and squeezed onto the bus.

I say squeezed because the bus was pretty full.   Or so I thought.  With each stop a few people would get off, and a dozen would get on.  I lucked into a seat during one of these exchanges, and watched as the bus continued to fill to absolute maximum.  It was interesting to see how everyone behaved in what I am discovering is the norm in Seoul.  People were courteous, relaxed, and flexible – moving a little this way and that to allow people on and off.  Pretty much everyone was using a smart phone to watch, listen, read, or write something.  It is a very smartphone based community.  I was mostly just watching others and noting what was going on around me.

While the bus is very tidy and free of litter, graffiti, etc., it can get really packed with people during peak times.  My advice to others with little experience using mass transit who might be thinking of starting a daily bus or subway commute in a large city is to read through this list of phobias.  If you have one, or any combination of them, seek professional help prior to boarding.  The list is not exhaustive:

Aphenphosmphobia

Amaxophobia

Anthropophobia

Bromidrosiphobia

Bacillophobia

Bacteriophobia

Cenophobia

Claustrophobia

Cleithrophobia

Demophobia

Genuphobia

Misophobia

Phronemophobia

Scopophobia

Tachophobia

Fortunately, I don’t suffer (much) from any of these, so my commute on the bus to work was an unmitigated success.  I left the apartment at 8:22.25 and arrived at the office at 9:00.13 (see below).  So it took about 10 minutes longer than driving in a car, but ecologically, sociologically, psychologically, logistically, and practically, it all worked out.  Now to get back home….

Until next time.

Weaver