Three Beginning with G

Guy in thick eyeglasses, peered out the windshield from just behind my shoulder. Creeped me out. Asked him what he was looking for. "Where's the Plaid Pantry?"

"Which one? There's about 10 between here and downtown."

He needed the one a mile behind us. It was raining, cold. "Turn around and take me there?"

"Um... no," I responded, checking to see if he held a weapon. "I cannot do that, sorry."

After seven years of driving, someone finally asked me that!

* * * * *

Glad management held off on chaining the bus fleet given the past week's threat of "heavy snow." Seems it did snow here and there, but nothing more than a spatter in our service area. It has been hit or miss with chaining the past several years, often missing the mark by reacting to a major non-event, or failing to do so until several inches had already fallen. Portland weather is hard to predict on any given day... this time they got it right.

* * * * *

Given the troubles bus passengers have in opening the back doors on each new bus model, I have a few ideas for future Beast purchases. Rather than allowing a status quo to continue as Gillig puts forth faulty design upon further mistakes. (There are of course different manufacturers, but our agency has been stuck on this brand the past decade like a stylus on a record scratch.)

Instead of these fancy gimmicks nobody understands not to grip, push or beg to open, let's just make it easy for them. Since they once opened as soon as the operator clicked the door control, passengers have been flummoxed as each subsequent model failed the consistency test. Now we have the riding public collectively perplexed when it comes to opening the back door themselves, let's take their constant input and give them a say in future models. Since technology is moving so quickly, I think my suggestion is plausible.

When the bus stops and the operator clicks the handle and the green light shines above the back door, all the passenger would have to do is stare at the driver like we shot their flea-bit fake service animal and loudly snarl "BACK DOOR!" At this point a voice-activated sensor would throw the doors open. Once the passenger has cleared the bus, the door should not only slam shut faster than the State of Oregon stole our tax surplus kicker, but an outside speaker should say, "You're welcome, dumbass."

For the front, given that 80% of today's passengers refuse to even look at the public servant in the operator's seat unless "someone stole my..." or "I left my pass at..." or "I'm just gonna ride at my own risk", perhaps the ramp could be rigged to catapult their freeloading butts off the bus and into the great beyond. This might be more effective than expecting our buses to enjoy the level of fare inspection the MAX does. A more effective deterrent, anyway. Worth a few seconds consideration, FromTheDriverSide.