Bus Chick, Transit Authority Apr 11, 2007

Jobs, Journalism, Justice

Contributing Writer

Bus Chick: Transit Authority

By Carla Saulter | August 15, 2007

Back door!

On my way home the other day, a woman who apparently needed to get off at 23rd Ave. and Union St. waited until all the other passengers getting off at that stop had disembarked before moseying toward the back door and mumbling something inaudible in the general direction of the driver. The oblivious driver proceeded to pull away from the stop. "I want to get off," she called out, louder this time. The bus kept moving. Before the driver had made it halfway down the block, she was screaming, "I want off! I want to get off!" at the top of her lungs. ...

Bus Chick: Transit Authority

By Carla Saulter | August 8, 2007

Riding with Children

Eastbound #4, 10:45 p.m.

A twentysomething woman and her kindergarten-age daughter follow a twentysomething man onto the bus. They sit in the forward-facing seats across from his, daughter near the window, mother near the aisle, facing the object of her pursuit.

Twentysomething woman, speaking loudly enough for everyone on the bus to hear: “I just don’t understand it. Guys are always trying to talk to me. Pretty much everyone wants to be with me, and I turn them down just to see the looks on their faces. Now I’m giving you the opportunity, and you don’t want it.” ...

Bus Chick: That’s a wrap

By Carla Saulter | July 18, 2007

Transit Authority

That's a wrap

Even if you're not a bus rider, you probably know what a wrapped bus is. They're all over downtown, covered from end to end, advertising everything from iPods to car washes.

If you are a bus rider, you probably know that bus wraps cover bus windows, which can be a problem if you need to look out for your stop or would just like to enjoy a little of our rare Seattle sunlight. ...

Bus Chick: Saving the Earth on vacation

By Carla Saulter | July 11, 2007

The latest issue of Carbusters www.carbusters.org is all about car-free and jet-free travel. It encourages readers to find vacation destinations that are close to home (not a bad suggestion, considering that the average flight has the carbon impact of a year of driving) and accessible without cars.

Last month, Bus Nerd and I did just that. We took a trip to one of my favorite places on Earth — Friday Harbor, Washington. We also spent one night in Victoria, B.C., Here’s how we managed it without setting foot in a car:

Friday Harbor: ...

Bus Chick, Transit Authority Jun 13, 2007

By Carla Saulter | June 13, 2007

Overheard On Metro

This week, in honor of the last days of school, my favorite under-18 overheards:

Eastbound 14, 3:45 PM

High-school girl 1: “It’s a dinner. I’m getting in free or I wouldn’t be going. They called and asked if I wanted fish or chicken.”

HSG 2: “Fish!”

HSG 1: “Please! You don’t know what the fish looks like. You can’t just say ‘fish’
over the phone like that. Chick-en.”

Eastbound 4, 3:45 PM

A group of teenage boys is antagonizing a fortysomething man dressed in work clothes and boots. ...

Bus Chick: Bus Fouls, Round III

By Carla Saulter | May 30, 2007

Every year during the NBA playoffs, my thoughts turn to fouls — and not just the kind that take place on the court. There’s something about spring that causes a higher incidence of bus fouls—or at least a heightened awareness of them on my part. Or maybe it’s just my hay fever making me cranky.

At any rate, here’s the third installment of “what not to do on the bus.” (For previous installments, see these issues: 4/19/06 and 7/26/06.) ...

Bus Chick, Transit Authority

By Carla Saulter | May 23, 2007

Ordinary Heroes

Earlier this month, I attended the opening of an exhibit at SOIL Gallery (www.soilart.org): The Adventures of Transitman. Here’s how the artist (a.k.a. former Sound Transit artist-in-residence, Christian French) describes his project:

“A meditation on the power of choice, and the ramifications of its exercise, this project expresses some of my assumptions about the hidden capacities we all have to make a difference in the world. Every act has infinite consequence. Even a simple choice like how you commute.” ...

Bus Chick, Transit Authority May 16, 2007

By Carla Saulter | May 16, 2007

Riding with a Little Bundle of Joy

Bus Chick: Riding with a Little Bundle of Joy

Part I: Great Expectations

Just as we were settling into car-free married life, Bus Nerd and I got a surprise: We’re (rather unexpectedly) “expecting.” That’s right, folks. This October, Seattle will count another bus baby among its natives.

Since we’ve started telling people our news, the most common question we’ve been asked (aside from, “Are you going to find out the sex?”) has been, “Are you guys going to get a car now?” ...

Bus Chick, Transit Authority Apr 18, 2007

By Carla Saulter | April 18, 2007

Down the Blues Highway

Once a month, on my blog (blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/buschick), I give away a Golden Transfer, an award for “bus riders of distinction.” The awardee doesn’t actually “get” anything, other than recognition — a post devoted to him or her on the last day of the month — but it’s my way of calling attention to all the cool people who ride transit around these parts.

March’s winner was Del Rey, a Seattle-based musician, storyteller, and general adventurer. I think she’s so cool that I decided to write about her twice. Here’s why: ...

Bus Chick, Transit Authority Apr 11, 2007

By Carla Saulter | April 11, 2007

Taking the joy out of riding

Hostility in Transit, Example 1:

On a recent evening commute, I rode on the bus of a driver who had clearly had enough. One too many times, someone had flashed him an expired transfer, or put the wrong amount of change in the fare box, or just walked on by without paying at all. Twice in a five-minute time span, the (not small) driver stood, got in a non-paying passenger’s face, and screamed these exact words:

“DUDE!” [pause] “DUDE! GET ON THE NEXT BUS!” ...

Jobs, Journalism, Justice

Bus Chick: Transit Authority

Bus Chick: Transit Authority

Bus Chick: That’s a wrap

Bus Chick: Saving the Earth on vacation

Bus Chick, Transit Authority Jun 13, 2007

Bus Chick: Bus Fouls, Round III

Bus Chick, Transit Authority

Bus Chick, Transit Authority May 16, 2007

Bus Chick, Transit Authority Apr 18, 2007

Bus Chick, Transit Authority Apr 11, 2007

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