Jiang: Bad bus behavior

by Kewa Jiang

"Please” and “thank you” have been the quintessential phrases for young children to learn. But when did it ever become alright to stop showing good manners? As we mature into young adults, it means that good manners have become an innate trait and not a forgotten lesson from childhood. This means that good etiquette should be shown on the bus as well.

You’re on the bus on a rainy day and too many students have squeezed on. Everyone is pressed back to back and there is hardly any room to move. But a senior citizen comes onto the bus who is struggling with her bags of grocery and trying to set them down. In this situation, you know you should give up your seat.

But many times, students are reluctant to give up their seats in front of the bus. Often times, the bus driver has to get up and ask students to give up their seats for the senior. It is not only polite, but a show of deference to one’s elders to offer them your seat. Though it may be inconvenient for you to be standing up, imagine how much more difficult it would be for the senior citizen.

The next day the bus is not as crowded and it seems calm and quiet. But suddenly there is an uproar of laughter, chatter, and racial slurs from groups of students on the bus. You can see that many students are uncomfortable about the things the other students are saying.

Though students may be with their friends, it does not mean that they should subjugate other students around them to their rudeness. As childish as it may seem, being on the bus means that you are inside, thus students should learn to use their “inside voices.” I have seen instances, where the bus driver had to get up and ask students to lower their voices or to turn down the volume of their music.

Moreover, sometimes there are younger children on the bus, such as middle school students who seem to be dwarfed by the high school students who pile on. I remember when I took the bus in middle school; I was terrified by the rowdy high school students. I remember feeling extremely uncomfortable on the bus as older students made rude comments. Just imagine, if these young children were your brothers or sisters, would you want them to be exposed to such ill-mannered people?

However, not all students on the bus lack etiquette. I have seen many instances where students voluntarily offered their seats. In addition, there are students who thank the bus driver as they disembark. These are examples that students should follow. Just because your parents are not there to reprimand you for your rudeness, does not mean you should be rude.

The bus is a great public transportation that allows people to get to their destinations efficiently. Nevertheless, in order to make riding on the bus a pleasant experience for everyone, some students should remember the good manners they learned as children.