The only time I recall riding in the family car as a child was for an occasional Sunday drive around the lake or the dreaded visit to one of Dad’s eccentric aunts – like the one we boys referred to as “Silence” because she would seldom speak.
The introduction of air conditioning changed the bus riding experience quite a bit. The fact that most families had no air conditioning at home made a brief respite from the heat while riding on the bus a bit of a luxury.
The bus also provided a wonderful opportunity for bonding with a variety of city dwellers. From the loud, obnoxious teens with their transistor radios, to the snoring winos, and to the edgy looking “greasers” who appeared to be contemplating me as their next victim, it was interesting.
Catching the bus on time was an acquired skill developed through a series of hits and misses. It was not a good feeling to be hustling towards the bus stop only to see the bus go flying by leaving you frustrated and angry.
There was never any “Bus stop, bus goes, she stays, love grows under my umbrella” for me, despite what The Hollies sang back in 1966.
An extended wait at the bus stop also created the embarrassing possibility of being spotted by older teens driving by in their cars and getting teased about it next time I encountered them.
Today, research suggests that people with other options won’t ride the bus if they have to wait more than 15 minutes to catch it. Even though the American Public Transportation Association reports that individuals who ride public transit instead of driving can save an average of $13,000 annually!
I, of course, as a youngster, was unaware of such statistics when Mom filed us five boys on the bus for the ride downtown to the barber college to get our fifty-cent haircuts. That’s just what many people did back then.
And in a lot of cases, it would make perfect sense still today.
