I’ve lived in cities with great mass transit systems (Boston). I now live in a city that has a not-so-great mass transit system (Seattle). And it occurs to me that one of the big areas of differentiation is how riders act when they’re waiting for or riding mass transit. Could it be that the only obstacle to Seattle having a “great” system is widespread adherence to a few simple, common-sense rules? Probably not, but it sure would take us a long way toward being less awful.
So, without further ado, here is Rule of Mass Transit Etiquette #1: When preparing to board a crowded bus, first wait for everyone who wants to exit to actually exit. Boarding prematurely only serves to make the exit that much more crowded and prolong the stop.
