When standing, do you generally hold onto the bars or the loop handles attached to the bars? What did you do this morning if you were on one?
E: Sounds like bars are the popular option here too, for many reasons. Hygiene was a big one I hadn’t initially considered. Thanks for answering everyone!
Bars if I have to, but I feel like I look cooler if I don’t hold onto anything, so I often try doing that and just balancing.
(I know I don’t, you don’t have to remind me that)
In a train? I can do that. It’s fine. But a bus? Nah, I have hard time not to fall even when holding onto something.
I once had a bus hoon around a motorway on-ramp so fast a guy slid out of his seat and into the opposite wall…
Yeah when I do it it’s usually on trams or buses, although I find it even harder (and therefore more challenging) on metro trains. Those things accelerate FAST lol.
Way too easy on regular trains so not really that fun.
You could also be the cool kid leaning on the wall by the back door, arms crossed, looking hip.
I feel you, I must be the coolest dude in the tram standing in balance in front of the door when nearing my stop 😎
I’m glad that neither of you are taking my Vancouver trolleybus. 😅 The power feeder abruptly disconnects from the catenary every so often causing the bus to suddenly jolt.
Nice ! Euro dude here but when I was in BC I didn’t try this trolleybus, only the sky train.
Must be a funny sight to see the first 5 times, before it gets boring.
Sounds fun! Probably frustrating if that’s your everyday commute, but my friends and I enjoy telling each other stories of our transit related disadventures (car drivers being idiots and bus drivers acting accordingly, the metro automated system being stupid, stuff of this kind), so we’d probably like that.
You hate it while it’s happening, but it makes for some pretty silly memories. And most importantly it helps break the monotony of your commute.
Bars. They don’t move (usually).
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Vertical bars are really best of both worlds (easy to hold height and rigid), with the added bonus of being able to lean against them.
Now look, I’m not a bus commuter, but I’ve been riding buses all over Europe and beyond, and I immediately just hold onto anything that’s in reach.
As a matter of fact, as long as there’s not a visibly old/pregnant/disabled/etc person around, I’ll make sure getting a seat no matter what and something to hold onto.
At this point I’m quite certain there’s a secret society of bus drivers with chapters all over the world, and their motto is “drive like there’s no tomorrow” and they all have “NO FUTURE” tattoed in huge black capital letters on their chests.
“Sorry ma’am, I’ll just need to hold onto your purse here for stability.”
depends. if I can use one of the vertical bars, going from the floor to the ceiling, I do that. but there’s a lot of space between them (not every seat) and I’m a short person. I can reach the loop, I can’t reach the handrail the hang from. so if the bus is crowded, I’ll wind up on a loop.
luckily, I get on my current daily commute early enough to grab a seat most days, but a previous job had me hanging from the loop every day.
I’m not sure I’ve seen any buses in the UK with handles, they only have bars. So bars.
sometimes I use the ceiling as the handle when it’s too crowded
Tall people vibes right here. When I used to take the train daily at rush hour, I’d squeeze into the car and pin my hand to the ceiling to stabilize myself. Never lost my balance.
I don’t like to use the handles. They are so high up that it get’s uncomfortable and when I pull down to stabilize, my Fingers usually get squished. Most of the times when I use the handles, blood starts to leave my arm. Maybe the handles in my buses just really suck but I always use the bars or anything else to stabilize.
Have you checked that the handles on your buses aren’t disguised vampires?
I usually use bars since loop handles in my city aren’t well maintained or durable and they break easily. Yes you read that right.
Dang, that sucks. Is it the rubber type or a sort of rope with a rigid plastic ring? I could see either breaking from poor maintenance but in different ways.
A rope with a plastic ring usually
Just an informal poll for commuters to shake up the community feel a bit… sparked this morning being on a crowded bus. On my bus, it was about 4 people holding bars per person holding a loop.
I use bars more than handles. It’s usually the quickest thing to grab a hold of
When the bus starts going while I’m moving to the back you’ll see me holding on alternating hands like I’m on a set of monkey bars.
Handles, if it’s not too crowded, otherwise bars
Nice. I can understand. On a crowded bus I’ve tried handles and it takes half my energy not to accidentally bump the person next to me. But also easier to check my phone while riding with less strain.
I usually hold the bars, as they’re fixed and and I can imagine easier to clean. There were seats today though so I sat down 🤪
I only really hold the handles if the bus is absolutely packed, and the wheelchair area is already full of standing passengers
Very true. The hygiene element many people pointed out wasn’t on my mind when I asked, it’s very neat.
I’m a bar person myself
Bars, because sometimes you’re not 100% certain you don’t have a tiny wet spot under your white shirt arm pit…
But if did not sweat, I kinda like the hooks, it’s just that it can be a kind of a bet.
Hopefully your username wasn’t earned from a scenario related to this wet spot.
Glad to see someone appreciate loops, they are useful and seemed easy to use for people standing and looking at their phone.
