Sheltered – not

pho_chris — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 13:17:26 +0000

My bus stop qualifies as “partial amenities” – chair-quality bench (back and arms) and trash can – no lighting or overhead canopy for shade or cover from the elements. While waiting stopside this AM, storms visibly moving towards me, I began to wonder how much lightning protection does the typical bus shelter provide? Most shelters seem almost treelike and conventional wisdom makes trees verboten in lightning situations. However, as the bolts slam out of the sky, I feel extremely vulnerable without any cover at all.

Golf course protocol says to lie down on the ground during lightning storms. I certainly understand the logic, but fear the bus driver wouldn’t see me and stop if I chose to wait in full prone on the concrete. Or, if she did see me, might just drive by and call the police to report a drunk passed out at the stop. Then the police would come and find out I wasn’t passed out or drunk, just taking proper storm precautions and they might be angry and arrest me for wasting valuable police time. Then again, they might let me wait for the bus in the cruiser, providing much needed shelter from the storm. Probably not. Fortunately, rush hour storms in Phoenix are infrequent and the lightning-dodging dilemma rarely surfaces.

Who needs these thoughts?

On the bus . . .

pho_chris — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 20:27:52 +0000

The Valley Metro buses have signs about a “new policy” that was invoked on July 24, 2006. I would see it and forget about it after I got to work, but today it stayed with me. The policy says that children under the age of seven must be accompanied by a responsible person, able to supervise and control the child. I’m paraphrasing because I didn’t write it down while on the bus and when I went to Valley Metro’s site, looking for the language, I couldn’t find it. My question is why they need to issue such a policy? Do they have a lot of riders under the age of seven who are all alone? Or is this aimed at 10, 11, 12 year olds riding with small children and the older child is unable to control the younger child? Or is this for parents who don’t understand concepts like discipline and control? I’d really like to know what prompted this policy as I can’t imagine putting a 6 or 7 (or younger!) year old on the bus alone. I’d have deep reservations allowing a 10 year old to travel alone with their 3 or 4 year old sibling. I haven’t seen these things, but I only ride two bus routes. It’s a curiosity and I’m open to enlightenment.

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Sheltered – not

On the bus . . .