Slow coach

Traveling by a public bus in the city of Mumbai is always amusing but injurious to the health, especially if you are suffering from BP. It takes lot of tolerance and patience to combat Mumbai traffic and frequent signals.


But, I always prefer bus to taxi for two reasons, one, that taxi is sheer waste of money if you are traveling alone for a longer distance and two, you get to see all kinds of people in the bus and some of them are really interesting.

Today I decided to take a bus from Bandra to Breach Candy, which should not take me more than twenty minutes to reach my destination if there is no traffic congestion on the road. The bus was empty and I got a window seat. After buying a ticket of Rs10 only (I was saving Rs120- taxi fare) I sat by the window reading a magazine.

In twenty minutes, the bus had reached Dadar, which is half way distance to breach Candy. A Senior Person (SP) in the bus was getting impatient and kept looking at his watch. Finally, he got up and started abusing the driver.

SP said, “You drivers are very inefficient, even when there is no traffic, you drive so slow, can’t you drive faster?”

Driver says “This is the speed I normally drive,”

SP-“You need a good driving practice, there is no traffic today and the roads are empty, why are you driving so slow, stop the bus, get up from that seat and let me teach you how to drive.”

And the argument went on and on with SP abusing him all the time, but the driver kept his cool and continued to drive at his own speed. Finally SP realized that he was wasting his time, he alighted the bus when he could take this slow speed no more.

I realized then that the bus was going too slow indeed. Well, what do we expect, for Rs10? Speed at Rs10? Not possible! I looked at my watch. Forty five minutes and only two-third of the distance covered.

Now I was getting impatient too. At the speed that he was driving, it would take me more than one hour to reach my destination.

Feeling helpless, I alight from the bus and take taxi for the rest of the distance.

Tranquility restored with little bit of extra cash for taxi fare.

BEST Bus Conductor of Mumbai city,

Today, on my way to school to Belapur by BEST bus, I noticed there were three conductors, all of them having same leather bag that contains money, and other steel box of tickets. I was wondering whom to approach for buying a ticket as they, all three, stood side-by-side. The mystery was solved when I was approached from the real one on duty. The other two were hitching a ride to the next bus depot. But, on second thought, (I am wondering) are they prohibited from occupying the passenger’s seat when hitch-hiking? Although there was an empty seat, none of the other two made any attempt to rest their feet. So what happens to them at the end of the day? Remember they are standing all day. We, Mumbaites, cannot stand in bus, not even for fifteen minutes of travel. Whenever we travel, we keep eyeing at those sitting comfortably and are alert to run to an empty seat immediately. (As though we are playing musical chairs) Sometimes we occupy the seat when the person has only got up temporally to peep from other window for a better view when he sits back, he feels a soft lap to sit on. It must be tough life for bus conductors. They stand all day, in the moving bus, keeping their balance during sharp jerks and turns, snaking through the standees in a crowded bus, diligently issuing ticket to every traveler at his seat. Why doesn’t he have a proper seat, a special seat, in the bus? Everybody can go to him and buy a ticket while he sits all comfortably at his seat. System in western world is better. There is no conductor in the bus. People have either to buy a ticket card which can be used for several trips or the bus driver has the ticket to issue and each person buys his own ticket before boarding the bus. But will this system work in Mumbai? Bus driver in Mumbai drive off with a speed and sometimes do not even bother to wait at the bus stops! (Why do they rush off like that? Do they get extra perks for extra mileage?) Many times, we, here in Mumbai have to board or light from a running bus. If we miss our balance, we may meet the ground in an awful poise that can be the photographer’s delight. Also, there are many dishonest travelers who get cheap thrills by saving small change that they can cash it on booze. Hic! Nah! It won’t work! Bus conductors will continue to suffer! Tsk! Tsk!