Am I the only one who actually enjoys travelling by bus? People can be so negative about it!

[Wisteriabloom]

For context, I can't drive. I'm dyspraxic, (not everyone knows this), have struggled through a lot of lessons/tests over the years, to find my spatial awareness & hand/eye co-ordination just isn't up to it. I obviously found this frustrating, but accepted I'd never be a driver back in my 20's, I'm in my 40's now! So public transport is second nature to me!

I work part-time, 3 days a week somewhere that is half an hour bus ride away. (Bus stop is only 5 mins from my house). It's fine, I get on the bus, coffee in hand, and arrive at work 10 mins early. If it's been a particularly stressful day (sometimes it is!), I'm glad of the half hour ride home, just to gaze out of the window and de-stress!😀

My parents live 20 mins away by bus (coastal route, bus stop 5 mins away from their house). Nice easy journey.

Town is walking distance from us, but sometimes we like to go over to a City Centre, approx 40 mins train journey. (Dh does drive, but likes a day out without worrying about parking) so taking the train is an easy option!😀

I don't generally mention how I get to places, but if a driver knows I've caught a bus or train they seem to pity me/say how awful it must be🤔 It's really not, and I feel quite patronised at times!😲

Obviously if time is short/emergency/stuff to carry etc I'll take a taxi, and have done at times, but generally find public transport works fine for us! Do any other non-drivers have this issue?

If our neighbour who lives opposite sees us coming back from somewhere she'll often ask how we got there. If I say the bus she laughs in my face

Wtf is wrong with some people?

Can’t drive. Hate public transport.

Yes!!! My people! I get the bus/train out of choice sometimes.
I like being able to chat to dd as we're adventuring somewhere for a day out and not be stressing about her chattering and distracting me.
I love getting the bus home from work and just staring out the window with my earphones in or getting little jobs done like online weekly shop etc.

I should have said not allowed/physically unable to drive.

I hate public transport based on experience. Often inaccessible, late or without a space. I accept it may be better in some areas of the country though!

I also think it depends on your bus service. The services around here are shite, and we're fairly close to the city centre. They're massively unreliable, always late or often don't turn up at all and ram-packed! I used to live in Newcastle and didn't mind getting the metro as I knew it would only be a short wait in between them, and even at busy times my journey was fairly quick. But the buses here are hell on earth, people don't seem to know how to wash and being short I can never reach the windows to open them either so often it's boiling hot and stinks!

Non driver here and also a single parent. I really enjoy using public transport, it gives me time to chill out and listen to music or a podcast. I live within walking distance to work so I don't need to use it every day but will be getting the bus to do some shopping this weekend.

I live in a large town in between 2 cities though so public transport is good, several different bus services with stops a 10/15 minute walk from my house and a train station a 30 minute walk away. Some of the buses run 24 hours and there are good local taxi companies, we also have Uber and a tram system in the city.

I'm not unable to drive either, I just never bothered to learn. Can't justify the expense of car ownership for how little I actually need to use transport.

Another bus (and train) lover here. You can see so much more from the top of a double decker bus than you can from a car. You can relax, read, look at the scenery. If you're having a meal out you can have a glass of wine without having to worry about driving home. If you've been walking around you can get the bus home from the nearest stop, rather than having to go back to where you parked the car.

I don't mind it but can get sick on longer journeys. I prefer it to cars if its reliable - can work on the bus, can't if I'm driving.

I love riding on buses BUT not if I'm relying on them. So, if I wanted to go shopping I'd happily take the bus, but I couldn't deal with relying on them every day for work .. if that makes sense. They're just not reliable enough where we are!

Another bus and train lover here. Prefer trains but buses are good too. I use the bus every day for work and love the 40 minute journey, especially on the way home. Just whack my headphones in, gaze out the window and switch off, or catch up on my emails, read my Kindle etc.

I hate driving and am really bad at it so have never owned a car myself, although do have a licence and dp drives which is useful for shopping. Because we used it regularly, my DC were both confident using public transport alone before they went to high school which was really good for their development.

I love the bus!
But, I do drive and have a car - so it is a choice to use the bus when I do. Great for combining a couple to get to a Hospital eye appointment when no lift and I cannot drive and then no parking issues. Perfect!
I sometimes use it just for the fun of it - yes, I do find it fun...
Even on a single decker, I can see over hedges and walls, which I cannot in my car.
There is a small bus that goes on a tour of the villages in a loop. It goes literally past my house three times a day (or I can stay on for a bigger loop and go to town 10 miles away); it is the only bus that does now. In some of the villages, you can flag it down like a taxi - and if I am quick enough to see it coming, I can do so at my door and then leap into the road.
It is either purple or bright yellow If I go on the little tour by myself, it is like my own personal transport, and there are some great views of the lambs now, and soon the calves, also the churchyards and into some of the beautifully maintained cottage gardens. that I go past. Cannot get good photos though

Trains are good for that though, if I want to go further for an explore.

I only wish that it could be possible to put a bike on the bus to either ride to a point and get a bus back, or take the bike on the bus to some "far" point, and the ride back.. It is quite hilly round here.

As for a horse for transport - my daughter was occasionally picked up form the her first school (age 5) by a me and a friend with horses. The teacher then invited us to bring them into the school yard for a lesson about, not on, them - especially about Shires, which my friend rode. I often used my latest horse for a quick trip to the shop (if passing) - not much chance for browsing though as he was not like a cowboy's horse who would stand outside and wait nicely. Oh no

I don't mind getting the bus but I live in a City where buses from near me to the City Centre are every few minutes, and when I need to get the bus they don't tend to be crowded as it isn't in rush hour.

I am a driver, and would hate to have to get the bus to wherever I need to go to. Partly because obviously buses don't tend to go directly to where I want to go (except the City Centre). Partly because sometimes I just have too much stuff to carry. Partly because I can't 'just pop in' anywhere on the way to or from my destination. Partly because later in the evening, buses can sometime feel quite scary. Partly because there are times (Sunday evening for example) when you do have to wait an age for the bus. Partly because it can be very uncomfortable when someone comes and sits by you who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or just objectionable for other reasons.

I love the bus too! It’s great sitting on the top deck watching the world go by. I like trains as well. It’s good the way public transport makes you feel part of the community; it’s so much better than everyone being sealed into individual boxes.

I do love my bike as well 😀

Crossed posts withBackforGood - perhaps there are a few occasions when it’s not quite so great mixing with the community but it’s usually fine!

my DC were both confident using public transport alone before they went to high school which was really good for their development.

Using public transport is a life skill which all children should be taught. You read here about 17yos who have never caught a train independently. My mum took us round London on the Tube from when we were small, so by the time I was old enough to go by myself, I was perfectly capable of finding my way around.

Husband and I are drivers but when we have the time, we a d our adult children all love buses. Unfortunately, where we live, it can take up to three times longer to get to work/college because of timetabling.

When we visit London, we choose the bus over the tube every time.

I did buses for a year just pre Covid and didn't mind them on the whole but I did find them quite expensive and also unreliable. One night when it took me 1 3/4 hours to do a five mile journey which is 15 mins in the car, I snapped and decided to get a car again as life is too short to spend 6 hours every weekend on buses to see mum or my daughter. I did like the time to read or knit though.

I like travelling by bus, most public transport really but I wouldn't want to rely on it all the time. I hated the bus on my commute, well waiting for the bus really but I don't mind it if its a once in while or it makes sense to use it in the big metropolitan areas like London or Birmingham because its so reliable.

I'm a also a non-driver . since moving from the city to a small town Ive never felt so judged by drivers. everyone seems to drive here. I attempted lessons a couple of years ago the first driving instructor washed her hands of me so I learned in an automatic where I got screamed at by the instructor . The thought of starting lessons again fills me with dread, So I walk and catch the bus. We are currently considering relocating again as the public transport is appalling round here . Once someone asked me how I got my kids to school when it rained (20 min walk ) I had to laugh . Reading this thread has made me feel better .

Yes, we're lucky here as our buses are very frequent and on time!

UserEleventyNine - Yes I agree, if I'm out shopping, whether in town or the City Centre, I have my choice of bus stops. I like the freedom of getting on whichever bus is nearest the last shop I go to, rather than making my way to a designated car park, meaning a longer walk!

My friends seem almost nervous of public transport & taxis. For instance, there are 3 of us who go out for a meal/drinks every few months. The other 2 are drivers, and insist on taking turns driving us all. I'll always suggest sharing a taxi (would only cost about £2 each, each way). They won't though, even though the designated driver often says she really fancies sharing our cocktails, but can't as she's driving!🤔

I just can't understand why they don't take me up on the 'easy' option, so they could both enjoy a drink!🍹🍹 When I suggest it they laugh it off, as if I've suggested something ridiculous! Surely it's the easy option though?

I feel like this with trains

Not going to lie, I agree with the stigma around buses as they were full of anti social behaviour when I used them as a teen

But I do like trains 🤷🏼‍♀️ They’re generally a better passenger experience, probably because tickets can be incredibly expensive. I think I would love a travel anywhere season ticket for a train for a few days! And at least if you get delayed you’re entitled to compensation and taxi/hotel expenses refunded. You wouldn’t get that with a bus and definitely not if you drove in

Dumbestnlonde - I love the sound of your purple and yellow buses!😀 And your little girl must have been the envy of her friends, horses at school pick-up! 🐴🐴😀

Loved it when we had buses - but here in not London the service is now down to one every two hours.

Also dyspraxic and don’t drive after years of lessons. I love the bus during the day, but have extremely poor night vision so don’t like getting the bus when it’s dark as I don’t know where I am so I’d get a taxi.

Your coastal bus trip to your parents sounds gorgeous @Wisteriabloom