Comments on: Live from the Bus http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970 Feel Smart Again Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:46:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Anthony http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970/comment-page-1#comment-9893 Anthony Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:48:51 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970#comment-9893 One other story to share. My commute used to require me to cross no less than five sets of railroad tracks and a drawbridge. One week, I kid you not, at least three of those was occupied either on my way to work or going home. By the end of the week, I had had it. I informed my coworkers that if they were in need of entertainment, they should follow me home that day. If there was a train or a boat obstructing my path, they would probably be treated to seeing me out of my car beating on the passing vehicle with a tire iron. One other story to share.

My commute used to require me to cross no less than five sets of railroad tracks and a drawbridge.

One week, I kid you not, at least three of those was occupied either on my way to work or going home.

By the end of the week, I had had it. I informed my coworkers that if they were in need of entertainment, they should follow me home that day. If there was a train or a boat obstructing my path, they would probably be treated to seeing me out of my car beating on the passing vehicle with a tire iron.

]]> By: Anthony http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970/comment-page-1#comment-9892 Anthony Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:44:10 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970#comment-9892 I used to work a 4-10 schedule. That is, four ten hour days. It made for a three day weekend every week, but I had to go to work very early, so my commute was frequently in the dark. One morning, I was cruising along when I came to an overpass. Immediately on the other side of the ramp entering the flyover was a train track bordered by some fairly thick trees. There are lights and gates where the tracks cross the road, but they were not lit. The upshot of all this was I was unable to see the train parked RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD!!!!! It was perpendicular to the road I was on, and could not have been more than 10' away. As I passed the trees, I and my little car were transfixed by the unblinking headlight of what appeared to be an oncoming train. I swear every muscle in my body tensed up, including my sphincter. When I got to work, it took me probably ten minutes to work the seat upholstery out of my butt. After that, it was a fairly uneventful day. I used to work a 4-10 schedule. That is, four ten hour days. It made for a three day weekend every week, but I had to go to work very early, so my commute was frequently in the dark. One morning, I was cruising along when I came to an overpass. Immediately on the other side of the ramp entering the flyover was a train track bordered by some fairly thick trees. There are lights and gates where the tracks cross the road, but they were not lit.

The upshot of all this was I was unable to see the train parked RIGHT NEXT TO THE ROAD!!!!! It was perpendicular to the road I was on, and could not have been more than 10′ away. As I passed the trees, I and my little car were transfixed by the unblinking headlight of what appeared to be an oncoming train. I swear every muscle in my body tensed up, including my sphincter. When I got to work, it took me probably ten minutes to work the seat upholstery out of my butt.

After that, it was a fairly uneventful day.

]]> By: Mel http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970/comment-page-1#comment-9884 Mel Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:37:24 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970#comment-9884 I work at a university, and therefore have been granted the exalted Faculty/Staff Bus Pass - which gets me onto the campus and the local busses for free. Usually, the commute is uneventful, but occasionally, it gets interesting. Like, the time they didn't send an overflow bus (even though up to 60 people sometimes get on at my stop, alone!) and I ended up hanging on for dear life, hoping that the back door wouldn't fly open at 40mph... Or the time I overheard two young men who were either a) stoned, b) philosophical, or c) both going on at length about how would we know where an apple ends and the rest of the universe begins, followed by how much better off we would all be if we gave up cars and built a monorail... Or the time I finally got to be on the bus when one hit the railroad bridge that bisects the road. (The lane opening beneath this bridge is very narrow, and is in the middle of two 90-degree turns to allow the road to shift about 60 feet to the left. Conesequently, it shows a lot of, er, battle damage, and frankly, I'm amazed it hasn't fallen down, yet...) I work at a university, and therefore have been granted the exalted Faculty/Staff Bus Pass – which gets me onto the campus and the local busses for free. Usually, the commute is uneventful, but occasionally, it gets interesting.

Like, the time they didn’t send an overflow bus (even though up to 60 people sometimes get on at my stop, alone!) and I ended up hanging on for dear life, hoping that the back door wouldn’t fly open at 40mph…

Or the time I overheard two young men who were either a) stoned, b) philosophical, or c) both going on at length about how would we know where an apple ends and the rest of the universe begins, followed by how much better off we would all be if we gave up cars and built a monorail…

Or the time I finally got to be on the bus when one hit the railroad bridge that bisects the road. (The lane opening beneath this bridge is very narrow, and is in the middle of two 90-degree turns to allow the road to shift about 60 feet to the left. Conesequently, it shows a lot of, er, battle damage, and frankly, I’m amazed it hasn’t fallen down, yet…)

]]> By: Miss Cellania http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970/comment-page-1#comment-9879 Miss Cellania Fri, 30 Mar 2007 15:02:50 +0000 http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/4970#comment-9879 Clever save! Clever save!

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