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Travelling back from the IVSA conference last night I caught a 205 from Paddington. A woman in front of me tried to use a £5 note to buy a ticket from the driver causing a general pile up at the door. He was nice but having none of it and she frantically dug in her bag for change. The driver closed the doors and started off regardless, making her search even harder as she struggled to stand upright. Realising she had none, she turned to the interior of the bus and asked if anyone could help. A woman seated near me, a man behind and I all said yes and we then started a search through pockets and bags for change. It was almost a competition to help. The woman near me won, producing change for a fiver. It was nice to be part of a rush to help when I had just been reading this story in the paper about the man who was attacked last Friday on a busy 43 and very few people tried to help. I know this is a very different scenario and can’t really be compared but it was still a positive social experience to be part of.
If I was only a bit quicker (perhaps carrying less luggage would have helped) I would now have a reason to wear a ‘i helped’ badge from Lucy Kimbell’s Pindices project rather than a ‘i did nothing’ one.
I think there should be a badge somewhere in between that says something like – “I tried to help but someone beat me to it”
August 5th, 2005
My bus website – 73urbanjourneys.com – is currently between hosts. Which means it’s kinda nowhere. We are busy hatching all sorts of new hosting plans for the INCITE website and blog which I hope to tag onto. So once that is all done it’ll be back, soon, hopefully.
July 27th, 2005
i’ve been invited to follow the meme. So as a slight digression from the bus (as i am desk bound reading for essays this week) i complete the task from home (but reserve the opportunity to add more about music I listen to on the bus when the chance arises).
Here goes.
Total volume of music on my computer
8.45 GB
The last CDs I bought
four tet – everything estatic
nick cave – the best of
adem – homesongs
Song playing right now
michael nyman – knowing the ropes | strangely i find i can read and work well to this kind of intense repetitive vertical music
Five songs i listen to a lot, or mean a lot to me
pj harvey – this mess we’re in | it’s a driving thing
i was going to list one of many lali puna favourites but settled instead for the cruel sea – it won’t last | good ‘ol tex. this might be due to the fact i was once sweated on by him in a fire trap of a night club or that it’s a very byron bay sound to me or that sometimes i feel far away from home. i’m wondering if i should be a bit embarrassed about this one. but it could have been worse. i recently acquired quite a lot of cold chisel and it rocks (my youth)
madredeus – canto de embalar | it’s fado at it’s best. i saw them at RFH with portugese friends who were in tears over the beauty of her voice and the lyrics. i couldn’t understand what she was singing about, and still can’t, but that’s irrelevant to the overwhelming seductive sadness of the music
michael nyman – prospero’s magic |i can’t really explain but it just completely does it for me. goosebumps and more
warmdesk – the pride of the southside, live @ WHPK| i met designers fehler, part of fällt at ultrasound (an experimental music festival in huddersfield of all places) and became bewitched from the first minute of this 15min extravaganza
June 3rd, 2005
A friend sent me this link. Traveling on public transport does encourage daydreaming and this site delivers on this idea. The authors have ‘discovered’ various animals hidden within the tube map. Which makes me think there must be millions hidden in the spaghetti junction that is the London bus map.
March 19th, 2004
Looking through my mobile phone bill today, I was both frightened by the volume of calls and interested in the times of day I primarily use the phone. I was not that aware until now that I usually make personal calls between places. Now this may sound somewhat obvious considering that’s what mobiles are for. But it was more the fact that the desire to call friends hits me when I am in the city. So I’ll think of calling someone when I am walking, on the bus or waiting somewhere. Other friends have also commented on this. Kris (INCITE) said that he much prefers talking to his parents when he is walking in the city rather than sitting at home and Bronwen also never uses the mobile when she is at home but you can always hear her feet pounding the streets when we chat. Whilst I find I do use the mobile at home but it tends to be work oriented calls.
March 17th, 2004
It was raining, cold, peak time, Friday night and the 73 was packed leaving Euston Station. The driver was having trouble keeping the engine turning over smoothly in the cold and as a result the bus was very jerky as it pulled out of the station. Trying to get to a seat was really difficult what with heels and the wet floor, it was even worse. The fact it was filled with people in puffy jackts, bags and shopping standing or trying to nurse their belongings made the space even more congested. As a result the windows were fogged up and it was difficult to work out when to get off. I didn’t hear many people asking the conductor, rather it seemed as if everyone sensed their stop from the movements of the bus, rare glimpses through the foggy glass or an understanding of time travelled.
March 12th, 2004
I saw the bus approaching. I ran to the stop, my £1 coin in my hand as I ran to make a quick attempt to buy a ticket from the machine before it arrived at the stop. There was a crowd of people waiting so I didn’t want to miss the bus but also anticipated a few minutes for loading so I should make it. Then as I pushed money in and pressed buttons – nothing happened. Well nothing happened in the machine. What happened next took me half a bus ride later to try and work out. In a matter of seconds, a man in a hooded jacket pushed in front of me and started digging at my coin in the machine slot with his keys. As a matter of explanation he showed me his £1 coin in his other hand. I think I watched him dumbfounded for a few seconds wondering if he was an inspector, conductor or bloke trying to steal my bus fare. Then he got it out, handed it to me and we all ran for the bus. So the machine was broken. He had already saved his £1 coin with the key trick and set out to save mine. Nice huh!
The only thing is I don’t think I thanked him properly because of the hurry to catch the bus.
I have also placed this story in 73 Bus Stories.
February 4th, 2004
A cyclist was constantly caught behind the bus along Oxford Street. She could not pass but could keep up with the bus in the congestion.
The conductor stood on the platform and chatted to her.
“You should have caught the bus.” He said.
“You should tell your driver to drive better.” She replied.
“I can’t pass him cause he is not driving straight”.
“It’s a narrow road” said the conductor and shrugged his shoulders.
The bus pulled away.
October 7th, 2003
A woman beside me called a friend on her mobile.
Laughingly she said into the phone,
“You’ll have to tell me where to go.
I have no idea where I am going or where you live.
I have never been to Stoke Newington before so tell me when to get off and what to look out for.
And remember I need to buy some wine too so tell me where to get off to get that.”
October 7th, 2003
As I headed (on foot) to Hyde Park on Saturday to join the anti-occupation protest march, this SOAS group took over Oxford Street in their own protest. Traffic was forced to crawl behind them and their whistles, microphone and yelling attracted much interest in the Saturday shopping crowd. I felt for the bus passengers trapped in closed buses. Even more annoyed were groups of people waiting at bus stops along the route. It was much quicker to walk than to wait for a bus that was going no where fast.
October 1st, 2003
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