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"Off the footboard"

P. Krishna of Kodambakkam wants people to stop crowding the footboards of buses

P. Krishna Photo: M. Vedhan

There are people falling out of buses and you wonder how you'll survive the ride. Most of them tend to crowd the entrance or the footboard, while there's space in the centre.

It annoys me that people don't move in and make way for the rest of the passengers. Morning or evening, you have to push your way through either to get in or hop off. Most youngsters invariably hang from the footboard for `fun and a bit of fresh air', causing inconvenience to others. Absorbed in their own world, they are often unwilling to move in, and block your way. Arguments are inevitable. Conductors occasionally intervene, but in vain.

By crowding around the entrance, they make it easy for pickpockets too. I have also seen girls struggling through these crowds to get off the bus.

In the bus that I take, a regular passenger never fails to speak out when any group inconveniences the rest of the commuters. I admire his persistence. This despite the offenders making their irritation obvious.

Travelling in buses can be fun. In this climate, a window seat is all you need. But for those who are left standing, a little common sense and consideration from co-passengers will go a long way.

As told to ASHA MENON

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