crazy bus drivers, lazy bus passengers

i experienced another hair raising bus ride home on the way back from juggling this evening. for those of you who don't know, much of the public transportation in bogota is by private bus companies, most of which compete for riders standing on the sides of major streets. the bus drivers stop as often as necessary (even though typical bus stops are present) and wherever it is convenient. i've seen on a number of occasions where a bus driver was blocking three lanes of traffic to pick up a passenger; plus i've had bus rides where they driver stops to drop off or pick up passengers 6 or 7 times within one street block.

while on the subject of bus passengers, i think most of them take advantage of the stop-wherever-i-need-to-stop policy. i can't count how many times i've been at the back of a bus (where the most leg room usually is and, coincidentally, where the exit is located) and seen a passenger get off at one location, then another waiting passenger rings the bell to get off 10 meters down the street; which is followed by another lazy passenger getting off 15 meters after that. i guess people really want their 45 cents worth. i for one try to get off when the bus stops to pick someone up or when the bus stops for someone else getting off close to where i need to. but i guess i'm a minority in this thinking.

well the bus driver this evening was in command of a beast of a machine. although managing it like a champion, i think he was oblivious to the fact that those passengers standing (me included) were like dogs tied to the back of a speeding pickup truck. apparently, he was racing another smaller bus to the other side of town. must have been a slow sunday night.