bus pass elitism

i used to be anti-bus pass. it was easy to be anti-bus pass because i never took the bus enough times in a month for it to be worth it. in my head i figured bus passes were for people who didn't want to put forth the effort it takes to make sure they had exact change at all times. to me it didn't seem like such a large task. if i found myself stuck with a 5, 10, or 20, i'd go buy a coffee and that would be a double bonus for me. i now have a cup of coffee AND exact change for the bus.

i got by like this and it never bothered me much. that was until my job decided to move locations. suddenly i found myself traveling a lot farther to get to work with a lot less access to rides from friends or walking instead of busing. i would need to take two buses back and forth, four bus rides total per day. after doing the math, the bus pass suddenly made sense. and just like that i found myself purchasing, carrying, and flashing my bus pass.

suddenly many of my views and opinions on bus riding were changing. it had turned me into an elitist of sorts.

it dawned on me that it actually was somewhat a pain in the ass to make sure i always had exact change. i was always walking around with a ton of change shaking in my pockets. i'd hate to be caught without exact change and i definitely didn't wanna be the guy who gets on the bus and asks loudly to all the passengers, 'DOES ANYONE HAVE CHANGE FOR A 5?" whenever this happens, i'm usually trying to concentrate on a book i'm reading. suddenly i have to pay attention to some dude or chick who's not gonna be able to get to where they need to go unless someone helps them out and gives them change. i always wanted to help them, and sometimes i did. but i'd definitely give all the other passengers on the bus a chance to beat me to it. as a bus rider who pays cash, giving someone five of your singles for one five dollar bill will in someway come back to haunt you when you find yourself needing exact change on a bus and now you're the one stuck with a five dollar bill.

another change i noticed is now there is a part of me that wants everyone paying cash to get behind me. i don't demand this and i don't try to be a douche and jump in front of anyone. but there is a part of me that feels like it's such a waste for me to wait while passengers paying with cash get on. the transactions take longer. sometimes they need change (when i get on a bus that actually gives change). when i get on the bus, i flash the pass and keep on walking. it's a fluid motion that can be taken care of without slowing the pace of my walking as i get on. if we all could agree to let the bus pass holders go first, it wouldn't take us very long to get on the bus. cash payers would wait a whole lot less than i end up waiting for cash payers who go before me.

in closing, now that i have a bus pass, i think it's time for everyone else to get the bus pass as well. none of us will have to wait in line, none of us will have to worry about exact change. it'll be a smoother, happier bus riding experience for all.

or maybe i just need to snap out of my sudden fit of elitism.