tuesday rant

Public transport... you knew it had to happen sooner or later. To be perfectly honest i could probably get all serious on this subject, talk about peak oil, public spending, the environment, privatisation and a whole ream of issues related to public transport.

This however is my little tuesday froth at the mouth over something rather insignificant, although not so much to me as it will be to you. What in particular gets my goat about public transport is the 11pm 240 bus that i usually get on a monday night on my way home from playing football. Now for reasons unrelated to this rant i didn't get it last night, but i was reminded of it.

This bus is meant to be at Brandon Parade at 11pm, i get off the 201 bus from East Kilbride at anywhere from just before 11pm to just after. The law of averages says i should get the 11pm 240 at least once every so often. Sods law says do i fuck! The 240 due at 11pm is usually long gone by that time, the closest i have gotten to seeing it in the last 6 months or so has been watching it drive off as i'm getting off the 201 at a relatively adjacent bus stop.

The next bus isn't due for 25 minutes, although it too often tends to come rediculously early. Just the other week it dropped me off at the stop nearest my home about 2 minutes after it was scheduled to be at the stop i got on at(It's a approx 15 minute journey). It's a double edged sword, when you catch that late bus you just want the driver to put his foot down and when you are waiting for one you curse the driver to a lifetime of damnation for being to early.

It also leaves me wide open to fast food temptation, there is not much more boring than waiting for a bus by yourself. Anything that can kill some time is welcome. After playing football i often find that i'm quite hungry. A 20 minute wait, boredom and an empty stomach are a bad combination when you are waiting across from a chip shop and a chinese takeaway that does a lovely little 4 chicken ball, rice and curry sauce snack for a very reasonable £2.95.

The fact that i know the price off the top of my head tells it's own story, although i do usually resist honest. I tend to take a 5/10 minute walk to a bus stop further along the route to kill time and keep myself away from the unhealthy food.

So public transport and drivers of the 11pm Motherwell 201 bus, today you are the focus of my wrath you inconveinent gits!