Watch out... while on the move

It was a typical week day. The mini bus was jam packed, mostly with university students. When this bus screeched to a halt on the next stop, two school-going girls boarded the ladies section. With huge bags on their shoulders, it was clear that they were having trouble standing amidst so many people. The size of the bag was also making it difficult for others to stand hence a lot of under-the-breath grumbling began. When these girls had to get off, there was a huge hustle and bustle as they made their way towards the exit, the bag hitting quite a few people yet again.

Whether students are school-going or college-going, conveyance is one of the main issues to be dealt with. When the students are very young, parents prefer that they pick and drop children from school themselves; sometimes, a driver is hired for this very purpose. As they grow older, some parents rely on the transport system of the school itself. Hence, the school vans come in the picture.

However, all families are not as privileged. They either have one car which cannot be spared for the children, or they cannot afford to buy and maintain a car in the first place. There are some families which cannot pay the exorbitant fees of the private vans month after month. For the children of such families, public transport becomes a more convenient and affordable means of travelling to and from their school.

There are quite a few choices when it comes to commuting in public transport. And of course, each form of transport comes with its own share of advantages and disadvantages. What’s important is that if you are going to and from your school in a public transport, you must know some basic safety and convenience measures to follow with each. Let’s take a look at each in turn.

Buses

The main advantage of travelling in a bus is that the fare is considerably lower than other forms of transport. Also, it is a very “public” form of transport — there are quite a few passengers in every bus so even if you are travelling alone, it is a relief to see at least some people headed in the same direction as you are.

However, travelling in buses requires a higher degree of caution as well. First and foremost, if you are a school-going girl, and you’re travelling alone, it is better not to board a bus which has an empty ladies section. It is preferable to board one which has some ladies already travelling in it.

Also, you must avoid getting into a bus which is full. It is a common occurrence that students push their way in, bags and all, even if they only get some space on the very last step. This is highly dangerous, especially if you’re carrying a heavy bag. Bus drivers are notorious for travelling at unusually high speeds and applying brakes quite suddenly. So make sure there is at least some space to stand inside the bus before you get on.

Moreover, once you board the bus it is better to take your bag off your shoulder and carry it in your hand. This is mainly because of the scenario described above where students move about in the bus, totally oblivious to the fact that their bag is hitting quite a few people. Even if you find a seat, take your bag off first and put it in the lap. It is again quite common to see that when students sit on the seat, they don’t take their bags off. The result is that the bag occupies the entire seat and the student in question is almost falling off.

Another major reason to take the bag off and keeping it in your full view is that there have been too many cases of bus robberies. Cunning pickpockets, both male and female, are known to carefully zip open bags and purses of oblivious owners to quietly pilfer the valuables — money and cell phones.

And this brings us to another very important safeguard while travelling in buses. Cell phones are now quite common even with school-going children, in spite of many schools having enforced a strict ban on the same. It often happens that the minute anyone gets a seat, he/she fishes out the cell phone from the bag and starts messaging or playing games. Nothing can alert a potential thief more easily to the fact that you possess a cell phone which can easily be taken away from you as well.

The best thing to do if you are carrying a cell phone, is to place it in the inside pocket of your school bag, and only take it out to attend a very urgent phone call. Also, it would be advisable to have it on silent or vibration mode when you are travelling in a bus. This will ensure that even if it rings in the bus, you will be the only person who hears it.

Taxis

Travelling in taxis is definitely more comfortable, even if the taxi driver takes a huge amount of money for that comfort. But if you’re a female student, it is advisable to travel in taxis only when you’re with an adult or if you’re travelling with a large group of girls. As elders say quite often, taxis are closed spaces and hence, not quite safe if you’re alone.

Rickshaws

Rickshaws are probably the most convenient if you’re travelling alone and have to cover a short distance. Apart from the noise and, of course, the exorbitant fare that rickshaw drivers often charge for even the smallest distance, rickshaws come in handy when the bus stop is at a good distance from your house.One thing which is quite noticeable with reference to school-going children hiring rickshaws is that when they stop a rickshaw, they go right in the middle of the lane to talk to the driver, give him the directions and settle the fare. Crossing to the middle of the road or lane is highly dangerous because that is the time when even lanes are filled with school vans and cars. So whenever you stop a rickshaw, make sure it comes towards the footpath where you are standing.

Yes travelling in public transport may seem like a big hassle. But the truth is, these different forms of transport are quite convenient. They reduce your dependence on private transport, and ensure that you learn the different areas and routes more quickly. Also, you get to learn how to travel alone right from your school-going age. Pubic transport also toughens one up. This is because you really get to rough it out outside your sheltered home and school environment. So at the end of the day, public transport is quite advantageous in more ways than one. But one must learn to exercise certain precautions in order to travel safe in more ways than one.