My girlfriend told me a story about a co-worker who ran down an escalator to chase a bus, twisted her ankle, fell down, and limped in a foot brace for months.
Do you know an individual who pursued public transit but encountered injury instead? Please share that story! Your cautionary tale could encourage someone to slow down, wait for the next bus, and avoid harm.
Meanwhile, take care of yourselves...
Don't run after the bus!
You might fall...
...and accidentally hurt yourself.
This public service announcement has been brought to you by WooWork.com
Having worked for a bus line, you'd think that I'd know a few injury tales like your PSA mentions. The only injury I recall is a driver who fell exiting the bus, and landed on the pavement on her face! I guess the lesson is to always be carefull around large moving vehicles...or parked ones! Great bus Howie!
ReplyDeleteBack when the double decker buses in London were still the kind where they were open at the back (so you could potentially jump on while the bus was moving) I was on the bus once and this man ran after the bus. He was quite old too, probably in his mid sixties. The bus was already going quite fast but the man managed to reach the back of the bus and had his hand on the rail/pole, I think he was about to jump on, but at that moment he slipped and fell. As the bus kept going I saw a woman help him up and he seemed to be alright, but it looked really horrible.
ReplyDeleteYes I have a story! 4 months ago the department, were I worked was closed for good. The day I got fired, my employer gave me cash for Taxi fare. I thought to myself, that I would spend the money on something else and take the bus as I used to. When leaving the office I ran in my wellies to catch the bus. When running something in my knee snapped and it hurt so much, that I was limping for 2 weeks and – still after 4 months I have problems bending my knee. So don’t run after the bus wearing willies and cash for taxi fare in your pocket :-/
ReplyDeleteCute bus by the way :O)
Hi Howie!
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who did something even more crazy: He got off a city bus through the front door, turned left to cross in front of the bus, the driver didn't see him (even though he's 6'4"!) and hit him. My friend jumped back onto the curb, turned the other way, and being so tall, walked face first into the edge of the bus stop sign cutting himself straight down the middle of his forehead. To this day he looks like someone axed him down the middle of his face! And being such a tall guy it definitely gives him an intimidating look though he's as gentle as a lamb!
He was so embarrassed about the situation that he refused medical attention at the scene. As typical here in the US, everyone kept saying to him "You should sue the bus company for hitting you and for having the bus stop sigh placed in such a way that you hit it with your face!" His answer "I'm the dumb cluck who walked in front of the bus in the first place! And it's not their fault I am so tall."
This happened over 20 years ago and we still can laugh about it!
Moral of the story: When getting off a bus wait for it to pass before trying to cross the street!
The only bad thing I've experienced was that I was having a bad flu and feeling weak and I thought I could run for the bus, I caught the bus but I was feeling really dizzy.
ReplyDeleteWhere i live is somewhere that only 1 bus would pass by to ferry us out to the main street where the main public transport would be and where we can get groceries. The waiting time is 10 to 20 mins long. we have 4 options to get to the main public transports, 1. cab, 2. walk 20 mins and sweat like a pig or 3. wait another 10 to 20mins and sometimes when it's peak hour, the bus might be full and that's another 10 to 20mins to wait and lastly, buy a bicycle to ride out.
painful experience I've seen would be people being packed like sardine in the bus due to peak hour and there were people standing on the steps, so when the driver opens the door for passengers to get down, someone's foot get caught in the door and looks like it hurts a lot! DX
i know someone who did exactly that and end up hurting her feet as well.
ReplyDeletei like this bus post. excellent project too.
I don't have a story, but that bus is adorable, and I always feel so sad when people are running and the bus just shoots off. :\
ReplyDeletefreaking. awesome. Jillie, I feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteWhenever my partner runs for the bus, she gets an asthma attack. You'd think she'd have learned by now, but I think the standing ovation she got once after catching it at the next stop encouraged her to no end . . . .
ReplyDeleteNot running after, but attempting to exit... A friend was stepping out the back exit of a city bus. She didn't see exactly where the curb was and stepped off with only her toes on the curb. She ended up hyperextending her ankle and actually tearing her achilles tendon. It took months for her to heal.
ReplyDeleteyes, running off the bus is not a very good idea either. especially with a heavy rucksack on your back. I needed to catch a train really badly and ended up with the same experience as amethyst's friend: hyperextended ankle. ended up on my back/ rucksack, laughing - I must have looked like the odd turtle wiggeling with its legs. and only noticed the sprained ankle after three steps towards the train station. outch!!
ReplyDeleteJust thought you should see this! As an amigurumi artist, you HAVE to be interested! http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasubio9
ReplyDeleteAnnette: Wow, the image of a driver falling face-first from a bus is painful! I hope she recovered fully. Yes, large vehicles + gravity + speed could lead to big trouble for us humans! Thanks for the warning :)
ReplyDeleteIris: That must've been shocking to witness that man jumping for & falling from the moving bus! Thank goodness someone helped him up afterward, at least. It's terrible when older people fall down... I always think of how brittle our bones become!
Fru. Ekelund: Oh no, I hope your knee is feeling better after all these months! More rain boots should provide better grip in the rain! It's scary how quickly and easily our joints can be injured... I hope you later used that extra taxi fare for a a special treat or something! :(
ecuadoriana: I'm stunned by the description of your gentle-giant friend who survived such a harrowing incident! Maybe his tough scar could qualify him for some excellent movie roles now? :) He must enjoy making up alternate stories when others ask him about the scar, though the original true story is chilling enough!
That's admirable how he chose not to blame someone else, and I love the image of you two laughing about the incident, 20 years later :) Thank you!
Vonvonz: I'm glad you survived your experience running for the bus while dizzy with the flu! Hopefully, these injury stories will remind us to be careful with our steps. As Mary repeated to me on Ravelry: ‘never run after men or buses - another one is sure to come along!’ :D
worksofhands: I also hope your friend's feet found a speedy recovery! I'm glad you like the project... I'm grateful that my mom and MJ kept me company while I suspiciously snapped photos of passengers at the bus depot :D
Jillie the Great: Thanks for liking the bus :) It's filled with rectangular sponges to preserve its shape. The streaks in the window were made with white thread. And I'll show more of the front of the bus in a future bus-related post... :)
Marcy: When I was taking the photos, I saw a few people miss the bus after running for it. I can still see the combination of embarrassment & disappointment on their faces!
eatenworld: That sudden standing ovation for your friend does sound addictive haha Next time, if the crowd applauds another risky run-for-the-bus, you should point at them and yell: "Enablers!"
Amethyst: Aghh, your friend's achilles tendon accident is too terribly easy to encounter! Thanks for reminding us to be cautious when exiting a tall vehicle too!
die kleene: It's scary how easily we can sprain our ankles! It sounded like your heavy backpack might have padded your fall a bit, at least? After that ordeal, I hope you're a super ninja turtle now, ready to conquer the world :D
Anonymous: Mini amigurumi is always cute to witness, thanks!
I got one for ya! I was 8 months pregnant and was waiting for the bus on a street corner in Philadelphia.
ReplyDeleteThat summer day was extremely hot and muggy- so much so that waistband and legbands of my undies were chafing me... so I decided to go into town without.
I was so thirsty from the heat that I quickly popped into a neighborhood store to get a bottle of water.
Just then, as I'm at the register, I see the bus speeding to the corner.
In my attempt to chase after the bus, I ran across the street and tripped on the hem of my floor-length skirt.
You can imagine what happened. There I was, on the ground, 8 months pregnant, skirt over my head... and no undies!
The bus driver felt sorry for me,got off the bus and helped me to my seat.
I should have been mortified that people saw me like that, but I wasn't. I was just concerned for my baby's well-being.
In the end all was well. The moral of this story- pregant or not...never ever run for buses, trains, or otherwise. If you miss one, another one is on the way. Definitely not work risking bodily harm.
preemiebeanies
crochet shop
haha - love the bus! Have been away for 3 weeks and missed reading everyone's blogs. I don't know of anyone who has injured themselves running after a bus - but great tip/warning. ;)
ReplyDeleteNikki: Holy smokes, I'm relieved you and your baby were well after that terrible and mortifying fall! Also, thank goodness that moment wasn't captured on youtube, right? :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for your vivid story and excellent reminder to tread carefully and wear undies :)
To nikki gee@studio stitch:
ReplyDeleteWhat a crazy coincidence!!! Philly is where my friend was hit by the bus and whacked his head open on the bus stop sign!!! And when I was 8 mo. pregnant with my daughter (in June 1983) I got my foot caught in the trolley tracks while running across Market Street and I was stuck there until a good Samaritan felt sorry for me & stopped to help me get my swollen foot unstuck!!! Meanwhile the traffic simply drove around me, smiled, and waved! And I was carrying a bag of quickly melting ice cream!!!
I am happy to hear that you survived your fall and that you and your baby were safe. xo
PaisleyJade: I hope that you will always be safe & sound around public transportation :) We felt & missed your online presence, and I've been enjoying your blog posts about your recent Trip to Israel!
ReplyDeleteOn my last job I had to take 2 buses home, and their schedule was arranged so bus1 arrived just as bus2 left. Problem - the bus stops were a minute's walk apart. Which meant I had to start a sprint as soon as I got off the first bus. Luckily, I'm a sneakers girl, and haven't hurt myself running, yet :)
ReplyDeleteYesterday got off the train and saw my bus so I ran for it, big mistake. I fell face first with glasses on. I broke my teeth and suffered injuries to my cheekbone. It was so humiliating to have thirty people watch to fall face first to the ground. I learned my lesson, ANOTHER BUS WILL COME!
ReplyDelete