It didn’t even qualify for yesterday’s Seattle’s Crappiest Bus Route Slog Poll, but award-winning Hot Tipper Oscar makes a strong case for the 150:
So it’s 5:45 AM and I’m sitting at the back of the 150 listening to Lush on my iPod when I look up from adjusting the volume to witness a fellow rider taking off his left shoe. No big deal so far, except his white sock is so filthy it’s several shades of gross with what appear to be fluid-like stains (a ring of discoloration within the other discoloration…gross). He then removes the sock and his foot is cracked and split all over the bottom with chunks of skin that look like scabs. He begins to vigorously scratch in between his toes and then moves on to the sole of his foot and starts picking at the cracks and rubbing the chunks of scab like skin. Picture Ally Sheedy’s dandruff scene in The Breakfast Club to envision the pile of grossness that was building up under him during his prolonged attack. It was snowing dead (and I imagine contaminated) foot skin. The best part is when he grabbed the pole next to him with the same hand he used to PICK HIS SCABBY FOOT! After that, I actually got off the bus at the nearest stop and waited for the next 150.
Whew! Thanks for giving us a venue for this kind of thing. I feel much better now that I have let this out.
That’s funny. I feel much worse. (But thank you for surviving and sharing, Oscar.)
David,
You could have used this opportunity to generate ideas on how to improve transit infrastructure, increasing convenience, safety, and ridership. Several commentators on yesterday’s thread shared insights that they developed by riding, day after day.
Instead, you choose to highlight an isolated incident that I fear will have the effect of perpetuating stereotypes about the metro system and its passengers.
In the emergent era of global warming, I hope you begin to start making better choices.
I dunno… I think my near-assault on the 358 is a better story.
I think Oscar would win all “suckiest route ever” stories just with the attack on the blind woman.
My column and slog posts will forever remain a safe and open space for those traumatized on Metro. (And I will forever remain a regular Metro rider.)
@1 Clearly, you’ve never ridden the 150, or you would know that things like that are a daily occurence, and not an isolated incident.
The 150 easily beats any of those mentioned in the polls for worst bus route–the 358 also deserves consideration.
@1 Geez, lighten up. I’m sure the kind of people that this would scare away from riding Metro wouldn’t have been riding it in the first place. I enjoy the horror stories — I’ll have something to remember (and chuckle about) the next time one happens to me on the bus.
Add a fist fight with a side of poop and you’ve got a day on the 358.
The 358 is, in fact, a bad neighborhood on wheels.
And @1, are you serious? Have you never read anything Schmader’s ever written? These stories are brilliant and I’m glad there will always be a forum for them.
@1- The truth is that if Oscar had been riding his bike, this wouldn’t have happened.
the possible irony of listening to “Sweetness and Light” while watching this unfold made me laugh
I rode the 150 2-3 times weekly between Tukwila and Seattle, which always included a mandatory 10 PM wait for it in deepest, darkest Tukwila for almost 2 years. And apart from the occasional drunk and random crackhead, it was fine. It ran on time, except for a few times when a bus wouldn’t show in the afternoons southbound. Then it was an utter clusterfuck. 358 along Aurora is way sketchier than the 150. Sorry, but not impressed with your story, Oscar.
This illustrates exactly why I do everything I can to not touch the handrails or go directly to somewhere where I can wash my hands if I have to actually touch them.
Humans are so disgusting. And how is it that I’m less disgusted by my cat licking her own ass?
358 hands down!
Just the other day I was on the 49/7 when a young girl got on with her friend, sat in the back directly across from me, and immediately proceeded to puke into a brown paper bag. Actually, she just kind of slumped over and puked ONTO the brown paper bag. On the plus side it appeared just to be stomach acid and/or bile. Her friend said “I probably should have left you at home” and I went to the front of the bus and stood there for the rest of my ride.
haha…thats my bus, the 150, so many stories to tell……so many
Untreated athlete’s foot can get really, really ugly. And messy. It’s all blisters, puss, scabs, and flaky skin chunks.
Thanks, UW dorm showers!