Mark Watson’s tweet about bus etiquette prompted some very funny and wholly relatable replies – 13 worth flagging down
To the world of comedian and author Mark Watson, where the great man was musing on Twitter about the best time to ring the bell on the bus when you want to get off at the next stop.
And it turns out the best time was the earliest time.
If I’m getting off the bus next stop I like to ring the bell as SOON as we leave the previous stop. Get it banked. It’s done. The driver is stopping. The contract is made. You get 60 seconds to savour it.
— Mark Watson (@watsoncomedian) September 24, 2023
We mention it because it prompted a whole load of very funny and wholly relatable responses about bus etiquette.
And, it has to be said, quite the debate.
1.
More often than not, doing that round here results in the driver forgetting by the time they get to the next stop
— MrsHat (@Mrs_Hat) September 24, 2023
2.
One of the smallest units of time is that between the bus pulling off and the pressing of the bell.
One never presses too early lest one triggers the door reopening of shame.
— Graham Leggett (@minfrin) September 24, 2023
3.
I have to give a leeway of at least 10-15 seconds after pulling away from the previous stop, because I can't have the driver thinking I wanted off at the last stop but missed it and am now messing him about. https://t.co/rIwGjYKA6l
— Stephen Graham (@StephenCVGraham) September 25, 2023
4.
Yes, until you approach the village of East Dean from Eastbourne on the number 12 and ring the bell and discover there’s ANOTHER stop at the top of the hill first and when you say ‘not this one’ everyone tuts and rolls their eyes *rains on parade*
— Richard Coles (@RevRichardColes) September 24, 2023
5.
Absolutely. Why suffer the anxiety of potentially forgetting, or pushing the button too late? Push it and you can relax.
— Eddie Robson (@EddieRobson) September 24, 2023
6.
No no no! Hideous breach of bus protocol! What if the driver thought you were signalling that you'd meant to get off at the just-left stop and could they do a squealy squealy stop now? What the devil were you thinking?
— David Tyler (@DavidTylerPozz) September 24, 2023
7.
No, the game is to leave it as late as possible, while still being the first one. You really need to read the bus to get your timing right.
— Robert Elms (@robert_elms) September 24, 2023
8.
What if he thinks you missed your stop and immediately stops again? You’d never live that shame down
— AP (@AlexJPreston) September 24, 2023
9.
Getting off at Hunter St on the 22 is an extreme sport. Less than 10 seconds to safely get to the front of the bus, already sweating cause you're on the verge of being late, pushing past the med students that got on at Brown St https://t.co/eUsIHyHJGu
— Dani McFawns (@DaniMcFawns) September 24, 2023
10.
Don't want to worry you but I once did this many years ago. The driver immediately braked, assuming that I'd missed my stop. I've spent the next 50 years worrying exactly when to press.
— Margaret Hopkin (@hopkin39) September 24, 2023
11.
This would be my go to approach but the awkwardness of pressing it, then realising there is another stop in-between is too much to bear.
I just hope someone is getting off at my stop and i can devolve all button pressing responsibilities to them.
— Chris Jack (@ChrisJackComedy) September 24, 2023
12.
For tourists, you should know that if you're in a group and you're all getting off at the same stop, then you should each ring the bell, so the driver knows how many people are getting off. It's just polite.
— Matthew Best (@BestMatthewmtv) September 24, 2023
13.
I would roll my eyes at your lack of chill. I wait as long as possible to see if someone else will do it. I have occasionally missed my stop, but it adds to the adventure.
— Trish King (@king_trish) September 24, 2023
If only we’d known other people spent as much time thinking about this sort of thing as we do, we wouldn’t have felt so anxious on virtually every single bus ride to (and from) school.
Read the comments for earnest and occasionally hilarious discussion of bus bell dinging etiquette. https://t.co/dX3yXfmny9
— Alison (@tudorgrrrl) September 24, 2023
Last word to @watsoncomedian.
Amid the many responses to this tweet, some have said: what happens if you ring it too soon, and the driver thinks you wanted off at the last one? Look. Give me some credit. I make sure we are beyond the window of ambiguity. I ring the bell immediately after that window. https://t.co/tW7HibGHPz
— Mark Watson (@watsoncomedian) September 24, 2023
So many got involved with this, really fun. If you’ve only been on Twitter for the past few years: this sort of nonsense is what we used to use it for, before the worst people in the world arrived.
— Mark Watson (@watsoncomedian) September 24, 2023
Follow @watsoncomedian on Twitter here! And go find him on tour here.
Source @watsoncomedian Image Pexels Mustafa Kalkan