Seen and Heard #2 Hot August Days

Last week I started this section as overheard, but I also wanted to share my photos to the selection, so lets now called Seen and Heard. Tempting to call it Seen and Hurd but that's a bit much. 

Shade: The Gateway transit center is a heat forge of concrete and sun. There is very little shade at all so it is brutal on those waiting for a train. On the West side of the platform people flock to the small amount of shade offered by a bus while the driver is on break. 

Overheard on my Bus

The Kid

"Me please!" Small child in a group was upset that she didn't get a bus pass like the adults, I gave him a tore-down kids version. His smile was huge. 

Smart Ass

Smart ass: "You're as late as my last bus driver!"

Me: "Yet I'm earlier than your next driver so it all evens out" 

Ms. Shocked

Rider: "Holy crap!"

Me: "What?"

Rider: "This is a bus from back when I went to school"

Me "It's and old one to be sure.

Rider: "What happened run out of busses"

Me: "Yes we did"

Rider: "HOLY CRAP!"

Don't Panic Portland Metro Area. Trimet has all these new busses that have great air-conditioning and a better cooling system for the engine so they won't break down in the heat. Just so you know they are all sitting at Powell Garage safe and unused during this hot streak. Oh they will be ready for next year so enjoy the 100 degree days and keep repeating to your self "Trimet planning is awesome! Trimet planning is AWESOME! TRIMET PLANNING IS AWESOME!" 

Overheard on my Bus

 Deadhead Conversation 

Veteran Driver: "This bus has 30/50 air conditioning."

Me: "What is that?" 

Veteran Driver: "It means you open 30 windows and drive over 50 MPH" 

Overheated Passenger 

Setting: "picking up rider from long, hot and shadeless strip of road." 

Rider: "I'm glad you are here!" 

Rider steps into my bus and realizes it's hotter then outside. 

Rider "I'll wait until the next bus"

Rider steps back out the bus.

 Basic Math

Rider: "Is this 50th?"

Driver: "Yes it is" 

Rider: "How many blocks is it until 52nd?" 

Driver:   Looks at rider. 

Rider: "Oh shit! I didn't just ask that?" 

 Bad day in Downtown.  Mom, Dad and Teenager biking downtown. They turned onto 5th but swung wide onto the transit way. From my seat I yelled "NO!" but they were too far away.  The mother in the lead made it the daughter following hooked up in the tracks and fell, the mother turning back to see her daughter then hooked in the tracks and was hammered to the ground as well. Father came around the corner following up and was shocked to see wife and daughter face down in the tacks.  I pulled forward as soon as my light was green and offered help but they all seemed to be ok. Scared the hell of of me, I felt so bad for them. I hope they are all ok.   Thanks Dean for being there with the fast camera, you were that close to a youtube moment.

PS: I've been there, I know the horror of glancing down and seeing my tire get sucked into a rail road track. I went down so hard despite only moving at walking speed. This sucks and what's worse then seeing it? Seeing it coming and being powerless to do anything about it 

Well that's it for today.. Roll Easy you Big Rollers. 

Comments

[David P. Dorn]

Could be "Seen and Herd"