The Seat Game

Each day as I have ridden home I watch people choose their seats. People get on and seriously scan to find just the right seat. I find humor that something so small is a big decision. But as I thought more about it, I also have preferred seats. My faves are the middle section. I am back far enough that I don't immediately have to give my seat up, but can still study. The danger of these is that as the bus fills up (which it often does), there is a great risk that I will need to give up my seat. Now not everyone gives up their seat but I feel incredibly guilty as I sit there and people much older than me stand. I rarely if ever sit in the front because even though there are no signs, these seats seemed to be reserved for the older, disabled, and people with small children. The back is my next choice as I rarely have to give up my seat. But the risk of these seats is that I can only study for about 15 minutes (of my 40 minute ride) before I start to feel slightly carsick. On the way to school I never have to make this decision as I usually stand most of the way. Because the bus is PACKED in the mornings. My decision is pretty straight forward, but others will move to a different seat within the bus as more preferred seats open up. It seems that the middle seats are the most preferred, followed by those in the first row of the back section. Then if it is a warm and sunny day, the seats that are in the sun will fill up last and people will quickly move out of those as others become available. Who knew choosing your seat on the bus had so many factors? And these are only the ones I can observe, I am sure there are more that I am unaware of!