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Q: what's so special about bus seats?
i don't know if anyone has ever seen this. this type of behavior is very minimal. but everytime a bus pulls up and there are more than 10 people waiting for the bus, there is a frenzy to try and be the first one on the bus. even if the bus is empty (20 seats available) and only 10 people at the bus stop. do some of the seats have money on them? candy? a coupon for a free "massage"?
and the funny thing is, after pushing old people out of the way to get on to the bus, if you offer them a seat they act as if they don't even want it. they go throw this ridiculous act where you must offer it at least 3 times.
but like i said this type of thing is minimal at best all of you probably never even seen it.
I've never seen an empty city bus in China and I never sit on the seats, except for long distance buses. The seats on city buses have been barfed and farted and even pissed on. Like who wants a surprise?
Well the bus seat takes a massively important role in Chinese culture, dating back to as early as the Qing dynasty when people would rally around the local carriage service of travel to the next town in order to gain passage on 'the golden seat' or 'jin weizi' as it was known then. The feng shui of seating oneself correctly is said to bring prosperity, not only to ones family, but the community in general and, as Confucious said "When our souls are aligned with the glory of Heaven, it is from the bottom up we soar to our souls Heavenly reward."
Yeh, I know.........don't post drunk. I'd best get to bed.
Saw it on the Subway all the time. I worked near the end of line one and it was EMPTY at my stop and only about 10 people per car would get on. Yet, they would still run to the seats then sit back and laugh.
It's just farmer behaviour. Simple minds.
Buses have a unique bouquet, akin to a locker room after a long summer season of football. I'd rather walk, never having been a fan of musical chairs.
I think it's just a habbit that people learn at a very young age. The longer I'm in China the more I do it. I've been stuck standing on subways/busses for far too long and as a result I'm sore and tired the rest of the day. Whenever I see an opening now I GO FOR IT. Unless I know I only have a few stops.
I use to be the same way, laugh and not understand why people do it. I still laugh to a certain extent, but more and more often I find this type of thing rubbing of on me and now I rush for seats as well when theres no need to.
Nothing! Right? They are simple plastic seats. I prefer to open the window and stick my head out for some fresh air. Ruff ruff growwrrr
'Refusing' to accept your seat on first offer - This is what I have observed on the few occasions I have offered my seat to an elderly Chinese on a bus : They only do that when it's a foreigner offering the seat. When it's a Chinese they gladly accept it on first offer. My guess is that it's just about being warm to you as a foreigner i.e. they want to make u feel comfortable, not to feel subjected to some discomfort just because of a local. I could be wrong but that's how I look at it. It's their expression of warmth to their 'guest' ( i know u wont like this word).
LAR:
Spot on Bona. In my experience a number of times, the elderly/older South Koreans were the same way. They could be very kind.
Just stand back and don't get involved in the madness. I see this everyday on the train and it's completely pointless. Let them push each other down, wait for them to clear out, then calmly walk in and take a free seat. No harm, no foul.
Crimo, if I may change your topic a bit..I'd like to know what is so special about metro seats? The reason that I ask is related to the horrendous metro 'incident' recently in Guangzhou. I still can't get over that! :0 You were the first to mention it on this website regarding the Chinasmack article that you read. * What could lead two people to have such a SERIOUS ALTERCATION (I still cannot believe all the blood) over a metro seat?!
crimochina:
actually this post was just before that incident happened. talk about timing
i see this everyday, its much worse here in gz, people are so eager to get inside and never wait for others to get off the train,
Talking about travel, I'm currently in Nanjing, anywhere near you? Still looking forward to that chat.
crimochina:
you said anytime anywhere in china. i said harbin jan 1st. do i need to write it in chinese? that is where i will be on Jan 1st.
Here's a little story, pretty related, that happened to me once:
I was waiting for the subway at the very first station, and was going to the very last station. So a long trip. As usual, everyone rushed in when the subway arrived, and I managed to grab a seat right before this one guy, who looked like an average salaryman in his 30's.
So what he did was look at me, and tell me "I'm just going to get off at the next station" ("let me take this seat" implied).
What he meant was that since he would ride the subway for the horribly long length of about 4 minutes, I should let him sit down first, and risk not being able to get another seat for the remaining hour of subway I had left.
Mind-blowing logic.
