TIC Moment

A friend asked me to meet her for lunch today and I took the bus to the restaurant. The last time I took the same bus there, I thought I got off a stop early and had to walk 10 minutes to get to the restaurant.

So this time I thought I would get off at the next stop.

Wrong.

The bus ended up passing the restaurant, going around the corner, turning left and then some. The stop before seemed like a hop, skip and a jump to the restaurant, compared to where I was now.

This is what I can't understand about Beijing bus stops. They are so far apart from each other and sometimes the stops are in the middle of no where. You would think they would create a bus stop in high traffic areas, particularly this one where there are a number of restaurants, apartment buildings and a grocery store.

But I guess it doesn't work that way and the transportation department arbitrarily decides where stops go without much rhyme or reason.

To get back, I had to cross the street and either grab a cab, or another bus going back to where I was.

And luck would have it, I took the same number bus going back the same way. And again it passed the restaurant and then some.

I had to walk back again, the 10-minute walk I thought was too far and ended up being more than 15 minutes late.

Don't get me wrong -- I enjoy taking the bus, especially when it's not rush hour. But it's when bus stops are placed in the most inconvenient places is when I fume in frustration about the city. Yes, I know -- TIC -- This Is China.

No wonder taxi drivers are doing so well here. If public transit was planned a bit better, I'm sure cabbies would have to find other ways to supplement their incomes.