Suzhou Travel: A Quick Grumble About the Bus Drivers
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Alright, no problem! Let me rewrite this for you so that friends from abroad can easily understand your experience and reminder!
Hello everyone! I want to share a small "culture shock" moment that I experienced on the first day in Suzhou:
• Coming out of the subway, I found a bus right in front of me and was flustered. My virtual bus card (from the app on my phone) wasn't even set up yet, but I hurriedly got on.
• After getting on the bus, the driver politely asked me to sit down first.
• At that time, I thought, "I have to take time to hold on and scan the app to pay," which is what we usually do in our country.
• However, Driver Uncle became slightly agitated and said, "How can I start driving if you don't sit down?"
• I quickly understood and headed for an empty seat...• In all honesty, I felt mildly uneasy about it.
• In our home city, bus drivers generally wait a bit more if passengers need a little more time to make the payment after grabbing onto something, instead of insisting that they sit first before driving off.
Suzhou Bus Riding Tips (Especially for First-time Visitors)!
• Please find a seat promptly when boarding!
• Why? Drivers in Suzhou commonly expect passengers to settle in first before starting off, perhaps due to safety or convenience concerns.
• What to do? If you haven't finished paying, find a seat first and then complete the process on your mobile device. Or, if you need to stand while paying, politely communicate with the driver first.• A minor suggestion for Suzhou's buses:
• A simple sign at the entrance (in both Chinese and English) reading “Seat First, Pay Later” could greatly benefit visitors like us from abroad.
• Additionally, if drivers could adopt a slightly gentler tone of voice when issuing requests, it would be even better.I hope that your experience will help other friends who visit Suzhou in the future! Have a pleasant journey!