The MUNI Push

Part of San Francisco commuter lore is that the "tiny Asian ladies" will push their way past you with the (pink) plastic bags full of groceries and other stuff. Is it true? Well, sure, it happens to me too. But people of all types (and of all ethnicities as far as I can tell) have pushed past me or "cut in line" to board a bus or disembark at their stops. So why is the stereotype so pervasive in this city? Is the Asian population so overwhelmingly large that they are the most obvious riders of public transit? Are they actually more pushy than others?

I have to admit that when it has happened to me, I wonder to myself, "What's the rush?" I have a similar reaction when people push their way to board before me in a line at an airport gate. I mean: we all have tickets and assigned seats; the plane isn't going anywhere right away; and you're already at the gate! (I also love that on my most recent flights, the gate agents have told people to step out of the line when they have attempted to board in a boarding group that has not yet been called. Ha! Good for you! back of the line and let us board ahead of you, as we had been assigned.) I know there's an advantage to getting onboard early (or earlier) to stow carry-on baggage, but beyond that, who wants to sit in those cramped seats for extra minutes of time?

Back to the MUNI bus situation: there is even less room for stowing "carry-on" bags and no assigned seating. Does this lead to the pushing? Does that behavior come from a lifetime of having been pushed and having to fight to get a place on board (a "place at the table" of public transportation, if you will)? I'm not sure. I know that when I was growing up in New York City, we often had to push our way onto crowded subways. but that was usually a consequence of having to get on the train during rush hour(s) and not knowing when the next G or R or E or F train would come by.

So this last time that a little Asian woman pushed past me to board the bus ahead of me, I just let her go. And I thought to myself, "Gee, what gives?" And then I realized I had probably done that too. And on top of that, I wasn't in that much of a hurry (in the big scheme of life), so I didn't have to board head of her either. And guess what? I didn't get on that bus because it was too crowded. Instead, I boarded (in my place in line) the next one...that came less than one minute behind. And our bus passed the more crowded one and got me safely to my destination in time anyway.

So what was the big deal? Just say no to fighting for a place on public transportation, I guess!