4th Thought: The Perks of a Commuter

Are you a commuter like me? If yes, then you definitely know what I experience. If not, have you ever thought of how it feels to be one? Have you ever imagined how the life of a commuter is? Would you spare a day giving your car a rest and being a commuter for a change? But before you venture as a commuter, I will share to you my experiences as a commuter to give you a gist of what awaits you on the streets.

The usual sight in front of Golden City Subd., Santa Rosa, Laguna

Public transportation is massive in the country. You can see pedicabs and tricycles in the villages, jeepneys, public buses and public vans along the city streets, and RORO's, passenger ships and small boats on sea waters. It has been a great help to people who cannot afford owning cars. This is because it is cheaper and more convenient for people than having a car that needs to be fueled with gasoline and to have maintenance. Well, unless you're somehow wealthy enough to buy a car and to have it maintained.


I have been a commuter since when I was ten, a fifth grader. Back then, my commuter route was a tricycle ride from home to school and vice versa within the subdivision. When I entered high school, it became a tricycle ride from home going out to the subdivision and a 20-minute jeepney ride to the Santa Rosa City proper. The travel back home was the challenge due to the traffic by the Balibago-Hi-Way-Santa Rosa intersection. Back then, I left school at 4:45 PM and arrived home at around 6:00 to 7:00 PM depending on the traffic flow.

 

The usual sight going to my SM Makati jeepney ride

Now that I'm a college student in Makati (in bold face and underline for greater emphasis), I can say that my commuter life became more hectic. I would wake up at 4:30 AM; leave house at around 5:20 to 5:45; ride on the jeepneys (those which passes by along the streets and don't wait to be filled with passengers); ride an approximately 30-minute ride to Magallanes (depending on the traffic flow) and ride another jeepney to school. Going home would be a jeepney ride to SM Makati and either a van ride to Balibago Complex or a bus ride to Pacita Complex (which will be proceeded by a 30-minute jeepney ride to the subdivision). 


Yes, a lengthy adventure for someone like me. But this is what I want - a tiring yet exciting route to and from Makati - instead of a boring long ride to the nearby colleges at home. With this chapter in my commuter life, I get to see more of the cities, meet new people, and experience new things. I even tried standing along the bus aisle like these men at the photo or sitting along the aisle beside the bus driver.


But the things that satisfy me the best are the acquaintances I had like the bus conductor of Jac Liner's bus 2008 (a really nice guy compared to other conductors) and that newspaper tabloids female vendor at the Balibago Complex Jac Liner bus terminal; the sights to see along the way like those green trees at SLEX; and the freedom to go to malls which is less likely to have for those who have fetchers (excluding those who own cars, I know you people have that freedom).


Being a commuter is exhausting, but once you got accustomed to it, you won't notice the fatigue. Being a commuter also helps lengthen your patience and improve your punctuality and timeliness. In addition to that, it will improve your health if your route involves walking a certain (long) distance. Also, it will lessen carbon emissions coming from your private cars. Now I'm asking you, why not try being a commuter?


PS: Watch out for pickpockets and holdapers anytime of the day and rapists at night. So far, I'm not yet a victim (LOL).