How to Be a Good Traveler!

Seeing as how I meet a couple hundred travelers a day, I've gained some insight on how to be a good traveler.

Here is what I've learned :)
1) If you're riding a bus that has a narrated tour given by a live driver, please do not allow your child to sing twinkle-twinkle little star at the top of their lungs while the driver is trying to give the tour.  This is especially important when the child is sitting right behind the driver and singing said song in the driver's left ear.  Remember, other people are trying to listen to the tour they paid to take.

2)  If there is standing room only on the bus, please take the hint that you need to adjust your position when the driver says (5 times repeated)  "Folks, please be courteous of the people you're standing next to.  Leaning on the seat they're sitting in means you're practically sitting on their head.  If you could please be sure to just grasp the seat back with your hand while the bus is in motion, this would keep everyone safe and comfortable"  Yes, if you hear this repeated more than once, it means someone, maybe YOU, are the offender, and the driver is trying to tell you nicely that you're practically sitting on the person's head :)

3)  When the driver tells you there is no more room on the bus,and that the next shuttle will be along in 20 minutes, please don't try to get on the bus anyway saying "There are just two of us"  No more room means exactly that, NO MORE ROOM!  This means even two more people will no fit onto the already overcrowded bus.

4)  If you're not going to leave your driver a tip, that's fine.  We appreciate tips, but we know not everybody is going to tip, and we don't expect you to.  Do not, however, reach into the tip bucket and pretend you're putting money in, when indeed you're not.  We can see the tip bucket, it's clear plastic!  When you reach in like you're placing a tip in, but don't actually leave one, it makes you look like  a jerk, rather than just someone who chooses not to tip.

5)  Do not carry on a conversation via your cell phone at the top of your voice when the driver is trying to give information.  This is not only rude, it's in bad taste as well.  If you must make a call, or accept a call, please keep it brief and to the point.  Not everyone on the bus needs to hear you say "We're driving back from the Glacier right now"  Everyone on the bus knows exactly what you're doing already, they're on the bus with you!  :)

6)  Don't shove and push people in line while trying to get on the bus.  If the bus is on time, and you're running late, then it's YOUR fault you're out of time, not the drivers fault, and not the other travelers' fault.  Plan you're time accordingly please!

7)  Don't threaten to call someone's boss to get them fired because they're doing their job.  The person you're  treating so badly may just be the brother or sister of the boss :)

8) If you are traveling with a child, invest the $20 and buy an umbrella stroller from Walmart. Dragging your $300 Cadillac Stroller that is the size of a small bus onto a crowded bus is inconvenient for everyone. You paid for an adult ticket, that means one seat, not a seat for you and two more seats taken up by your baby paraphernalia.

9)  SMILE!  You're on vacation and you're supposed  to be having fun.

TTFN!