RapidPenang

Yesterday, purposely leave work sharp at 5.45pm. Purpose, wanna ride the new RapidPenang bus services. Why? Freeeeeeeeeeee mah. NO need pay money wor!

I rode my bike to Weld Quay Jetty. Reach there around 6.15pm. A lot of people there also. Notice lots of uncle and aunties. I intended to take any bus that goes to the more hulu places, for the longer journey, such as Teluk Bahang, Balik Pulau or Paya Terubung. I know there are also services to Prai, but those used the Jelutong Expressway, no scenery. Besides I don’t want to get trap on a bus in a jam on the Penang Bridge.

Here, I saw the ugly side of Penangites. Don’t want to queue. Don’t even want to wait for those one to bus to disembark first. Don’t even want to wait for the bus to come into a standstill.

Wait and wait for almost 15 minutes, still no bus that I wanted. Give up, and take the one to Penang Hill station. The bus is clean cause new mah! Aircond also powerful. Inside the bus, I decided to stand, and leave the seats to anybody else. I saw that the bus could sit 29 and standing room for another 20. First impression, realize many uncles and aunties. I believe must have been on the bus for the whole day already. All booked seats swee swee already. Bus starts to move even though only around 25 people on board. A good sign. Past experience, don’t care whether you have to wait 30 minutes or an hour, as long as not full, the bus will wait.

Reached Komtar. Walau eh, here people mountain people sea, all waiting to board the bus. Saw a yellow Milan bus there also, empty. And as usual, again typical kiasu penangites, as soon as the bus doors open, there is a mad rush to board the bus, even using the door behind which is suppose to let people get down from the bus only. End up, almost 80-90 people on the bus. Pack like sardin. Barely able to close the bus doors. Luckily I am tall, people smell my ketiak only :)

RapidPenang should have some personals to stop people from boarding a packed bus or even to drag down to stubborn one. Just like those at Putra LRT at Masjid Jamek, KL. At least to stop people from boarding a bus using the back door, i.e. no need to pay.

The ride is slow. Penang after office rush-hour traffic mah. Some more coincide with schools finishing their evening session.

Anyway the trip reaches Air Itam market. Decided to get down there to have a bowl of the Air Itam famous laksa. Nowadays quite salty. Overheard the Laksa uncle said last night when the bus service is ending, he saw a bunch of lau yi come down from a bus, all very ‘hua hi”, very syiok. Must have ridden the bus all day already. Some even “chuah soon chuah kia”.

After the laksa, took another bus, which is waiting nearby, back to Jetty. This one got music somemore one loh. But back door already faulty. Hydraulic failure so cannot open automatically. Overheard one uncle says, “three day only spoiled already ah”. So have to open and close by hand. And since I am standing there, I appoint myself to be a temporary doorman for RapidPenang for the whole trip. Wonder can claim salary or not?

My parents lagi terror. They also took a bus from the bus stop near my place to Komtar. And from there to Megamal Prai. Uncle and auntie also wanna have fun mah. Their trip lagi best. Their first bus halted at Jalan Datuk Keramat, due to engine failure or something. forcing them to walk to Komtar. Luckily quite near Gama already,. Kesian…………