Public Transport and You
I know this is one of our biggest fears!
Today i'm traveling to Huddersfield from where I live which consists of one bus and two trains. This can be a very stressful time for anyone who is AS so I wanted to share some of the techniques I use to make it through those journeys.
For a start money is the first worry;
Do I have enough???
For this I have a tip, go online and type in the name of the transport company in my case it's Rossendale Transport. Before looking at timetables there should be a prices list that tells potential commuters what to expect to pay for single or return journeys.
So for me if I wanted an all day return ticket i'll have to make sure I have £4.70 on me for a day rover or for a single today I need £3.60 to get to the train station.
If the website is no help when it comes to prices ask the driver what the price is or a friend that you can trust who uses the buses a lot. If you have a young persons bus pass then you should be fine... but other than that always make sure you know how much money you need for your journey.
The second thing is timetables , depending on the area you live in Bus times will be either every 10 to 15 minutes if they are a regular service and for local services you could be waiting for up to an hour. Familiarise yourself with the time tables and then also where you can catch the bus from in the area you are in. It might help if you go for a walk around and check out the local bus station and go to the information centre and get a timetable from there as well. But if you don't want to talk to anyone the internet is your best bet. I know that it can be difficult to talk to people you don't know and more importantly trust so maybe the internet is a better guide for you.
One of the things to combat when on the bus is other people and movement. These simple tips might be able to help.
1) Music or MP3 player
I know it sounds so simple but a MP3 player is one of the best weapons I have to cope with anything to do with travel. I know that there are other people on the bus so I make sure my music is loud enough to blur out noise I don't want to hear and then sit back and relax and just listen to the music. Favourite Artists and Bands also aid. So whether you love heavy metal or One Direction use it to your advantage!!
2) Seating
If the bus isn't full try and place yourself near a bell so that you don't have to get up while the bus is still moving, this makes sure that you can press stop when you see your stop approaching. Also sit where you feel safe, if it's the back of the bus sit there. It's where you feel comfortable. If you want sit closest to aisle of the bus you can get out easier. Also if you don't want anyone to sit next to you put your bag on the other seat. It might sound mean or look rude but you don't have to explain why you won't give up that seat unless it is to a pregnant women or to an elderly/disabled person.
3) Have another distraction
So in this case maybe have a book with you, if you are taking the bus route for the first time and are unsure don't use the book as you will be worried about where your stop is. In this case turn the volume down on your MP3 Player if you want and then watch the stops as they approach. Check where you have paid to on your ticket as well.
Once the bus has started like I said before maybe anxiety will increase if you don't know where your stop is. I have in the past had to ask bus drivers where my stop is or actually locate it by eye. So long as you know where you are going you'll be fine if not a map of the route might be an option.
Trains
Trains are a different system to the bus, again the internet is the first source for ticket prices and route planners. If you have an Apple Iphone or an Android phone you can download the rail app which is free to download from the App Store. There it will load up your journey for you, show you the price and also if you need to change trains at another station. When purchasing your ticket it can be well a little frightening just state where you are going or if not buy your tickets online before hand. This works for longer journeys.
Once you have your ticket keep it with you at all times!
Trains are wired things again I would suggest to use your music to keep your mind off your surroundings but you do need to listen to the conductor as they will state which station is next and where to change if needed. For these types of journeys I also take a book with me to read so that will distract me more, say if i'm going to the last stop I will relax more and just wait until the train stops.
*Using the Underground in London will be different as it is a different system, every train on every line comes up to every 5 minutes. It is usually busy at two times, these are peak times so the morning rush when everyone is getting to work and about 5pm when the evening rush picks up. Try if you can to avoid these peak times as the Underground can get over crowded and busy and small spaces with no escapes routes are not an Aspie girls best friend.*
Changing trains...
When you get off the train look around find the destination boards with the platform and time of arrival of the train and find your platform. There will also be an announcement to say that the train is going to be on say platform 1 and it's going to Manchester. I know it can be stressful but you can do it!!!
I know that is a lot of information to take in, but hopefully this will ease your journey and hopefully get you to the place you need to go with out you being stressed.
Sophie x
Today i'm traveling to Huddersfield from where I live which consists of one bus and two trains. This can be a very stressful time for anyone who is AS so I wanted to share some of the techniques I use to make it through those journeys.
For a start money is the first worry;
Do I have enough???
For this I have a tip, go online and type in the name of the transport company in my case it's Rossendale Transport. Before looking at timetables there should be a prices list that tells potential commuters what to expect to pay for single or return journeys.
So for me if I wanted an all day return ticket i'll have to make sure I have £4.70 on me for a day rover or for a single today I need £3.60 to get to the train station.
If the website is no help when it comes to prices ask the driver what the price is or a friend that you can trust who uses the buses a lot. If you have a young persons bus pass then you should be fine... but other than that always make sure you know how much money you need for your journey.
The second thing is timetables , depending on the area you live in Bus times will be either every 10 to 15 minutes if they are a regular service and for local services you could be waiting for up to an hour. Familiarise yourself with the time tables and then also where you can catch the bus from in the area you are in. It might help if you go for a walk around and check out the local bus station and go to the information centre and get a timetable from there as well. But if you don't want to talk to anyone the internet is your best bet. I know that it can be difficult to talk to people you don't know and more importantly trust so maybe the internet is a better guide for you.
One of the things to combat when on the bus is other people and movement. These simple tips might be able to help.
1) Music or MP3 player
I know it sounds so simple but a MP3 player is one of the best weapons I have to cope with anything to do with travel. I know that there are other people on the bus so I make sure my music is loud enough to blur out noise I don't want to hear and then sit back and relax and just listen to the music. Favourite Artists and Bands also aid. So whether you love heavy metal or One Direction use it to your advantage!!
2) Seating
If the bus isn't full try and place yourself near a bell so that you don't have to get up while the bus is still moving, this makes sure that you can press stop when you see your stop approaching. Also sit where you feel safe, if it's the back of the bus sit there. It's where you feel comfortable. If you want sit closest to aisle of the bus you can get out easier. Also if you don't want anyone to sit next to you put your bag on the other seat. It might sound mean or look rude but you don't have to explain why you won't give up that seat unless it is to a pregnant women or to an elderly/disabled person.
3) Have another distraction
So in this case maybe have a book with you, if you are taking the bus route for the first time and are unsure don't use the book as you will be worried about where your stop is. In this case turn the volume down on your MP3 Player if you want and then watch the stops as they approach. Check where you have paid to on your ticket as well.
Once the bus has started like I said before maybe anxiety will increase if you don't know where your stop is. I have in the past had to ask bus drivers where my stop is or actually locate it by eye. So long as you know where you are going you'll be fine if not a map of the route might be an option.
Trains
Trains are a different system to the bus, again the internet is the first source for ticket prices and route planners. If you have an Apple Iphone or an Android phone you can download the rail app which is free to download from the App Store. There it will load up your journey for you, show you the price and also if you need to change trains at another station. When purchasing your ticket it can be well a little frightening just state where you are going or if not buy your tickets online before hand. This works for longer journeys.
Once you have your ticket keep it with you at all times!
Trains are wired things again I would suggest to use your music to keep your mind off your surroundings but you do need to listen to the conductor as they will state which station is next and where to change if needed. For these types of journeys I also take a book with me to read so that will distract me more, say if i'm going to the last stop I will relax more and just wait until the train stops.
*Using the Underground in London will be different as it is a different system, every train on every line comes up to every 5 minutes. It is usually busy at two times, these are peak times so the morning rush when everyone is getting to work and about 5pm when the evening rush picks up. Try if you can to avoid these peak times as the Underground can get over crowded and busy and small spaces with no escapes routes are not an Aspie girls best friend.*
Changing trains...
When you get off the train look around find the destination boards with the platform and time of arrival of the train and find your platform. There will also be an announcement to say that the train is going to be on say platform 1 and it's going to Manchester. I know it can be stressful but you can do it!!!
I know that is a lot of information to take in, but hopefully this will ease your journey and hopefully get you to the place you need to go with out you being stressed.
Sophie x
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