As a non-driver from a car-free household, I am a big fan of public transport. So I’m always particularly pleased when I spot examples of kindness while on the move.
For example, on a day out to meet with friends yesterday, my daughter and I were waiting at Earley train station. There’s a bridge that goes over the tracks and a toddler was standing on it with his grandmother, watching for the trains. As the train pulled out of the station towards the bridge, the driver tooted the horn for the little boy’s benefit.
We regularly receive stories of kindness on public transport to feature on the Time for Kindness website. Stories such as:
• Passengers on a bus helped a young man who had come to the area for a job interview – he didn’t know which stop to get off at or how to find the interview location so they gave him directions
• A stranger paid for a student’s bus ticket to college when her own debit card was declined and she had no cash to pay the fare
• A passenger helped to carry a child’s pushchair down the stairs at a station (this, or carrying heavy suitcases, is a really common example we hear about)
• A whole bus of passengers had a whip round to raise the fare for a couple of tourists who did not have the change needed (the next time they were on a bus, they did the same to help someone else)
Connecting with others
I have a friend who is also a non-driver. She travels a lot for work and to visit her family across the country. She was recently telling me how much she enjoys public transport as a way to meet different people and have chats with them during the journey.
Sometimes those conversations start up due to issues such as a delayed train, but sometimes it is just because they are sitting next to each other and sharing the experience.
I have long believed that kindness is powerful because it connects us as human beings. My friend’s stories of her travels are a great way to illustrate that connection.
Kindness and cars
I do also hear about kindness related to cars. Examples such as friends and neighbours (and occasionally strangers) giving each other lifts. Or a driver on a busy road who lets another car out in front of them. And I have sometimes heard about kind situations related to car-park spaces.
What will you see?
Don’t get me wrong, travelling by public transport can be a difficult and frustrating experience – when there are delays, an inconsiderate fellow passenger or too many people for the seats provided. But like many things in life, if we really look at what’s going on and make a conscious effort to look out for the positive, there is lots of kindness going on too. Have a look around you and let me know what you see!
Sarah Browning is a Kindness Cheerleader, Communicator and Strategist. For more inspiring stories of kindness, visit: www.timeforkindness.co.uk
