As the bus pulls into view, I raise my hand to signal to the bus driver to stop for me. Then I hop aboard, show the driver my pass, and quickly take a seat.
When I first tried using the bus, I was very worried that I would miss my stop! The bus travels quickly, and if you don't signal to the driver well before your arrêt (stop) you will certainly miss it. Usually, a screen at the front of the bus and voiceover announce the next stop. When it isn't working, I keep my eyes peeled for a familiar landmark outside so I know when to signal the driver.
I also felt nervous about getting into an accident when I first begain taking the bus. While main roads may be modern and paved, the town of Le Puy and the surrounding area date back to medieval times. This means the width of the roads is a lot smaller than in the United States. To account for this, French cars are smaller than American cars. It seems the same principle was not applied to French buses. Even after three months of riding the bus, I continue to be amazed at the driver's knack for squeezing our giant bus down narrow, windy roads. The drivers are certainly experienced and I have yet to encounter a bus accident.
French people are aware of how using gas to get around contributes to climate change. Other aspects of French culture have shifted to become more sustainable and to emit less carbon. For instance, most people use reusable shopping bags and buy their groceries from local farmers during the weekly outdoor market.
