For the first time on Friday I ventured out on my very first bus ride on the CAT bus. With gas prices being almost $4 a gallon, I thought I should give it a try. I ventured out of the house to get the bus at 7:40 am, crossed 70 and hopped on the bus…. Not so bad I thought to myself….until the ride home in the evening.

Sitting at the Moore Square Bus Stop for 30 minutes waiting on the bus was a great treat. The “Hey Baby” comment was my favorite! So here are my tips for people who are interested in riding the bus. I think following these few simple rules can help when riding the CAT bus in Raleigh.

1. Always wear sunglasses. This allows you to avoid any and all eye contact at all costs.

2. Listen to your ipod. If you look otherwise engaged people will ignore you all together.

3. Sit on the outside seat. If you sit on the outside seat chances are no one will ask you to move over and you won’t have to sit next to the smelly guy on the bus. And trust me you do not want to sit next to the smelly guy on the bus!

4. Board the bus on an intermittent stop before getting to Moore Square. I learned this the hard way… If you board the bus before the Moore Square stop at least you won’t have to hang out with the crazy people or hear “Hey Baby”.

5. Wear comfortable shoes. The trek to and from the bus stop may not feel good in your Jimmy Choos. I know that it does not seem cool to wear tennis shoes with your work clothes but trust me your toes will thank you later.

Hope these few tips help you on your next bus ride!!!