#28 HUNGARY Green Velocity - Crash the Habit: Μικρές Ιστορίες
- EERcomt
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Παρακάτω παρατίθεται μία από τις 44 ιστοριούλες που απαρτίζουν τη συλλογή μαρτυριών από ατυχήματα σε στεριά, αέρα και θάλασσα 11 νεαρών ατόμων από διάφορα μέρη της Ευρώπης και του κόσμου.
ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ #28
ΣΙΔΗΡΟΔΡΟΜΙΚΕΣ ΓΡΑΜΜΕΣ
by Ilana Lamas von Sohsten (Brasilian), European Solidarity Corps; ESAI EN ROI volunteer
ESC volunteering in teams DHIAfest campaign diffusion International Campaign
Hungary|| Transportation Accident Stories
Supporting Organization: FEKETE SEREG
The Most Expensive Bus Ride in the World
a story about the absurdity of public transport bureaucracy and how it disproportionately affects students, turning small errors into big frustrations.
After finishing her last exam of the semester, Angélica couldn’t wait to get home. She had barely slept the night before, overwhelmed with anxiety about that damn test, which, in the end, wasn’t even that bad—just long. As she climbed the steps onto the bus, she was already sighing in relief. Her “good afternoon” to the driver had never sounded so cheerful.
Everything was going smoothly—until it came time to swipe her card to enter the bus. Tiny letters flashed on the screen, stabbing Angélica right in the heart: INSUFFICIENT BALANCE.
Impossible. That same morning, right after arriving at the university, she had gone straight to the Student Center to reload her card. The whole point was to be able to go home immediately after the exam.
She turned around, bumping into every student in line to get on the bus, and marched, with fast and furious steps, back to the Center—and then, to the card service booth.
“Good afternoon,” Angélica said, already frowning, to the man sitting behind the glass.
“Good afternoon! How can I help you?” Great. He sounded really helpful.
“I added credit to my card this morning, but when I just tried to use it on the bus, it said there were only a few cents left.”
“Really? That’s odd. We’ve never had that problem before.”
“Yeah, well, it just happened.”
“Do you have the receipt?”
“Hm.” Angélica thought for a few seconds, then remembered she’d stuffed it in her wallet. The trash can had seemed too far away that morning. “Here it is!”
The man took the receipt and examined it carefully for a few seconds.
“It says here you added 4 euros.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“At 9:57 a.m.”
“Yes, around then.”
“And now it’s 5:20 p.m.”
“Okay, so?”
“Well, ma’am,” he looked a bit embarrassed to say it, “you may have used your credit between then and now.”
“Excuse me?! I put in 4 euros, which means…” she paused to do the math, “Are you saying I took eight buses since 10 a.m.?”
“I’m not saying you did. I’m just saying it’s possible.”
“No! It’s not possible. Why would I? Why would I take eight buses in one day?”
“I don’t know, ma’am.”
“Look at me. Do I look like I’ve taken eight buses?” she was starting to lose her patience. “Here, touch my forehead. See if I’m all sweaty and sticky.” She leaned her face down to the little opening where people pass cards and cash.
“I’d rather not, ma’am,” he replied, uneasy. “But… no offense, you do seem a bit sweaty.”
“That’s because you’re making me nervous!” And indeed, she was starting to feel an unusual heat building up in her body, making her sweat.
“I could be wrong, but usually people get nervous when they’re lying.”
“Excuse me?” Angélica raised her voice, drawing attention. “Are you calling me a liar?”
“No, no, not at all,” he said nervously. Then, in a calmer tone, “Look, can you prove you didn’t use the credit? If so, we’ll refund you. Of course. I just can’t do it without evidence—the company doesn’t allow it.”
“How am I supposed to prove I didn’t take those eight buses? It’s impossible to prove something you didn’t do!”Her voice was already loud, and when she hit the word “didn’t,” it came out almost as a shout. She took a deep breath and tried reasoning.
“Okay, do this: prove to me, right now, that God doesn’t exist.”
“What?” He looked deeply offended. “But ma’am, I believe God exists! In fact, I’m certain He’s listening to this entire conversation. And He, our Savior, doesn’t like it when people doubt His existence.”
“I’m not saying He doesn’t exist—I was just trying to make a point. You can’t prove something doesn’t exist. Or that something didn’t happen.”By this point, Angélica had given up arguing. She could feel the impatience of the line forming behind her.
She sighed and opened her wallet. “You know what? Just put another 4 euros on the card, please.”
“Of course! Happy to help!” he said, with the same cheerful tone he’d started with.
Once again, Angélica climbed the steps of the bus.This time, there was no relief—only immense frustration. And her desire to get home had multiplied by twenty.
She swiped her card at the machine. INSUFFICIENT BALANCE.
No. This had to be a joke—some sort of prank. She felt a scream rise in her throat and get stuck. She felt the urge to smash the machine and rip off the turnstile rise in her arms—and get stuck.
She handed the driver 0,5 euros in cash and went to sit down.
As the bus pulled away, she couldn’t hold back anymore.She threw her card out the window.
It would cost her another 5 euros.
