Angry Motorized Scooter Guy

I may have alluded to Angry Motorized Scooter Guy in past entries. AMSG is exactly as described – a very angry, somewhat overweight man who rides around my neighborhood in a “mobility scooter”, a flashy metallic red number complete with basket.

I was first introduced to AMSG on a street in downtown Pittsburgh. He was arguing with a bus driver over whether there was enough room for him to ride the bus. It was the position of the bus driver that there was not enough room on the bus. It was the position of AMSG that there was, indeed, enough room on the bus for him to board. The PAT driver relented and was proven correct in his estimation as AMSG was forced to stand, pick up his scooter and put it into place, thus making everyone on the bus wonder exactly what sort of handicap the man had.

Every since that first encounter, which ended with AMSG following me up the street to my house ranting the entire time about the insensitivity of PAT drivers, I have tried to avoid him. Successive encounters only verified my first impression – that he was a pretty angry guy. Most of his encounters with PAT drivers were combative in nature, to the point that drivers would actually pass him up if they saw him waiting at a stop.

But I witnessed a softer, gentler side of AMSG this morning. As usual, I left the house timed exactly to witness the passing of the four buses that seem to drive by my stop just as I am about to reach it. As I saw AMSG waiting at the stop, I took my time crossing the busway, assuming I would catch one out of the next set of five slated to pass by in twenty minutes.

As it turns out, AMSG was not able to board the bus because the chair ramp was broken. Not only did he let everyone else board before him, he also notified the driver that I was coming and held the bus for me, with only a single bitter comment about his inability to ride this particular bus.

Thanks AMSG!