A 40-MINUTE or so wait for a bus ride from Imus, Cavite that would take me to Lawton, Manila often gets me to digress to something many commuters go through while they feel public transportation has abandoned them — to consider paying more for alternative modes of transport (e.g., Grab, taxi, Angkas, car pooling, etc.). It is not totally about lack of public utility rides; the problem is that buses and jeepneys are literally overflowing with passengers during weekdays at 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. In my case, I usually do spend more (on a cup of coffee) with which I hope I could idle away the minutes long enough for the rush hour crowd to dissipate. A few times I would find myself retreating to a corner inside a convenience store, facing the street, right in front of a swarm of commuters where many try to outflank the others in an obvious battle for space.