Devin RuicThings beer bottles are not for: throwing at the EMTA drivers that take Mercyhurst students downtown every weekend. Talk about an ill-conceived plan.

This past weekend, the worst in a series of incidents that have put Mercyhurst at odds with our EMTA partners occurred, acting as the potential capstone that could lose us all the privilege of transportation to establishments like the Cellblock, Boardwalk and the Plymouth.

Now, after an evening spent among friends at $1.50 Import Night at the Plymouth or $1 shots at Cellblock, I can understand a certain degree of rowdiness on the bus ride back – but usually that means some yelling back and forth to one another, or (in the case of last Friday night) engaging in a bit of call-and-response cheering. I cannot understand the rise in belligerence on the so-called “Drunk Bus.”

Mercyhurst College, and specifically Mercyhurst Student Government, worked tremendously hard to guarantee that we, the students, would have safe and consistent transportation to the downtown attractions during the weekends, allowing those of us who are 21 the opportunity to drink somewhere other than the Cornerstone every once in a while.

Though it seems there is a growing minority of students who enjoy being absolute imbeciles – I hope they like paying cab fare to go downtown, because when EMTA revokes the contract for the night routes on State Street it will be out of the hands of the college and the Student Government. We will no longer have the ease of access for the downtown locations, and we students ought not think that there will be a revival of the predecessor to EMTA – the MSG Shuttle – because the shuttle, decrepit as it was, has been sold for scrap and the proceeds help pay for the EMTA service, along with the host of other expenses MSG generates planning events like Springfest.

So, before you board the bus headed downtown this week (if the contract isn’t already revoked) take measures to ensure that we can keep our “Drunk Bus” running from Mercyhurst to State Street:

1) Do not be a jerk to the driver and the security guard – haven’t you realized those are usually the same two guys? They’ve given up their Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights so we can go drink.

2) You have a problem with someone else on the bus? Keep your problems off the bus. Your belligerence toward one another is not anyone else’s problem.

3) If you know who decided it was a wonderful idea to assault the driver of a moving vehicle by throwing a bottle at his head – turn them in. Genuinely, I care more about having a safe drive home than some (under or over 21) punk’s problem with the driver and Res Life by extension.

For the person who threw the bottle: Just realize that while you might be feeling pretty cool right now, it will be your fault, and yours alone, when we no longer have a ride downtown, you senseless lightweight.