“I met my wife on a train platform” – Twitter Shares Heartwarming Stories of #GreatThingThatHappenedOnTransit

Public transit. We all complain about it. It can get overcrowded, make you late for an important meeting, and bring out some of the most weird behavior in some people.

While most of us agree there is plenty of room for improvement on the public transport front, others seem to have given up on the idea in itself.

Visionary entrepreneur Elon Musk seems to be one of them, with comments made at a recent conference landing him in Twitter hot water.

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But not only did Musk’s comments attract criticism from urban planning and city development specialists, members of the public took to Twitter to tell unique and special moments that happened on mass transit.

Moments that happened thanks to the sense of community, and shared space and experiences public transport allows for. Chatting with strangers with adventurous life stories. Witnessing random acts of kindness. Watching a live performance. Meeting a future spouse. Running into a long-lost friend.

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As Twitter’s little Christmas miracle unfolded, people took to the social media platform in droves to share heartwarming stories accompanied by #GreatThingThatHappenedOnTransit, a hashtag launched by city planner and urbanist Brent Toderian.

The former Vancouver city planner criticized Musk’s comments and views, but rather than focusing on the negative, he asked his followers to join him in creating an online movement that celebrates all the great things that happen on public transport.

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Beyond the obvious benefits, like cutting down overall commute times and emissions, users emphasized the human moments that happen on mass transit. Like the bus driver who stopped on a bridge and turned the interior lights off, so passengers could enjoy the fireworks. The Ukelele players who treated an entire train car to a live concert. The bus driver that saved someone from suicide. The refugees who practice their language skills with small talk on transit. The proud parents who brought their baby home by streetcar and stepped off into a festival. The college student who reconnected with his future business partner, leading to a successful company and meeting his future wife. History.

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Besides, the Queen of England and notorious subway rider Keanu Reeves can’t be wrong.

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Do you have any #GreatThingThatHappenedOnTransit stories? Share them with us in the comments.

via GIPHY