T minus 3 days and counting.

[baratron]

As some people have asked, here's the link to my wish list. Only get me something if you're a close friend and can afford it, please.

So this isn't a totally pointless livejournal entry, something that's been bothering me for a few days. In French at school, we learned the phrase "Excusez-moi, je descends a la prochaine." as something to say on public transport when you're trying to get to the doors. ("Excuse me, I'm getting out at the next stop"). Right. So, I have spent many, many hours in my life on buses, tubes and trams, in English-speaking and French-speaking parts of the world, and never, ever have I heard anyone use this phrase in either French or English. I've heard lots of "Excuse me", the occasional "'Scuse me, I'm trying to get out", and the odd sarcastic "Let the passengers off first please!". But I've never heard anyone say "Excuse me, I'm getting out at the next stop" - let alone having the other person reply with "Moi aussi" ("Me too").

So I'm just wondering whether anyone here has ever heard this phrase used on public transport outside of a French lesson. Yep.

Comments

[jinian.livejournal.com]

I say things like that (a whole sentence, though I don't recall the exact wording) if someone blocking me doesn't seem to grasp why I am closing my book, putting it away, and sitting poised to move.