Bus Trivia Question

Speaking of buses! Vote without looking it up first. In Arlington VA recently I saw a sign at a Metro station for buses that said "alight only" and I had to figure out what that meant, or I would not be at the right spot to board the bus at the busy terminal. I couldn't believe this archaic word was still being used, is that traditional? Embark or Disembark would have been better for me.

So vote, does it mean to get on or get off the bus?

At the station I guessed wrong!

Alight means to exit, or to dismount. It meant exit here only.
It's actually easy to remember: after you come [there], then you dismount...alight rhymes with delight.

It's fairly rare to have a bus or train stop where you can only get on, but you can't get off. It's much more common to have stops where you can only disembark.

Quote: odiousgambit

Speaking of buses! Vote without looking it up first. In Arlington VA recently I saw a sign at a Metro station for buses that said "alight only" and I had to figure out what that meant, or I would not be at the right spot to board the bus at the busy terminal. I couldn't believe this archaic word was still being used, is that traditional? Embark or Disembark would have been better for me.

So vote, does it mean to get on or get off the bus?

At the station I guessed wrong!

Oh I know for sure what it means now. I waited at the damn ballston station in Arlington for about 30 minutes before I realized why the drivers were not letting me on.

Quote: sunrise089

Oh I know for sure what it means now. I waited at the damn ballston station in Arlington for about 30 minutes before I realized why the drivers were not letting me on.

I would have been waiting right next to you.

Quote: sunrise089

Oh I know for sure what it means now. I waited at the damn ballston station in Arlington for about 30 minutes before I realized why the drivers were not letting me on.

this was indeed the Ballston station!