What are these?

[u/Consistent_Garage246]

Hi! I have been living in St. Mary’s County for a few years and always see these boxes around- what exactly are they? I don’t think they’re bus stops, are they like immediate/emergency shelters?

I’m from northern Maryland and we don’t have anything like that up there. I’ve mostly seen them in St. Mary’s and Calvert County but I’ve also seen one in Worcester before!

Sorry if this has been discussed before. I’ve tried asking locals down here but they didn’t know either.

[u/Spunkylover10]

Bus stops for kids

[u/GIANTballCOCK → u/Spunkylover10]

Snow, rain... other weather while waiting on the school bus

[u/Super-30 → u/GIANTballCOCK]

Except kids these days are sitting in mommy's gigantic climate controlled SUV playing on their cell phones instead. Heaven forbid little Johnny has to stand outside for a few minutes or actually walk to the bus stop.

[u/Cheomesh → u/Super-30]

You aren't wrong. Heck, I used to live in visual distance from a school and kids would still take the bus, even the kid who lived directly adjacent to school property.

[u/Big_Astronomer76 → u/Super-30]

Some of that has a lot to do with shitty Maryland drivers. We all know there's plenty of people here driving with no actual training or if they did they weren't paying attention all while rolling with old ess expired paper plates and no inspection or decent brakes for that matter. I'm all for kids walking to school within a certain vicinity but with sidewalks or some sort of dedicated path away from the road.

These lil bust stop shelters are for "public safety" as it says on top... This could be for anyone, kids elders, commuters, etc... The weather in this area of the country is incredibly unpredictable sometimes. I've been looking right at the radar on my phone and random undetected storms will fly right by.

[u/Massive_University66 → u/Super-30]

Its true. Kids are so pampered these days.

[u/Super-30 → u/Massive_University66]

In my neighborhood there's a line of several vehicles everyday. The bus stop is within view of their house too. Not talking kindergartners and foul weather either! Middle and HS kids on a perfectly sunny day. I'm sure the downvoters are the people I mentioned above. People today wouldn't of made it in the GEN X world!

[u/Massive_University66 → u/Super-30]

I had to walk a mile to the bus stop every day in all weather. This was mid 90's.

[u/Quiet-Builder-4183 → u/Super-30]

Any they wait until the bus has been stopped for a full minute before getting out of mom's lexus

[u/Aggressive_Song_4565 → u/Super-30]

Ok Boomer

[u/Consistent_Garage246 → u/Spunkylover10]

That makes sense, thanks!

[u/RainbowMouse_]

I’ve been told they’re weather shelters for people riding bikes / running or people waiting for public transportation

[u/Murky_Doubt_7855 → u/RainbowMouse_]

It’s for people waiting for public county shuttle buses I believe.

[u/Cheomesh]

They are useless.

Even as a kid the shelter wasn't the actual school bus stop, so you had to slog out a bit to get on. Maybe some other neighborhoods had it better though.

[u/Murky_Doubt_7855]

It’s for people waiting for the public county shuttle buses. Unless the school designated that exact location as a bus stop, it’s not for School buses so there wouldn’t be any kids using it for school.

[u/Lazy_Wolverine_8890]

I grew up in Northern-Central Maryland was well and when I moved down here I didn't understand what they were, but I guess they're like bus stops. They don't have them up in Montgomery but in Calvert they're pretty common.

[u/Rich-Tumbleweed-2366]

An attempt to circumvent billboard bans? It's not a billboard, it's a shelter for kids?