WATCHING the antics of your fellow citizens and musing about society in general is far more enjoyable if you travel by public transport.

Four of us decided that a relaxing night out at the theatre in Manchester could be put under strain if we had to battle with city centre traffic on a busy Friday night.

So we opted to set off around 3.30pm and head for the city using the bus and train.

At this point you are probably expecting a tale of woe involving cancellations, over-crowding, abusive drunks, muggers and various other ugly indications that modern society has broken down irredeemably.

Not so. Everything was fine, helped by the fact that three of us were travelling for free courtesy of the passes now available to folk over-60.

On the trip into Bolton from Harwood we were able to watch with semi-amused detachment as a young lad of 11 or 12 - on his way home from school - leapt and bounced about the bus making something of a nuisance of himself.

He was not really doing anybody any harm, but his actions were enough to prompt the somewhat elderly thought that the presence of a conductor might have been beneficial.

When we reached town we chose to walk past the town hall and up Newport Street to the Trinity Street railway station - a very pleasant stroll enhanced by this year's Christmas decorations.

It was enough to make me forget for a moment that life would be much better for people at our end of town if the 506 and 507 services connected properly with the rail system.

We were then transported efficiently to Manchester Victoria and as we walked to St Ann's Square past Urbis, Marks & Spencer and the Harvey Nichols store, we were able to reflect that these days Manchester city centre is a vibrant and exciting place transformed from the drabness of previous decades.

We walked past a German market on our way to an Italian restaurant and the general atmosphere was friendly and "buzzing".

The restaurant was busy at 5pm and you could see one of the great differences in social habits between Manchester and Bolton - many people there stay around after work while us Boltonians tend to go home at the end of the working day.

A couple of hours later, as we made our way to the theatre, people of all ages strolled around happily in relaxed fashion.

Nearby car drivers - fighting their way through the traffic - were noticeably less content.

Back at Victoria Station later in the evening, there was cabaret on a neighbouring platform from two young girls in short skirts who were - in a phrase known to drinkers - "somewhat overserved".

One attempted a kind of pole-dancing with one of the station supports and it was a little worrying that they were in such a state. But they calmed down when security men appeared.

Back in Bolton, we took a black cab home.

Cars. Who needs em?