Every day I take the train. I get on and move in as far as I can to allow more people to get on later. If I'm early enough I get a seat (oh joy!). I could go on and on about the people who get on and stand in the door, but that isn't the point of this post. Two stops later, we come to a popular stop where tons of people pile on the train. Many times by the time we get there, the train is almost full. The result? The people getting on at this stop are crazed. They must get on the train! They must! As the train pulls into the station, their eyes grow wild with anticipation of the battle to get to the doors, they block out their space with their elbows, they eye each other - checking out the competition. The train doors slowly open... ready, set, go! They push and shove - it's every man, woman and child for themselves! They literally hurl themselves onto the train even when there is no more room for them. My favorites are those that squeeze themselves into a space which a person 1/3 their size would comfortably take up and then glare at the people around them for squishing them.
What is this behavior?
It's not as if the train is the last helicoptor out of Saigon, or you need to get to the end of the Titanic before it sinks. There will be another train in 5 or 10 min. What is so important that you can't get to work 5 or 10 min. later? I could buy one person having some crisis where they absolutely have to get somewhere - but it's an entire stop full of people! This post doesn't really have a point, except people are crazy, which isn't really news to anyone.-----
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| As Seen on The T
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This reminds me of 9/11/01 in Chicago when employees were sent home that morning. As a fully occupied el train was about to leave the Loop, one guy on the platform squeezed onto a train, pushed a woman out the way he came in, the doors closed, and away they went.
Posted by bob henderson | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL:
And the way they'll step on you when they're getting up to get off even if you're already walking towrds the door - yeah, you got a big 1/100th of a second lead on me to the stairs, bozo.
I don't even sit down anymore. Too dangerous.
Posted by Heather | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL: http://www.livingreflections.com/blog
ha! everyone should read Chris' T Annoyances post.. it's excellent!!
I will add another of my own.. when the train/bus is completely full - people are standing with no where to move. As your pulling into the station the people who are sitting jump up and start trying to get to the door. Where do you think you're going? Grab some wood, bub - there is no room for you, yet. Do you not see all these people standing? When the doors open, people will be able to move and you will be able to get off.
Posted by amy | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL: http://www.pressuredrop.blogspot.com
Okay, shameless promotion time...here's a few words I wrote last year on the subject of T annoyances...
">http://www.pressuredrop.blogspot.com/2003_09_21_pressuredrop_archive.html#106450103061063608
Posted by Chris | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL: http://www.badinfluence.com
Step to the rear please!
And do I need to mention that you should not be eating on my transit ride?
And about those headphones...never mind the irreparable ear damage, what about MY sanity? Turn that junk down.
Do you NEED to turn around in the aisle with your backpack on? Take that thing off before you get on!
And shut the hell up for once! It isn't a school bus. It is the grown up bus dammit.
OK...I'm done for now...
Posted by Kenn | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL: http://www.cynical-c.com
hehe you forgot about the people who are at the door but it is not their stop so instead of getting off the train to let the people out, they stand in the way which makes the people trying to get out who are deeper in the train panic and start screaming "COMING OUT".. lol gotta love the T
Posted by Chris | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL:
my favorite is when people stand on that bottom step of green line trains and then get propelled into the asses of the people on the second step when the doors close.
Posted by George | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL: http://www.badinfluence.com
I had the same epiphany this morning. OK, who am, I kidding?...it is one of my ongoing issues. Where do these people come from? Lord I hope I don't appear that way at times!
There is one guy at my bus stop who insists on being FIFO. He HAS to be first on, first off no matter what. It really is amusing to watch them herd their way to the door.
People...it is a BUSWAY. Only for buses. There WILL be another momentarily. Nuts.
I also have many, many transport issues that I am someday going to work into my stand-up act. What about those that KNOW they have to pay when they get on the bus...but their pass is always in their backpack somewhere?! Did you not KNOW you were getting on the bus when you left the house? Yeesh!
I could go on...
Posted by Kenn | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15
URL: http://www.pressuredrop.blogspot.com
Excellent post, Amy! I agree 100 percent with everything you said. Park Street station at 7:30 a.m. is not a pretty sight and you captured the mood just right. Rock on.
Posted by Chris | October 26, 2006 8:15 PM
Posted on October 26, 2006 20:15