Busses, Trains, Subways, Elevators

[HereWeGoAgain]

You know what they all have in common? You ride in a compartment which makes frequent stops at which some people board and others exit.

You would think that most people would instinctively understand that the logical, most efficient way for this to work would be for the people waiting to get on to stand back and let the people wishing to get off do so before getting on. But you would think wrong.

It just amazes me how selfishly many, if not most, passengers behave.
The people in the car get up and stand in the doorways, blocking traffic both in and out, three or four stops ahead of time. When the train pulls into a station, the crowd waiting to get on barges in as the crowd waiting to get off barges out. The ones getting on step through the doorway and stop, oblivious to the crowd behind still waiting to board. No one respects the elderly or families with small children trying to stick together, while some parents of small children hold up everything manhandling refrigerator-sized strollers through the doors and down the aisles.

This one happens at the store too: it never occurs to some folks to get their money or fare card or checkbook out until they are actually at the register/turnstile/whatever. Often they are engaged in a cell-phone conversation the whole time, and prop the phone between shoulder and mouth to keep yakking away while fumbling around in their purse.

Speaking of which, there are the cell phone yakkers who carry on conversations at the decibel level of a 747 on its takeoff roll without a pause for hours on end. I'm sure these people must have to have the phone surgically removed from their face every so often. There are several sub-species of cell phone yakkers.

• Those who want to impress everyone with how smart/important they are by ostentatiously conducting their business using a great deal of business or techie jargon.
• Gossipers.
• Domestic disputers continuing long-running fights with spouses/significant others/children/parents/friends/associates.
• Complainers airing their side of long-running disputes with spouses/significant others/children/parents/friends/associates to third parties.
• Serial disputer/complainers - instead of one long-running fight, they engage in numerous short fights in succession, calling others in between to complain about the latest antagonist.
• Planners who set up all the details of social events from what's for dinner to who to invite while in transit.
• The infirm, who must relate their health problems in minute and graphic detail.

Then there are the seat hogs. They may pile their coat, laptop, purse, briefcase, etc. on the seat next to them, or they may sit on the aisle, blocking the window seat, or they may lie down across both or stretch out their legs into the other seat, or some combination, more or less daring anyone to claim the other seat. These strategies are sometimes supplemented by sleeping (or pretending to sleep) or by neglecting personal hygiene.

And you know most of the people described above are completely clueless at how rude they are. It just doesn't even occur to them to think about other people.

 

[trinityroyal]

Grrrrrr!
HWGA, this is one of my biggest pet peeves.
During particularly bad rush hours, I sometimes hear the train or subway conductor bellow at people, "Would the people on the platform let everybody OFF the train before boarding!"

You'd think people would be able to figure this out, especially the ones who take the train every single day. But no.

As for the phone yakkers, I was once on a train where a very loud businesswoman gave her phone number to someone. Another passenger noted the number, called her phone, and said, "Lady, Shut UP!!!"

Now, I know that the caller was rude too, but gosh. I've been tempted to do that myself.

 

[Abbey]

I'm chuckling at your expense. Only did the subway when I took my students to Difficult Child. Imagine getting 35+ students and myself on a subway within...well, about 5 seconds. It was like a raid. Doors opened...GO! GO! We're like pushing and shoving people around...GET OUT OF MY WAY!!

I had no idea where we were going to, but they wanted to ride the subway. Yippee. We somehow found our way back.

It's a running joke in our family about elevator propers. You DON'T stand directly in front of an elevator waiting for it to land. People are actually getting off. They need space. So now, all the kids always laugh and say, "Ok...I'll step aside."

Abbey

 

[trinityroyal]

Abbey, you reminded me of something...

I work right in the downtown core of the city, which also happens to be a tourist centre. Lots to see and do, lots of tourists, and lots of busy people in a tearing hurry to get to and from work.

Not a pretty combination. Especially at rush hour.

The subways have put up lots of big colourful maps to guide people as to what track they should be on, where they need to stop, "You Are Here", and all that. Where did they put them? Right at the tops and bottoms of the stairways and escalators.

Great idea, you think. Right where you need to see them if you are lost. However, the big drawback is that while you're checking the map, there's a teeming horde of impatient commuters, just about to come barrelling up or down the stairs, and they WILL knock you over (Toronto the Good, my A**). I have sometimes warned tourists to, "stand over there, because the herd will be by any minute and they won't stop for you"

Weird.

 

[flutterbee]

There's a crowd mentality to that. People are like cattle in those situations. If there are only a couple of people waiting on the elevator, I've noticed it doesn't happen. But, if there are several it does. I've missed my floor because I couldn't get off with everyone barging into the elevator. I really don't like having to brush my entire body up against strangers just to get off the elevator.

This is the same reason I hate going to the mall. People are walking 4 wide and they just mow down anything in their path. It used to make me a nervous wreck when my kids were little because people would cut off my kids from me. I never go to the mall on the weekend anymore. I've found Wednesday evening's to be the quietest time for shopping about anywhere around here.

And the cellphones. I hate them. I don't have one. If I'm not at home or at work, then you don't need to talk to me. I don't think it should be legal to use them while driving either. 99% of the time when I get cut off, the other driver is yakking away on their cell. Or they tailgate. Tailgaters make me nervous anyway, but if they're on the phone you know they're going to be too distracted to stop fast enough. And I have NO desire to hear their conversation while I'm trying to do my errands.

You forgot one point, though. Those that talk in public places with their cell on speaker or two-way. You feel like you're eavesdropping, but it's so loud that you're going to hear no matter what you do. It's really uncomfortable.

easy child is saving up to get a cellphone. If he talks on it while driving, he will lose his keys.

I do have to say that it is a bit different in the South. When I was overdue pregnant with easy child, I went with my mother in law to a doctor appointment. Every seat in the waiting room was taken. As soon as we walked in, almost every man stood up so we could sit down.

 

[ML]

I also hate it when your in the grocery store and you and another happen to both occupy the same space at the same time and the other person give you a look that says "how dare you be in *my* way"! Like they own the aisle or something. I'm always quick to apologize but often others are just so ugly about it.

 

[DammitJanet]

Hello my name is Janet and I am a cell phone junkie. I wasnt always this way but the technology has me hooked. I cant go anywhere without that small pink metal phone is glued to body. I must be able to call and be called!

I am one who walks around the grocery store talking about what we need for dinner, do we have enough toilet paper, do the animals need food...lol. I talk on the phone while driving too. I tried a blue tooth but it didnt work well. I probably need to try it again.

I admit it...Im addicted!

 

[Abbey]

Janet - rehab.


Abbey

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I also hate it when your in the grocery store and you and another happen to both occupy the same space at the same time and the other person give you a look that says "how dare you be in *my* way"! Like they own the aisle or something. I'm always quick to apologize but often others are just so ugly about it.

Amen!

How about the people who stand there holding the glass door of the freezer case open, fogging up the rest of the case -- why can't they look through the door? It's transparent, for heaven's sake!

But the worst is when a checker opens a new line after you've stood there waiting for 20 minutes, and somebody who just walked up behind you with a full cart jumps over there.

 

[Andy]

Oh no! And my easy child will be facing a NYC train! She laughed (sarcastically, nasty) at me when I told her that I wanted her friend to take her picture as she boards a train with a very heavy back pack and pulling a suitcase.

I think it is time for train/subway management to look at the boarding and unboarding of trains. They need to start assigning doors as enterance or exit. You exit off one door and enter a different one. (or maybe that is not possible?)

My head is just spinning thinking about a subway station. I would not be able to take that chaos.

I have also heard that NYC is one of the fastest cities in the US. People talk fast, walk fast, ect. I would get so overwhelmed so fast! I do tend to stand back and wait for things to settle down - I would never get anywhere doing that in big cities that never settle down.

 

[KTMom91]

How about the people who stand directly in front of the entrance chatting? I notice this way too often at church...and Hubby won't let me say something like "Amen, Sister! Now will you move your fat @ss? In case you haven't noticed, this door is designed to work both ways!" I admit I have said, loudly, "I hate it when people have to chat right in front of the door!"

Then he tells me I need to sit down and pray...

 

[1 Day At a Time]

I work in a highrise in the city centre and often take the subway to work. I've done this routine for more years than I'd like to admit. I would like to be charitable and say like HWGA that people are clueless - they just don't get it.However, after years of dealing with the train/elevator issue of people blocking doors I have to say that I really think that most folks DO have a clue - they just don't care about accomodating others. They have their plan and they are sticking with it - to heck with everyone else. Just my personal opinion.

A few months ago though, a young man on a crowded train saw me standing and said, "Oh here Mam, you can have my seat". When his friend asked him why he did that, he said (very loudly) " I've always been taught to give up my seat for my elders". You know how sometimes a crowd get really, really quiet? Well ,everyone had a good chuckle over that one I almost prefer the rude push to that..... yikes.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

How about the people who stand directly in front of the entrance chatting? I notice this way too often at church...and Hubby won't let me say something like "Amen, Sister! Now will you move your fat @ss? In case you haven't noticed, this door is designed to work both ways!" I admit I have said, loudly, "I hate it when people have to chat right in front of the door!"

Then he tells me I need to sit down and pray...

That reminds me of Leo in Titanic...

In my previous career I flew a lot. This was pre-9/11, when you could walk down to the gate without a ticket, to meet arriving passengers. Not every time, but close to it, at least one large family was on hand to greet an arriving relative. As soon as the long-lost relative was spotted in the mouth of the jetway, the family would rush forward, the traveler would drop his or her bags and stand with open arms, and everyone would hug, kiss, and catch up on all the news. Right there in the mouth of the jet bridge. With 150 passengers lined up behind, many of them with tight connections. But you know, it is so heartwarming to witness such a scene that it was hard to get very annoyed at the people.

 

[flutterbee]

But you know, it is so heartwarming to witness such a scene that it was hard to get very annoyed at the people.

No, it's not. You can be all happy to see each other and still take 3 steps to the left.

 

[Abbey]

How about people who stand in the middle of a grocery aisle while talking on their cell phone. The worst are the ones that have that little ear thingy where you don't know if they're talking to you. I want to drop kick them.

You're going...excuse me...excuse me...and they can't hear because they are permanently wired into their ears with a cell. I want to yank that thing out of them.

My gosh. If you can't spend 15 minutes getting groceries and NOT on the phone...your life is much more hectic than I can handle.

Abbey