I love them.
And I love people-watching on them.
There's the Salt & Pepper haired men in their dry-cleaned suits with Burberry watches, expensive leather belts, wallets and shoes, and Apple products who's total value could feed a third world country for a year.
There's the "I Don't Care What People Think" people who look ridiculous. Plain and simple.
There's the young guy with the wrinkled button down who's just getting on his feet in the city.
The old couple who stand in the exact same spot everyday and hold hands.
The students who are on their way to business school, law school, art school, insert subject here school.
And the guy who talks on his phone, guy who watches movie on his iPad, woman cutting coupons, guy tilting and swerving in his seat as he tries not to die playing DoodleJump.
And many many others. I personally love the conductors who know which people have gotten on and off the train and who's tickets he needs to check. Each of them have their own punch so they know if they've come by or not. The best part is when they say "Tickets please," it make me feel like I'm riding the Polar Express.
Train Etiquette is an unspoken rule. As Americans, we like our space and we like to sit as far from strangers as possible.
1. Every train car is filled up with one person per seat.
2. If all seats have one person in them, then strangers are allowed to sit next to you. In fact, they have the right to wake you from your slumber if you've sprawled across the seat, and tell you to move over.
3. Once empty seats open up, and you're on the outside sitting next to a stranger, move to your own seat so you avoid the "excuse me this is my stop" situation when the blocked stranger needs to get out.
4. Single seats sit every other person, until the train gets super full and then you can sit next to people. This is when everyone scoots as far from each other as possible while still sitting right next to each other.
5. Don't talk on your phone during the morning commute. It's awkward to be the only one talking and it annoys others.
6. People may wake you up when you reach Ogilvy in the city. Thank them!
7. When opening the heavy doors to get to another train, check to make sure no one is behind you before letting it slam. They're really heavy and scary, and the person behind you will be thankful that they didn't lose their hand.
8. People may get emotional on the train and may even get up to cry in the spaces between the cars. It's sad and no one is quite sure what to do.
9. Be nice to the conductors.
10. Answer people's questions about what stop you're at. It could be you someday wondering if you need to get off.....or if you're even on the right train at all.
Where is the etiquette for departing from the train once it pulls into Union Station or Ogilvy in the morning. It appears to be everyone for themselves. What is the proper order for the following?
ReplyDelete1. Standing riders who rise prior to pulling into the main station.
2. Sitting riders on the top level.
3. Sitting riders on the bottom.
There appears to be this idea that if you are standing to depart you should allow a sitter to depart before you exit. I don't understand why if a rider was standing for 10 minutes prior to pulling into Union that they should defer to a rider who sat the whole way. And if you happen to be a top level rider, well you my friend are clearly superior to everyone else and by all means should cut people off.
Standing Riders Should Follow Airplane Rules. If You Make It To The Front You're Golden. otherwise, Give Way To Seated. Not Their Fault You Stood Up When You Could Have Remained Seated.
ReplyDeleteTop Shelf Riders Should Exit Like Any Other Merge Situation. Every Other One. One From Top - One From Bottom.
Quiet Car Riders Should Also Avoid Noisy Newspapers And Candy Wrappers. Get An Online Subscription And Eat Your Candy Before You Sit Down.