Where My Public Transportation Commuters At?

JCbride2015 · May 2014

eileenrob said: I've been riding the NYC subway for years...if everyone's posts didn't make me laugh I'd cry! I'm 35 weeks pregnant, so standing in front of people who pretend not to notice for 30 minutes is a lot of fun for me and my swollen ankles. That's my biggest commuting peeve at the moment. Pre-pregnancy, they include: men who sit like they're packing a baseball bat in their pants, clueless tourists, riders with large purses/totes/backpacks who refuse to put them on the floor so they keep hitting you, people who block doors, and three I don't see mentioned here: groups of teenagers who bring a boom box onto the train and perform break dance routines, spinning over your head and occasionally kicking you; mentally ill people who start screaming at/attacking other riders; and homeless people who go to the bathroom (1 and 2) on the train.
-------SITB-------
Can we also expand this to include mariachi bands, terrible barbershop singers, people who turn on a boom box and lip sync... pretty much any form of performance or solicitation on the train?

Sometimes the performers on the subway platform are actually very talented and if I find I'm pausing to listen, I'll totally put a dollar in your violin case. But if the only way you can get any successful busking money is with a captive audience on a moving train, you're doing something wrong.

wrigleyville · May 2014

Last Saturday, I was on a bus that runs from Michigan Ave (where some of the ritzy stores are) to the west. The bus was full of people from all walks of life but mostly poor/middle class.

So these four women get on, done up in all designer clothes, hair styled, too much perfume, the works.

They're babbling and crowing about how ISN'T THIS NEAT, we're riding the BUS, omg this is just too cute and funny! Wait until I tell Bitsy about this! Here, let's take a photo of us on the bus. OMG, they'll never get over this. We're on a BUS. *hits a bump* OMG WHEE hahahahahaha. Oh, this is too funny. We should see what it's like to stand up and hold onto these things. Oh, I don't want to touch them. I'll touch them! Oh, Muffy, you're so BRAVE! Tee-hee. Let's take another picture. Oh, driver! Tee-hee. Can we just get off wherever? Or will you take us back to Michigan Ave?

And the whole time, they're standing right by the front door, blocking the aisle, being loud as fuck, and really annoying the other passengers. I thought H was going to kill them.

thisismynickname2 · May 2014

wrigleyville said:
Last Saturday, I was on a bus that runs from Michigan Ave (where some of the ritzy stores are) to the west. The bus was full of people from all walks of life but mostly poor/middle class.

So these four women get on, done up in all designer clothes, hair styled, too much perfume, the works.

They're babbling and crowing about how ISN'T THIS NEAT, we're riding the BUS, omg this is just too cute and funny! Wait until I tell Bitsy about this! Here, let's take a photo of us on the bus. OMG, they'll never get over this. We're on a BUS. *hits a bump* OMG WHEE hahahahahaha. Oh, this is too funny. We should see what it's like to stand up and hold onto these things. Oh, I don't want to touch them. I'll touch them! Oh, Muffy, you're so BRAVE! Tee-hee. Let's take another picture. Oh, driver! Tee-hee. Can we just get off wherever? Or will you take us back to Michigan Ave?

And the whole time, they're standing right by the front door, blocking the aisle, being loud as fuck, and really annoying the other passengers. I thought H was going to kill them.

Oh God no. No no no. My guess is the 66 bus.

I was taking the 151 to Andersonville one day, and a guy asked the driver how close we were to Union Station..... That's the only tourist I ever felt bad for.

PrincessOfHavoc · May 2014

So one night, riding home on a pretty full train. I'm standing after work, wearing composite toed work boots and work jeans. Mr Drunk Misogynistic Pig gets on the rather full train and promptly sits on the floor with his legs spread enough to give birth. Right by me. As in leaning on me. He starts complaining how I need to wear a skirt for him. I roll my eyes, point out my foot wear and put my headphones on. His slightly less drunk friend is trying to remind him about the turn that jostles everyone. Mr Drunk Pig did not care.

Yup. The jostle wound up with my boot meeting an area he didn't want it to meet.

And his friend was telling him that was exactly what was going to happen.

I'm an unrepentant bitch and proud of it.

PrincessOfHavoc · May 2014

So one night, riding home on a pretty full train. I'm standing after work, wearing composite toed work boots and work jeans. Mr Drunk Misogynistic Pig gets on the rather full train and promptly sits on the floor with his legs spread enough to give birth. Right by me. As in leaning on me. He starts complaining how I need to wear a skirt for him. I roll my eyes, point out my foot wear and put my headphones on. His slightly less drunk friend is trying to remind him about the turn that jostles everyone. Mr Drunk Pig did not care.

Yup. The jostle wound up with my boot meeting an area he didn't want it to meet.

And his friend was telling him that was exactly what was going to happen.

I'm an unrepentant bitch and proud of it.

wrigleyville · May 2014

thisismynickname said:

Last Saturday, I was on a bus that runs from Michigan Ave (where some of the ritzy stores are) to the west. The bus was full of people from all walks of life but mostly poor/middle class.

So these four women get on, done up in all designer clothes, hair styled, too much perfume, the works.

They're babbling and crowing about how ISN'T THIS NEAT, we're riding the BUS, omg this is just too cute and funny! Wait until I tell Bitsy about this! Here, let's take a photo of us on the bus. OMG, they'll never get over this. We're on a BUS. *hits a bump* OMG WHEE hahahahahaha. Oh, this is too funny. We should see what it's like to stand up and hold onto these things. Oh, I don't want to touch them. I'll touch them! Oh, Muffy, you're so BRAVE! Tee-hee. Let's take another picture. Oh, driver! Tee-hee. Can we just get off wherever? Or will you take us back to Michigan Ave?

And the whole time, they're standing right by the front door, blocking the aisle, being loud as fuck, and really annoying the other passengers. I thought H was going to kill them.
Oh God no. No no no. My guess is the 66 bus. I was taking the 151 to Andersonville one day, and a guy asked the driver how close we were to Union Station..... That's the only tourist I ever felt bad for.

Bingo! We boarded at the Water Tower and got off at LaSalle. They were still on at that point.

Urrrrgh to the tourist on the 151. I hope he didn't miss his train.

afox007 · May 2014

I live in an area with a huge homeless population so my list of annoyances w public transportation are endless. I have had the guy in the seat in front of me pee in his seat, had a drunk possibly high man with a serious BO problem sit next to me and try to caress my leg, been harassed the whole ride for money because "I look like I can afford it", gotten into arguments when i have refused to give them the food I have with me (usually groceries or take out) and my favorite was a guy asked to bum a cigarette off me as we were getting off I lied and said I don't smoke and he replied that he saw I had a pack of cigarettes in my purse in between my phone and my wallet.

MrsMack10612 · May 2014

I think all tourists, music events and sporting events need to happen after prime commuting hours. I am so tired of fighting my way through people who have never ridden the T before, wandering their way through the stations. Or the sports fans who pre-gamed and now are obnoxiously drunk. Or the ones coming from one game going to another and are obnoxiously drunk. Or all the squealing teenage girls waiting for the Justin Bieber concert to start.

I can't count the number of trains I've missed because of it.

VulgarGirl · May 2014

One of my co-workers just came in and had quiet the "I hate taking the fucking bus" rant. I'm typing verbatim.

"So I get on the bus and as usual it's pretty evenly split between blue collar workers just trying to get to work, people on the way to the methadone clinic, and ya know fucking hipsters. So I'm trying to stick near my workers and the methadone people, because I'll stab a fucking hipster and we all know it. And then he gets on. Mr. Let me help you find Jesus and his fucking sits next to me! Look, I'm a nice person! I give the Mormons bottles of water when they come by in the summer, it's fucking hot and have you seen their outfits? I'm not joining but I don't want you to die out there. But this fuckhead, he touches my fucking arm and goes 'I can tell you need the word of the lord' and I'm like fuck you dude, but he keeps going on and is all 'Lord Jesus please help this lost woman see her way back to you! Help me pray for this child!' and he's going on about gay people and abortion and fuck all what. Finally I'm like yeah, I gotta go this is my stop, because I was gonna mace the fucker. Anyways that's why I had to walk like 6 blocks and I'm late"

First I love her, she cusses more then me. And second, I've also been trapped by the "You need my religion" people. Tricky, tricky people. I'm confined in a moving vehicle with you, I can't run away, and if I stab you there will be a police report. At least with the Mormon missionaries talk to me, I get to leave, sometimes with a flyer.

phira · May 2014

Oh goodness. This thread. I needed you, thread.

- Pole leaners: Stop it. I need to hold onto something. This is the T, ladies and jellyspoons. This isn't a smooth ride. I need to hold the pole, and you are in. My. Way.

- Bags on seats: I am okay with bags on seats if you are carrying a million bags and the train or bus is almost empty. Like, okay, fine, you aren't hurting anyone. But rush hour? No. Not at all.

- Music: I get it--you want to drown out the T noise. Guess what? If your music is loud enough to really drown out the T noise, your music is too loud. If it's that important to you to not have your delightful music interrupted by train noise, then invest in high quality headphones instead of your Crapple earbuds. And god forbid you're listening to music or playing a game without headphones.

- People who block doors/other parts of the train: Do you have a degree in stupid?

- Smelly food: This isn't DC, so you can eat and drink stuff on the train. I'm okay with that, for the most part. But can you leave the smelly breakfast sandwich at home? I'd like to avoid throwing up MY breakfast.

- Backpacks: I get it. Lots of students. We're all heavy laden. But your backpack needs to be between your legs (if you're standing). And if you smack into someone with your backpack and break open the glass jars of spaghetti sauce they bought at the store, you apologize to them. You don't ignore them so they can come home to their fiancee and stress over the fact that their only winter jacket is ruined and of course this didn't happen to J or anything.

PrincessOfHavoc · May 2014

I carry a backpack, but on crowded bus/train, I carry it in front of me. More for my protection. I can see my bag in front of me.

thisismynickname2 · May 2014

@magicink I'm dying, lol.

Backpacks? Try designer totes. How many times have I had an aisle seat and been thwacked with a massive Louis Vuitton filled with shoes, a lunch and a laptop?

JCbride2015 · May 2014

@magicInk I've also been trapped by these people on moving NYC subway cars. Thankfully they usually only stay one stop and them move along to proselytize in the next car.

I once was on a subway car with two preachers from different organizations, but essentially preaching the same type of thing (you're all terrible sinners, you all do drugs, you all have had abortions and you're going to hell, but this pamphlet can save you). Both just shouted over each other the entire ride. No interaction, no dialogue, just escalating volume. I sort of just wanted to die.

I also hate when panhandlers start grouching when you don't give. A guy was on my train car today, clearly high or drunk, rambling about how he isn't working right now and can we help out. Nobody gave him anything, probably because he seemed totally out of it and sort of scary. Then he starts rambling about how we can afford it, we must have money, etc. etc. Really creepy.

PrettyGirlLost · May 2014

MagicInk said:

One of my co-workers just came in and had quiet the "I hate taking the fucking bus" rant. I'm typing verbatim.

"So I get on the bus and as usual it's pretty evenly split between blue collar workers just trying to get to work, people on the way to the methadone clinic, and ya know fucking hipsters. So I'm trying to stick near my workers and the methadone people, because I'll stab a fucking hipster and we all know it. And then he gets on. Mr. Let me help you find Jesus and his fucking sits next to me! Look, I'm a nice person! I give the Mormons bottles of water when they come by in the summer, it's fucking hot and have you seen their outfits? I'm not joining but I don't want you to die out there. But this fuckhead, he touches my fucking arm and goes 'I can tell you need the word of the lord' and I'm like fuck you dude, but he keeps going on and is all 'Lord Jesus please help this lost woman see her way back to you! Help me pray for this child!' and he's going on about gay people and abortion and fuck all what. Finally I'm like yeah, I gotta go this is my stop, because I was gonna mace the fucker. Anyways that's why I had to walk like 6 blocks and I'm late"

First I love her, she cusses more then me. And second, I've also been trapped by the "You need my religion" people. Tricky, tricky people. I'm confined in a moving vehicle with you, I can't run away, and if I stab you there will be a police report. At least with the Mormon missionaries talk to me, I get to leave, sometimes with a flyer.

I always try to convert them to my beliefs ;-)

PrincessOfHavoc · May 2014

Sigh. They never try to convert me. Then again, none of them come near me.

Yes, my evilness will rub off on you if you come near me. *does her Dr Horrible finger wave*

MrsMack10612 · May 2014

phira said:

Oh goodness. This thread. I needed you, thread.

- Pole leaners: Stop it. I need to hold onto something. This is the T, ladies and jellyspoons. This isn't a smooth ride. I need to hold the pole, and you are in. My. Way.

- Bags on seats: I am okay with bags on seats if you are carrying a million bags and the train or bus is almost empty. Like, okay, fine, you aren't hurting anyone. But rush hour? No. Not at all.

- Music: I get it--you want to drown out the T noise. Guess what? If your music is loud enough to really drown out the T noise, your music is too loud. If it's that important to you to not have your delightful music interrupted by train noise, then invest in high quality headphones instead of your Crapple earbuds. And god forbid you're listening to music or playing a game without headphones.

- People who block doors/other parts of the train: Do you have a degree in stupid?

- Smelly food: This isn't DC, so you can eat and drink stuff on the train. I'm okay with that, for the most part. But can you leave the smelly breakfast sandwich at home? I'd like to avoid throwing up MY breakfast.

- Backpacks: I get it. Lots of students. We're all heavy laden. But your backpack needs to be between your legs (if you're standing). And if you smack into someone with your backpack and break open the glass jars of spaghetti sauce they bought at the store, you apologize to them. You don't ignore them so they can come home to their fiancee and stress over the fact that their only winter jacket is ruined and of course this didn't happen to J or anything.

Ah the joys of the T - you must be in Boston.

arrippa · May 2014

You know what I hate? When it's a packed train during commuting time and people put their bags on the seat next to them. When you ask them to move it nicely, they get all attitude-y with you. Next time this happens, I am going to just push it off the seat. I don't care how nice your bag is. It's taking up a seat that I could be sitting on.

arrippa · May 2014

eileenrob said:

I've been riding the NYC subway for years...if everyone's posts didn't make me laugh I'd cry! I'm 35 weeks pregnant, so standing in front of people who pretend not to notice for 30 minutes is a lot of fun for me and my swollen ankles. That's my biggest commuting peeve at the moment. Pre-pregnancy, they include: men who sit like they're packing a baseball bat in their pants, clueless tourists, riders with large purses/totes/backpacks who refuse to put them on the floor so they keep hitting you, people who block doors, and three I don't see mentioned here: groups of teenagers who bring a boom box onto the train and perform break dance routines, spinning over your head and occasionally kicking you; mentally ill people who start screaming at/attacking other riders; and homeless people who go to the bathroom (1 and 2) on the train.

They do that here as well, but after their done "dancing" they ask for money. I am not giving you money when you almost ran into me.

JCbride2015 · May 2014

arrippa said:

eileenrob said:

I've been riding the NYC subway for years...if everyone's posts didn't make me laugh I'd cry! I'm 35 weeks pregnant, so standing in front of people who pretend not to notice for 30 minutes is a lot of fun for me and my swollen ankles. That's my biggest commuting peeve at the moment. Pre-pregnancy, they include: men who sit like they're packing a baseball bat in their pants, clueless tourists, riders with large purses/totes/backpacks who refuse to put them on the floor so they keep hitting you, people who block doors, and three I don't see mentioned here: groups of teenagers who bring a boom box onto the train and perform break dance routines, spinning over your head and occasionally kicking you; mentally ill people who start screaming at/attacking other riders; and homeless people who go to the bathroom (1 and 2) on the train.

They do that here as well, but after their done "dancing" they ask for money. I am not giving you money when you almost ran into me.

Oh yeah, they do that in NYC too. It's the whole point of the dance.

Where My Public Transportation Commuters At?

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