# Rude light rail riders...



## VentureForth (Jul 12, 2018)

Are everywhere. Currently on Dallas' DART. People smoking, playing loud music.

What happened to courtesy?


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## cpotisch (Jul 12, 2018)

I think that's just mass transit riders. I've seen plenty of people do that on busses, subway trains, even Amtrak.


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## Johanna (Jul 12, 2018)

Ugh, I remember trying to board the light rail in Baltimore once - it was right after some event at the Inner Harbor, so there were a ton of people getting on the train at the same stop - and some doofus was sitting on the steps just inside the car doors, blocking about 2/3 of the width of the entrance. He did not get up or even try to squeeze over - he just let everyone try to climb around him.


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## City of Miami (Jul 12, 2018)

I've used public transit (including Dart & Balto LR/subway/circ) all my adult life and don't recall ever seeing smoking or persistent loud music. Almost everyone here in C'ville is courteous and even kind on the buses.


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## cpotisch (Jul 12, 2018)

City of Miami said:


> I've used public transit (including Dart & Balto LR/subway/circ) all my adult life and don't recall ever seeing smoking or persistent loud music.


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## VentureForth (Jul 13, 2018)

I'll tell you what... I found more public courtesy in NYC than I have in Dallas or Miami or even Southern California.


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## Bob Dylan (Jul 13, 2018)

VentureForth said:


> I'll tell you what... I found more public courtesy in NYC than I have in Dallas or Miami or even Southern California.


I agree, but the Worst still has to be Boston!


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## cpotisch (Jul 13, 2018)

VentureForth said:


> I'll tell you what... I found more public courtesy in NYC than I have in Dallas or Miami or even Southern California.


As a general rule of thumb, I would agree. However, I've found that it's not too rare to find yourself next to a bit of an "anomaly" on your commute.


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## VentureForth (Jul 13, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> VentureForth said:
> 
> 
> > I'll tell you what... I found more public courtesy in NYC than I have in Dallas or Miami or even Southern California.
> ...


True. The news bears that out sometimes, unfortunately.


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## Mystic River Dragon (Jul 13, 2018)

It's still legal for them to smoke on a train down there? Yikes.

Makes NJT sound a whole lot better--I think I'll stop complaining about it for a while!


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## cpotisch (Jul 13, 2018)

Mystic River Dragon said:


> It's still legal for them to smoke on a train down there? Yikes.


It's not legal. That doesn't mean it doesn't happen.


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## BCL (Jul 13, 2018)

Most of the time mind their own business around here. I remember the one time (mentioned it before) where someone just started going off on me for some reason. I was only going to there for a few stops and didn't feel like sitting down. Then this starts yelling at me to sit down, just in case somehow I go crashing into him. I'm maybe 6 feet away from him in a by the door. I tell him no thanks I stand. Then he starts yelling at me to put my smart phone down because he's worried that I'm taking a photo of him. Totally weird guy. I just walked to the other end of the car to avoid him and got out in 5 minutes.


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## me_little_me (Jul 14, 2018)

We encountered a lot of exceptionally nice people last week in Denver.

Young people who would actually get up and offer you their seat on the light rail.

On the buses, when a wheelchair-bound person or one with a walker came on board, people not only got up to give them the handicapped area, they raised up the seats instead of waiting for the driver to do so. Nobody had to be asked to do it.


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## cpotisch (Jul 14, 2018)

me_little_me said:


> We encountered a lot of exceptionally nice people last week in Denver.
> 
> Young people who would actually get up and offer you their seat on the light rail.
> 
> On the buses, when a wheelchair-bound person or one with a walker came on board, people not only got up to give them the handicapped area, they raised up the seats instead of waiting for the driver to do so. Nobody had to be asked to do it.


Fortunately I've found that people on the busses and subway in NYC tend to be very courteous towards pregnant, handicapped, or elderly passengers. In my experience, it's very rare to see someone in any of those groups have to stand because no one offered up their seat.


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## Seaboard92 (Jul 15, 2018)

Portland also has a lot of really kind people on transit. Or at least whenever I'm on the red and blue line. Helping you load luggage, getting up when older passengers or pregnant passengers need seats. I can't speak for the bus networks because I've never been on a trimet bus.


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## AGM.12 (Jul 17, 2018)

Dealing with the general public as I do, I have noticed a growing number of them tend to have a chip on the shoulder attitude. I don't know if this is a result of the current political climate or if some were just not raised right. It makes me appreciate the pleasant ones more and to look forward to retirement at the end of next year.


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## seat38a (Jul 18, 2018)

AGM.12 said:


> Dealing with the general public as I do, I have noticed a growing number of them tend to have a chip on the shoulder attitude. I don't know if this is a result of the current political climate or if some were just not raised right. It makes me appreciate the pleasant ones more and to look forward to retirement at the end of next year.


Its not the political climate. I've noticed a general decline in civility in the big cities over the last 10+ years. There are more days than not I say to myself ***??? When I went on my road trip to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado, it was a complete 180.


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## seat38a (Jul 18, 2018)

seat38a said:


> AGM.12 said:
> 
> 
> > Dealing with the general public as I do, I have noticed a growing number of them tend to have a chip on the shoulder attitude. I don't know if this is a result of the current political climate or if some were just not raised right. It makes me appreciate the pleasant ones more and to look forward to retirement at the end of next year.


Its not the political climate. I've noticed a general decline in civility in the big cities over the last 10+ years. One thing that I notice is a general attitude of not caring that ones action is a inconvenience to others around them. There are more days than not I say to myself ***??? When I went on my road trip to South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Colorado, it was a complete 180.


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## JRR (Jul 18, 2018)

seat38a said:


> seat38a said:
> 
> 
> > AGM.12 said:
> ...


In the mountains of Georgia & North Carolina, you will notice that the people are very friendly and will greet everyone, even strangers. You notice the difference in stores and on the street,

I think it is a small town thing. A nice change from the big cities and south Florida!


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## bms (Jul 19, 2018)

On an RTA train in Cleveland yesterday, there was a guy standing in the front of the car, yelling at and berating a full car of at least 60 passengers. The reason he was angry was that we weren't being friendly enough and weren't conversing enough with our fellow passengers. I don't think he saw the irony at all!


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## fairviewroad (Jul 23, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> I think that's just mass transit riders. I've seen plenty of people do that on busses, subway trains, even Amtrak.


Gosh, I've even seen rude people behind the wheel of their cars!


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## seat38a (Jul 25, 2018)

JRR said:


> seat38a said:
> 
> 
> > seat38a said:
> ...


It does take me a day or two to adjust when I leave California and the west coast to the civility and politeness that seems to permeate the south and the center of our country.

Out here, if some stranger starts up a conversation, ones first reaction is that one is going to be robbed or swindled, unfortunately for many of us.


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## VentureForth (Jul 25, 2018)

Point of this thread is that it wouldn't take much to post some signage with sporadic enforcement reminding people to:

1) let people off the train before boarding

2) don't listen to music out loud on board

3) don't smoke on the platform

etc...

The current basic placarding is very well ignored.


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## me_little_me (Jul 30, 2018)

seat38a said:


> It does take me a day or two to adjust when I leave California and the west coast to the civility and politeness that seems to permeate the south and the center of our country.
> 
> Out here, if some stranger starts up a conversation, ones first reaction is that one is going to be robbed or swindled, unfortunately for many of us.


That's because you will get swindled or robbed out there - if not by the other person then by the politicians.


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## seat38a (Jul 30, 2018)

Just spend the weekend out in LA riding Metro Rail. Made me realize why ridership is dropping on Metro and the biggest complaints by current and former riders were spot on.


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## JRR (Jul 31, 2018)

Rode to Santa Monica Pier last January on the metro and a very nice,big guy sat in a seat perpendicular to us and advised that unless there was a USC game, they didn’t get many riders like us. We had a pleasant trip and felt safe. He was really big and no one bothered us or even came near!


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## NW cannonball (Aug 6, 2018)

VentureForth said:


> I'll tell you what... I found more public courtesy in NYC than I have in Dallas or Miami or even Southern California.


Same here. but my experience of NYC is dated.

I remember that when I and my 4yo daughter rode the subway a decade or more ago

Always, someone, any age, race, gender -- would offer me and the kid a seat within a stop or two , however full the subway car was.

Coming from Minneapolis, this was new and strange to me. I'd stood in the aisle in MSP on the (then) slow crosstown 16 bus all the 45 minute way with an infant in a carrier and a toddler in my arms and thought "this makes me stronger"

MSP Metro Transit is mostly better and pax more courteous now -- hoping NYC hasn't gotten worse.


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## flitcraft (Oct 8, 2018)

In Singapore, they have a series of placards encouraging appropriate behavior--like, don't keep a backpack on your bag, or you might hit someone, let others off before crowding on, etc. Seems to work there.

On the other hand, light rail in Seattle has some humorous placards to discourage people from putting luggage on their seats, stretching out over two seats, etc. I haven't noticed particularly high levels of compliance...

Apparently fines and caning beat gentle peer pressure. Unfortunately, because I'm not in favor of fines and caning, myself.


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## jis (Oct 8, 2018)

JRR said:


> In the mountains of Georgia & North Carolina, you will notice that the people are very friendly and will greet everyone, even strangers. You notice the difference in stores and on the street,
> 
> I think it is a small town thing. A nice change from the big cities and south Florida!


One should also remember that Miami is not all of South Florida. There are plenty of rural areas with typical rural behavior even in South Florida. They are just not touristy enough for your average non-Floridians to venture there - thankfully, I might add


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