The difference between Paris and Chicago transit systems
Regular Tattler contributor cmama posted the following as a comment, but it deserves notice as a post on its own. Thanks for sharing, cmama!
I'm back from France. I did a little tour of Paris and used their transit system. It's so much more efficient, on time, cleaner and down right the best.
Every subway stop was lighted. Trains ran on time. Some stops had expected time of arrivals posted on a monitor. The rides were smooth. A one way ride was less than a one way ride here. The train stations themselves were not smelly, the people were just smelly (sorry if anyone here is French. If you've ever been there, you know what I mean).
As a whole, I think there were more crazies there that ride their trains than here. I was there for 3 days and saw way more crazies within that time than in Chicago. The thing that I loved was if you stood in the doorway, you got pushed without any warning or cursing. I think this is mostly due to the fact their train doors will close and cut off your arm if you try to hold it. There's no such thing as holding the door open for somebody running down/up the stairs. This is also probably why their trains run on time.
Also, they only have one conductor per train. They have a little monitor outside each station to watch so the conductor never has to get out of their seat to look out the window to see if the doors are clear. I don't think I ever saw a piece of trash on the train or on the platform even though they have vending machines on every platform. Their trains are just as long as the station platform so trains never overshoot the platform and there was never a sudden jerk to stop.
My only warning if you travel to Paris and ride their transit system, it shuts down at 1 am on the dot no matter where the train is on the route. We didn't know that and were transferring to our train to get to our hotel.
We were waiting in the station and kept hearing an announcement in French (it didn't help that neither of us knew french). We saw the station was clear and our train whizzed by us. We ran up the stairs and ran through the station -- which was bigger than O'Hare's Terminal 1. (It happened to be where 5 different trains cross and was kind of a center point for a few train stops). We finally run under the gates that were closing down that leads us to the exit.
We searched three sides of the building to find a door they hadn't locked to get outside. Nobody swept the station before closing and we nearly peed our pants trying to get out. When we did get out we had no idea where the hell we were and finally found a cab after walking 3 blocks. The next night, we just took a cab home and skipped the transit system all together.
The number of crazies on their trains outnumbered Chicago, but the craziest things those people do are far inferior to Chicago crazies.
It doesn't sound like you had a chance to see Metro line 14, which opened about 7 years ago. It is a fully automated line without any motormen or conductors. Very impressive.
Posted by: Y | July 18, 2006 at 08:34 PM
Of all the countries I've visited I liked the Brussels system the best. It joins up trams, metro, buses and ic trains in such obvious ways it took me a single tram ride to figure the place out. Every station had an update board showing where the trains using lights. Clean enough stations, polite staff oh and they speak English.
I guess Paris wasn't bad, just don't go to the 'burbs.
Posted by: Simon | July 18, 2006 at 10:27 PM
"The number of crazies on their trains outnumbered Chicago, but the craziest things those people do are far inferior to Chicago crazies."
Please give some examples. Thanx
Posted by: GT | July 19, 2006 at 03:35 AM
What would it take to make Chicago's trains and buses run on time?
1. Cultural change - schedules are seen as a joke or as very approximate; would have to change to a European seriousness about the schedule
2. Fix the slow zones
3. Stop waiting for screaming, running people
4. Possibly adopt a willingness to have some delays when a train or bus gets ahead of schedule, to prevent bunching
I'm not optimistic. :)
Posted by: Scott | July 19, 2006 at 08:05 AM
First off, all the crazies smelled. Most of the people on board smelled so that's pretty much a given. The first night we took the train there was a guy drunk with his friend across the platform. There were some girls sitting about 20 feet away from us and he was yelling something at them. I knew he was drunk because his speech was slurred. You could tell he was in his own little world with his conversation. I had no idea what he was saying but I could tell it was something about the girls. Second crazy I remember was a guy sitting across from us that was wearing pants and a vest. He kept opening up the vest flashing everyone then close it. He did this about 10 times between the 4 stops we traveled. At night about every other person had an open bottle of liquor drinking and passing amongst their group. There were a few that were talking to themselves in their own little world on a crowded train. Those were the crazies that I can remember. They didn't do anything like the crazies here like flashing, masturbating, peeing in hobo corner.
Posted by: cmama | July 19, 2006 at 09:55 AM
We encountered a strange person almost every time we took the train after 9pm. And some trains were really crowded after 9pm.
Another thing that I loved about their trains were you pushed a button or lifted a lever to open the door to exit or enter the train. So all the doors don't open when the train stops at the station if nobody enters or exits.
I'm still trying to adjust to going back to work and being in the states so if I remember anything else, I'll let ya know!
Posted by: cmama | July 19, 2006 at 10:01 AM
I saw a great Crazy in Paris once, waiting on an outdoor Metro platform. It was a crisp January day, and there was a funk in the air. But, I'm in Paris, so I figure funky smells are part of the course.
There's a Crazy down the platform, gesturing wildly, and fliting about, in a harmless & entertaining way. He's got a bag in his hand, and there's steam coming from the bag. He makes his way down the platform to me, and, recognizing me as an American, starts speaking to me in English. The smell comes with him.
He tells me that he's going to see his doctor, and that he might be going away for a while, so he wanted to get one last taste of his favorite thing to eat, and did I want some? He says "It's a sheep's head! You know "BAAAAAAAAAA!" And he puts the bag under my face, and, sure enough, there's a cooked sheep's head in there. And at that point I had figured out where the smell was coming from.
And that's one thing I don't think I'll ever see on the CTA.
Posted by: Annie | July 19, 2006 at 10:50 AM
The train conductors in Paris are notorious for going on strike. I was there last November and they went on strike our last day there.
We were taking a train to the airport. Because of the strike, the train did not run all the way to the airport. I speak a little French and understood from the anouncement and the TV screens that the train stopped due to the strike. However, there was no information as to how to get to airport. Luckily a very freindly Parisian helped us out and gave us directions.
Speaking of taking the train to the suburbs. We were there during the riots/car burnings last year. We never felt threatened, or in danger. There is quite a bit more graffiti over there though.
Most efficient trains: Switzerland.
Posted by: dwight | July 19, 2006 at 11:56 AM
Moscow has an amazing metro system - very efficient and well-monitored by these little red-hatted, mean-looking ladies who stand around and chide people for improprieties. Most impressive is the cleanliness of the stations and the elaborate decor. They are filled with art, and many of them even have chandeliers. I was quite surprised by all this, but it turns out they were built during the Stalin years, and he saw public transit as especially important because it got the "happy worker" to and from his job. Anyway, I think it's the first or second busiest subway in all of the world, and even the system is well-designed. There's a circle route and everything. The wikipedia article has a map and some pictures:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_Subway
Posted by: Brian | July 19, 2006 at 05:18 PM
Cheaper? Not withe exchange rate......while its a great system, it could use a little AC!
Posted by: jojo | July 27, 2006 at 10:13 AM
Maybe I've got this backwards but $2 here equates to $1.57 euro...so wouldn't that mean, yes, it is cheaper?
Posted by: LadyDay | July 27, 2006 at 11:18 AM
I think you got it right LadyDay. Since the CTA switched to this no transfers with cash only fares on buses, it's cheaper to ride their buses. Also, I noticed today that their trains are a smoother ride. I rode the Green line today and it was the bumpiest ride ever. And we were going in a straight line!
Posted by: cmama | July 27, 2006 at 12:01 PM