CTA Tattler

What does she think the word "Priority" means?

"Please Stand up for Seniors and People with Disabilities
Federal law requires priority seating be designated for seniors and people with disabilities."

The "please stand up" clearly indicates anyone can sit there, unless the entire car is supposed to stand up whenever a disabled person or senior enters, which would be a little odd, I think. It reminds me of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm with the handicapped stall.

It would be a pretty sad sight to see a full bus where everyone was legalistically avoiding sitting in the handicapped seats.

I'm surprised that a Tribune reporter actually lives in the cirt and takes the CTA.

Pregnant people, people with crutches, canes, etc. or elderly people. That's my rule.

I would add small children to Krazee's list purely as a defensive measure. They don't always remember to hang on and sometimes go flying.

I agree with everything on the list mentioned above, however, I've seen pregnant women offered seats and refused them in a packed Blue Line train heading to O'Hare.
I have a feeling that the pregnant Red Eye reporter had been offered seats numerous times in the past because people tend to be aware of it and offer seats. I think it was a one time incident.

to add to beeble, if a person is sitting in that seat and there's a sea of people standing in front of them, I don't think they can actually see that someone disabled got on the train. If it was a common occurance that nobody would give up their seat, then I say yell, scream and complain on the train until somebody gets off their lazy ass :)

I would interpret it as you can sit in it until one of the designated people comes along & needs it. I've moved for wheelchairs; somehow I rarely need to stand for anyone else--either they walk past me or someone else stands.
What I've never liked are the old people who simply glare at you, especially when they've just walked past 5 open seats on the bus. "No, you are not entitled to my seat in the back when there are open seats by the driver."
(And I might as well take this moment to say that when I sit in the outer seat/have a bag in the seat next to me & am reading, you have to ask me for the seat. I will be more than glad most times to move, but if I'm really wrapped up in my reading, I am not going to see you until the bus is jammed.)
I suppose all of this now marks me as a bad rider.

I have been pregnant 3 times in the last 5 years (including my current pregnancy) and commuting, usually with a big book bag (I am in professional school downtown).

Almost no one gives you a seat when you are pregnant, even very visibly pregnant. In fact, it does not insulate me from racial harrassment when traveling on or to the green line on the south side ("white girl" or "white b@@@"). I have been yelled at by a thoughtless commuter who was standing by the exit and did not think she had to get out of the way to let my big pregnant self and big law school bag pass. And I once got into a very intense stare down with an eldery person who thought I should give up my seat (when I was very pregnant), on a full bus, not in the priority seats. Finally, some able bodied person gave up her seat.

And, since I have small kids, I ALWAYS give up my seat, pregnant or no, to someone with small kids, including moving next to a stranger so that the parent or adult can have contiguous seats. It is the simplest courtesty.

i'm tired of pregnant women and parents thinking that they are entitled to special treatment because they are pregnant or accompanied by children.

other dissabilities are not a choice. being pregnant and living in the city is a choice. why should i have to give up my comfortable seat, simply because you made a choice that leaves you feeling uncomfortable?

if your stroller takes up a priorty section on the bus, maybe you should've thought your living situation through before you had a child. your special requirements make everyone else who paid the same amount as you less comfortable.

Wow, "Dee" sounds like a real sweetheart. Here's a tip: don't put your big-ass bag on the seat next to you. Ever. It's completely rude, and it's not what the seat is there for. People shouldn't have to ASK you to show some common courtesy and respect.

I don't understand why "b" is quite so hostile to pregnant women. Priority seating should be made available to anyone whose physical condition makes it uncomfortable to stand on a bus or train for an extended period. Simple as that. Moral judgments aren't necessary. For every parent who shoves a mega-stroller onto a bus or train & blocks the exit, there are plenty others who are considerate and do their best to make room.

lighten up "b"

The thing is that if you read the CTA's brochure on handicapped services, besides noticing how out-of date the picture of the smiling driver with the GMC New Look behind him is, you'll also notice that, while the CTA must designate seats for handicapped people, the CTA is not legally allowed to force people to get up from these seats. So say that a very old person gets on the bus and clearly cannot walk far. I legally have the right to say, "tough luck." And, say someone in a wheelchair gets on the bus. There is someone in a wheelchair in the other accessible position, but the entire rest of the bus is empty. I can sit in my seat and not a thing can be done. OF COURSE, I WOULDN'T ACTUALLY DO THESE THINGS. IT'S JUST INTERESTING TO HEART THAT SUCH A LACK OF CONSIDERATION IS LEGALLY ACCEPTABLE.