CTA Tattler

I dont think I ever noticed how sexist the 60s were

All this proves is that people are as rude as they ever were. And I don't agree that women should automatically get seats on the train.

Since you brought up the subject: over the weekend I e-mailed the following message to the CTA. The name of my station is withheld because it's not time to publicly embarrass the attendants yet. This has bothered me for some time on my own behalf, but what really galvanized me to action was seeing people being rude to a guy with a cane. The day after I sent the message, more young men pushed past both of us while we were already halfway up the (single-wide) escalator.

"I would like to tell you how the attendants at the ____ station on the Red Line could be a lot more helpful to passengers during the morning rush.

"Right now, they generally spend their time standing next to the turnstiles, whistling. Yes, it's more than one of them that does that, and no, I haven't any idea what makes them think everyone really wants to hear it. Because believe me, we don't!)

"Anyway, it would be of far more help to passengers if these attendants would stand over by the escalator, and help prevent strapping young men from intimidating those with canes or bad knees or just a lack of youthful energy into not getting on the escalator (it's a 1-person-wide escalator) and standing aside so they (the strapping oung men) can run up the escalator in their hurry to catch a train that they think is in the station about to pull out but probably isn't even there at all. The attendants could direct these s.y.m. to use the stairs if they simply must run up.

"I hope you don't think it's not the CTA's responsibility to help in this way. You already accept responsibility for accommodating the disabled and asking your passengers to do their part, because you know that's how things work in a civilized society. Would it be that much of a stretch for you to also take responsibility to protect the weaker half of the able-bodied population from being shoved aside by selfish jerks who think they can just turn public transit into their own private extreme sport because they make up in strength for the courtesy they lack? The CTA is supposed to be for everyone, and your employees should be out there actively defending this principle every day. Believe me, I have tried shaming these guys by stepping aside saying "please don't flatten me" but most of them simply say "thank you" and dash up the escalator. Only one so far has had the decency to yield to the guy in front of me with the cane, after I made the offer, and go take the stairs instead.

"Over the next two weeks I will watch to see if my request has had any effect. If it does not, I will pursue other methods to bring this important issue to someone's attention."

as a paying customer, i am going to have a hard time giving up a seat to an elderly person who is non-paying...just saying.

As a paying customer who will be hopefully be elderly one day, I will not.

Sorry CC, but it's not the CTA's job to police common decency. What you've described is indeed troubling, but I think the CTA has bigger things to worry about than people running up the escalator.

This gem caught my eye:

“If cities are to remain pleasant places to live in at all, however, it seems imperative, not only that communications in transport should be improved, but also that communication between human beings should be kept smooth and polite.”

This morning teenagers were screaming across the bus to each other about how loud, repetitive and annoying the announcements were. As annoying as their behavior was, the absurdity amused me. It was so meta. I always love it when the announcement about being considerate when talking on your cell phone comes on at ear-splitting levels when no one is on a phone and, thus, becomes an irritant itself.

just curious mary, where was the single wide escalator? are you sure it wasn't double and you're just wider than the average? there are VERY FEW single wide escalators around... (clark/lake has one in the concourse building... hmm where else?).

it would be truly outstanding on the double wide ones if they could paint a line down the middle and announce the etiquette that has come to be accepted by anyone on a morning rush commute: stand on the right on walk on the left. it's amazing that some people are still too stupid to realize that the 40 feet of people above and in front of them managed to stand on the right, yet they somehow think it's OK to stand on the left and block EVERYONE behind them from getting to work.

this isn't just about being an "extreme sport" ... the clark/lake station gets so crowded in the morning rush you can't even walk. the people who are quickly exiting by walking up the escalator are not only doing themselves a favor, they're doing the CTA a favor by expediting the deboarding process. the cta should do everything they can to encourage people to stand on the right, walk on the left of the escalators.

btw, the blue line closures this morning have now made it onto national news... CNN just did a story about the mess this morning, apparently the trains were shut down (and still are), but the CTA was doing a poor job communicating with passengers. people are claiming they were stuck on trains for 30+ minutes before some people started crawling out windows, etc... and there was no information provided other than the canned messages

Um, many of the stations on the northern stretch of the Red Line have narrow escalators.

I'm a little baffled by some of the things CC said, but since I'm currently avoiding the Red Line on weekday mornings, I won't press the issue. I do agree this isn't the CTA's issue to deal with.

Dear Suggestion--My name is not Mary, and I do know the difference between a single-wide and a double-wide escalator. I assure you that I am not a double-wide person, merely a normal-weight middle-aged female who wishes her movements were not constrained by arthritic knees, but what can I do? Being quite familiar with the stand-on-the-right custom, I scrupulously observe it when using the double-wide escalators in the Loop, making sure to hold my bag in such a way that it doesn't block others. It amazes me that many people don't get this. Some "stand on the right--walk on the left" signage would be in order.

I think I made a pretty good case for why the CTA should try to keep rampant discourtesy in check. There is no conflict between this and the CTA's ability to deal with bigger things. Indeed, one of the biggest things is turning around the perception that the transit experience will usually be ruined by barbarians because nobody cares.

The quotation I found this morning in "Manners for Moderns" regarding customer communication is now a bit ironic considering the day's events on the Blue Line. I find it sad that, as he approaches his first anniversary of being anointed by His Mayoral Majesty, RonH still doesn't get it. Don't just parrot what people tell you; check it out and make sure it's true. As the reporters at the now defunct City New Service said, "If your mother tells you she loves you, check it out." Sure, people self-evacuated, which was, as the motorman said, "stupid." More stupid is the fact that a plate falling off a train, albeit 39 years old, should cause this amount of panic and disruption. Yes, we need capital $$ to purchase new rolling stock and repair infrastructure, but that's only part of the equation. Most of us, except KevinB, want to see RonH succeed, but today makes it a little difficult to cheer for the new sheriff. Making sure that all motorpersons, especially those working in the tunnels, know what to do if things go wrong is, to quote the stupid credit card commercial....priceless.

Strangely, and rather sadly, it is more often young women
who stand up for older people than young men.

Ain't that the truth.

and Cubs fans don't stand for anyone. s'true.

Equality vs. special treatment... a difficult conondrum. Do I get up and give my seat to someone who doesn't have to pay to ride? I am paying for a seat, they are not.

People with disabilities? Well, the ADA requires that the CTA provide seating for them, but all they have to do is provide the signage. Legally, they cannot force anyone out of those seats. The area we need to improve here is paratransit service. A wheelchair takes 4 seats or more out of service for regular customers. So is that fair that they pay the same and cosume more?

Do I get up and give my seat to a woman? Let me see, I am sexist if I do get up and give it to "the weaker sex" because they are equals, but I am a cad if I don't give it to this "equal" woman who wants special treatment.

I think the EEOC makes it clear that all people are to be treated equally regardless. Therefore, I shan't be giving up my seat for anyone. Yea, I am a horrible person.

Do I get up and give my seat to someone who doesn't have to pay to ride? I am paying for a seat, they are not.

So what if they're not paying? How do you even know if they enrolled in the free rides program or not? Everyone I've seen who looked to be over 65 getting on a bus since this went into effect is still putting a cardboard fare card into the fare box. Except for the ladies in minks taking an express bus down to their luncheon and shopping on the Mag Mile. Those ladies are still putting their $2 into the fair boxes. I stand up for these ladies if there aren't any seats. They could afford to take cabs but they're supporting the CTA and I appreciate it.

Attention Blogmaster Kevin: I got my reply from "CTA Help", and it was pretty much what one would have expected from that channel. I could share it with you--plus my answer back to them. Either now, or the next time you are collecting questions and issues for a Coffee with Ron.

Sure CC. Email me at kjo84@aol.com.

-Kevin