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Old 02-10-2013, 08:44 PM
 
2,990 posts, read 5,239,612 times
Reputation: 2365

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I never got the griping about the CTA. Works for me just fine. My only complaint is the fake wood is hideous; they should just make it metal colored. But beyond that, I've always been pleased with it.

In terms of the fare hike, people can expect to be getting hit with the "real costs" of things like this a lot more in years to come, as communities are faced with actually trying to balance their budgets or face building up truly insurmountable deficits.

In Michigan right now they're looking at a 17 percent gas tax hike--but someone has to pay to fix the roads and the current governor, to his credit, isn't willing to kick the can down the road or put it on the old credit car. People are outraged.

But maybe such costs will make the public more mindful of the politicians they elect, the decisions they make and how they all spend our money.
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Old 02-10-2013, 09:26 PM
 
9,882 posts, read 9,488,359 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by marothisu View Post
The number of people who absolutely need to sit are very much in the minority. It's not like there's no seats available for them. By increasing the capacity of the cars, they are doing more long term planning for the CTA to hold more capacity. Also, as I stated before, you don't have as often the "Crap, I can't fit in this and I have to wait for the next train to go home" ****. I hate that, and it's going to increase customer satisfaction as a result too. The people who complain about having to stare at someone's crotch in a crowded train? Tough ****. There's far worse things in the world you could be subjected to. Look downward or to your side if you can.
You really dont want to be too close to some of your fellow travelers.. i.e. summertime STINK level goes up, not only with the homeless but also sweaty people using the train right after the gym or jogging and believe me it is not pretty.

Add to that a "groper" taking advantage of that position, some pervert enjoying the disgusting pleasure of taking advantage of that ability to do that to some person who does not appreciate being that close to that pervert.

Or even someone not a pervert, and the train hits a bump and the standee lurches said body parts into the person sitting.

You may scoff, but these things are very possible. for example, right now, when someone is sitting with their shoulder pointing toward people who lean back (either by a very crowded vestibule or whatever), already I see people who are standing in the vestibule and lean into the person sitting there next to them. But at least there is a boundary in between.

when the trains get very crowded, rush hour, holiday crowd, etc when you are packed in like sardines, this will make the above problems even more so. I can even imagine someone standing with their butt in the sitting person's face, and then BUMP goes the train and the standee falls into someone's lap.

I have not decided yet the effect of these new seats with the people on there who play the shell games or go from car to car trying to beg for money, but I do know these scenarios I outlined above ARE a reality, just ask someone who regularly rides the train and they will agree with me I beleive. Not bragging, Im being realistic.
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Old 02-10-2013, 10:21 PM
 
Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan, NYC
15,331 posts, read 23,762,089 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO View Post
You really dont want to be too close to some of your fellow travelers.. i.e. summertime STINK level goes up, not only with the homeless but also sweaty people using the train right after the gym or jogging and believe me it is not pretty.

Add to that a "groper" taking advantage of that position, some pervert enjoying the disgusting pleasure of taking advantage of that ability to do that to some person who does not appreciate being that close to that pervert.

Or even someone not a pervert, and the train hits a bump and the standee lurches said body parts into the person sitting.

You may scoff, but these things are very possible. for example, right now, when someone is sitting with their shoulder pointing toward people who lean back (either by a very crowded vestibule or whatever), already I see people who are standing in the vestibule and lean into the person sitting there next to them. But at least there is a boundary in between.

when the trains get very crowded, rush hour, holiday crowd, etc when you are packed in like sardines, this will make the above problems even more so. I can even imagine someone standing with their butt in the sitting person's face, and then BUMP goes the train and the standee falls into someone's lap.

I have not decided yet the effect of these new seats with the people on there who play the shell games or go from car to car trying to beg for money, but I do know these scenarios I outlined above ARE a reality, just ask someone who regularly rides the train and they will agree with me I beleive. Not bragging, Im being realistic.
NEWS FLASH:

I ride the train every ****ing day, multiple times, multiple areas, and have for multiple years. I thought the first time when I said I ride the train everyday would have maybe registered somewhere.

Quote:
just ask someone who regularly rides the train and they will agree with me I beleive
I AM that person. Thanks for playing though.

Most of the stuff you say is completely overblown. There's exactly one homeless person in the entire area I would never like to be next to (this older lady usually hanging out at the Monroe red or Lake red line stations) because they purely smell like crap. The other ones aren't terrible. I've never, ever seen anybody groped on a train or bus. I've seen a creepy guy end up taking video secretly of my girlfriend before, but we switched seats so he would stop. Nobody's ass is going into my face, even if the train is packed. The seats and human body are shaped as such that that will never happen given how the train is designed.

Again. I ride the train every day and have for years. Pick someone else for your appeals of your suburban-esque fears to.
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Old 02-10-2013, 10:38 PM
 
2,990 posts, read 5,239,612 times
Reputation: 2365
It cracks me up how people always gripe about things like the above...

It's a train. If you don't want to ride the train, there's an easy solution: Buy a car.

Meanwhile you get what your $2.25 pays for.

I have to take the Amtrak all the time and the doofuses on it CONSTANTLY put their bags next to their seats--we're talking about adults here--hoping it will ward off people sitting next to them. Because they don't take the train often. And they don't understand the train is almost always sold out. You are going to have to sit next to someone and if you don't want to, here's a tip: Buy a car.

There is a special place in purgatory for all of these people.
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Old 02-11-2013, 09:22 AM
 
14,802 posts, read 17,560,693 times
Reputation: 9244
Quote:
Originally Posted by marothisu View Post
NEWS FLASH:

I ride the train every ****ing day, multiple times, multiple areas, and have for multiple years. I thought the first time when I said I ride the train everyday would have maybe registered somewhere.

I AM that person. Thanks for playing though.

Most of the stuff you say is completely overblown. There's exactly one homeless person in the entire area I would never like to be next to (this older lady usually hanging out at the Monroe red or Lake red line stations) because they purely smell like crap. The other ones aren't terrible. I've never, ever seen anybody groped on a train or bus. I've seen a creepy guy end up taking video secretly of my girlfriend before, but we switched seats so he would stop. Nobody's ass is going into my face, even if the train is packed. The seats and human body are shaped as such that that will never happen given how the train is designed.

Again. I ride the train every day and have for years. Pick someone else for your appeals of your suburban-esque fears to.
I ride the train every day. Rarely do I see or smell anything bad. I usually have no problem getting to and from where I want on time.

All for $2.25 a ride.
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Old 02-11-2013, 09:59 AM
 
9,882 posts, read 9,488,359 times
Reputation: 10054
Quote:
Originally Posted by marothisu View Post
NEWS FLASH:

I ride the train every ****ing day, multiple times, multiple areas, and have for multiple years. I thought the first time when I said I ride the train everyday would have maybe registered somewhere.

I AM that person. Thanks for playing though.

Most of the stuff you say is completely overblown. There's exactly one homeless person in the entire area I would never like to be next to (this older lady usually hanging out at the Monroe red or Lake red line stations) because they purely smell like crap. The other ones aren't terrible. I've never, ever seen anybody groped on a train or bus. I've seen a creepy guy end up taking video secretly of my girlfriend before, but we switched seats so he would stop. Nobody's ass is going into my face, even if the train is packed. The seats and human body are shaped as such that that will never happen given how the train is designed.

Again. I ride the train every day and have for years. Pick someone else for your appeals of your suburban-esque fears to.
Hostile and judgmental much? just because it has not happened to you - does not mean that it does not happen. And you also do not know where I live so dont try to judge if Im a suburbanite or a resident of the city. I'm a realist, I think perhaps you need to take your jumping to conclusions elsewhere.

I've been on the train and I've witnessed a lot of stuff, perhaps you are a teenager and haven't taken the el as much as others. Just keep on living and eventually you will have enough people that you will perhaps be reminded of my post her and say "aha she was right after all."

I really do not understand you people who think just because it has not happened to you, its not true.. I speak from personal experience. Duh!
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Old 02-11-2013, 10:09 AM
 
Location: Chicago
3,339 posts, read 5,956,164 times
Reputation: 4241
I'm always surprised by the number of people who are so pro-CTA on this forum. The CTA is what it is and it will get you where you need to go. That said it is crowded, dirty and usually not a comfortable experience. There is definitely room for improvement, in my opinion.

I took the blue line every work day for 5 years. By the time the trains made it to my stop (Western or Damen) they were just about always standing room only and became very uncomfortable by the time we got to Chicago. I would use the train tracker and if the next train was within 3 minutes I'd usually wait to avoid being physically pressed up against strangers. The blue line smelled pretty consistently in my experience, also. I don't know how often the CTA cleans the cars, but they definitely could stand to be cleaned more often.

If there was an option to sit in a nicer car for more money I would have spent it. I guess that's what Metra is though. For me, Metra is well worth the extra cost for a more pleasant commute.

If all someone has ever known is the CTA then maybe it doesn't seem so bad. Comparing it to Metra though and the experience is very different and doesn't seem nearly as nice. Of course a person cannot get everywhere on Metra, but for commuting to work it does the job in a much more pleasant way.
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Old 02-11-2013, 10:56 AM
 
9,882 posts, read 9,488,359 times
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Other things I witnessed on the CTA –

Red Line – got on at Merchandise Mart – someone had pooped on the floor, you could smell it.
]Red Line – train went a bit too fast around that corner – felt like we were tipping over.
Blue Line – travelers with their humungous multiple suitcases, taking up room, all over the seats, aisle, etc. No room to sit unless you asked them to kindly move.
Blue Line going downtown – 3 guys playing the shell game, I recognized who the shill was who “won” the money.
Red Line/Brown Line – generally stinky
Blue Line – going west, train crowded so that standing passenger with books in hand was leaning forward into the person sitting and standee did not notice that books were jabbing into the seated person.

Blue Line going downtown – this has happened MORE than once, too many times to count – lots of snow and trains going express – finally when train stops, people are so desperate to get on (they’ve been waiting so long in the cold) they smoosh into the train, and push so hard that you cannot even breathe. There is a point where if you are caught in the middle, and enough people push, you cannot breathe. I have had to stand firm so that they could not do that to me, not to be rude, but you can tell when it gets to that point. I would have moved if I could.. and I have, but sometimes there is just no room.
People who wont get up for pregnant women, clearly you can tell they are pregnant, and not just fat. I know women want to be equal to men, but sometimes you can tell they need a seat.

A man in crutches was getting on the 151 bus, not too crowded, no one would give up their seat in the front. He got to me and I was clearly pregnant, and gave up my seat for him because he needed it more. He was thankful. There were some young people that could have given up their seat for him. I’m not bragging, but just reporting how people are. (yeah I know some of you don’t think people on crutches deserve a seat
Passengers going downtown around 10:00 a.m. – after the early morning work crowd go to work – they come on with their double wide strollers, they then proceed to lift up the front seat, and then sit on the first forward facing seat – thereby taking up 4-5 seats for others. They also do not fold up their strollers and no one can walk by – unless they trip.. which I have seen some people trip.
People with umbrellas and/or canes – sit in the front seat on the bus and they do not realize their cane or umbrella are pointing forward and I have watched people trip over their cane or umbrella. Usually it is senior citizens who do this L

Teenagers who scream literally at each other on the back of the bus. One time I was on the Central bus going south from the Blue Line and these teens were screaming at each other, toward the front they woke up a baby crying and then screamed at the baby to shut up and thought this was funny. No one wanted to tell these teens to shut up.

Homeless man sprawled out on the CTA, again stinky and dirty, no one wanted to sit by him. And also you know about the hobo corner in the CTA? Where people camp out there, most people do not want to tred in there.Trains that go fast, then stop quickly and lurch you forward, it hurts when that happens sometimes.
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Old 02-11-2013, 11:04 AM
 
14,802 posts, read 17,560,693 times
Reputation: 9244
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO View Post
Other things I witnessed on the CTA –

Red Line – got on at Merchandise Mart – someone had pooped on the floor, you could smell it.
]Red Line – train went a bit too fast around that corner – felt like we were tipping over.
Blue Line – travelers with their humungous multiple suitcases, taking up room, all over the seats, aisle, etc. No room to sit unless you asked them to kindly move.
Blue Line going downtown – 3 guys playing the shell game, I recognized who the shill was who “won” the money.
Red Line/Brown Line – generally stinky
Blue Line – going west, train crowded so that standing passenger with books in hand was leaning forward into the person sitting and standee did not notice that books were jabbing into the seated person.

Blue Line going downtown – this has happened MORE than once, too many times to count – lots of snow and trains going express – finally when train stops, people are so desperate to get on (they’ve been waiting so long in the cold) they smoosh into the train, and push so hard that you cannot even breathe. There is a point where if you are caught in the middle, and enough people push, you cannot breathe. I have had to stand firm so that they could not do that to me, not to be rude, but you can tell when it gets to that point. I would have moved if I could.. and I have, but sometimes there is just no room.
People who wont get up for pregnant women, clearly you can tell they are pregnant, and not just fat. I know women want to be equal to men, but sometimes you can tell they need a seat.

A man in crutches was getting on the 151 bus, not too crowded, no one would give up their seat in the front. He got to me and I was clearly pregnant, and gave up my seat for him because he needed it more. He was thankful. There were some young people that could have given up their seat for him. I’m not bragging, but just reporting how people are. (yeah I know some of you don’t think people on crutches deserve a seat
Passengers going downtown around 10:00 a.m. – after the early morning work crowd go to work – they come on with their double wide strollers, they then proceed to lift up the front seat, and then sit on the first forward facing seat – thereby taking up 4-5 seats for others. They also do not fold up their strollers and no one can walk by – unless they trip.. which I have seen some people trip.
People with umbrellas and/or canes – sit in the front seat on the bus and they do not realize their cane or umbrella are pointing forward and I have watched people trip over their cane or umbrella. Usually it is senior citizens who do this L

Teenagers who scream literally at each other on the back of the bus. One time I was on the Central bus going south from the Blue Line and these teens were screaming at each other, toward the front they woke up a baby crying and then screamed at the baby to shut up and thought this was funny. No one wanted to tell these teens to shut up.

Homeless man sprawled out on the CTA, again stinky and dirty, no one wanted to sit by him. And also you know about the hobo corner in the CTA? Where people camp out there, most people do not want to tred in there.Trains that go fast, then stop quickly and lurch you forward, it hurts when that happens sometimes.
You have some pretty bad luck.
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Old 02-11-2013, 11:17 AM
 
Location: Upper West Side, Manhattan, NYC
15,331 posts, read 23,762,089 times
Reputation: 7419
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO View Post
Hostile and judgmental much? just because it has not happened to you - does not mean that it does not happen. And you also do not know where I live so dont try to judge if Im a suburbanite or a resident of the city. I'm a realist, I think perhaps you need to take your jumping to conclusions elsewhere.

I've been on the train and I've witnessed a lot of stuff, perhaps you are a teenager and haven't taken the el as much as others. Just keep on living and eventually you will have enough people that you will perhaps be reminded of my post her and say "aha she was right after all."

I really do not understand you people who think just because it has not happened to you, its not true.. I speak from personal experience. Duh!
When did I ever say it *never* happens. I said it has never happened to me. That is all. I'm well aware that some bad things may happen somewhere, but as you said "Ask anyone who rides everyday." Guess what? I ride everyday. I am telling you that these things happening are in the minority in certain parts. Based on what you said in another post and as I recall some other things that have happened to you (weren't you robbed at gunpoint once?) that you have extremely bad luck in life with some things. But just because they've happened to you a few times, doesn't mean they are rampantly happening either. It goes both ways.

I have been on the train/bus with loud teenagers and it's just that. It's annoying as all hell, but I have headphones and usually they only ride for a little bit. I've been on the bus where people are ridiculous and don't give up their seat. I say something to the people and they move. Some of the other stuff you mention are incredibly picky. People with suitcases on the Blue Line taking up seats? Okay. Sometimes it's hard not to. if you don't like it, then say something to them. Most people will move their suitcases. I ride the blue line all the time to/from the airport for my flights and it is hard to do it. Guess what though? It's the nature of the line. This isn't unique to Chicago. Red line almost tipping over a turn? Yeah, you know the first time I rode the CTA in the loop, this happened to me. Or so I thought. It turned out it was just the nature of the track and I just wasn't used to it. Now I ride the loop everyday and know better. Shell game? Okay. It's a street game. Tell me how this is different from any other big city in the world? This happens everywhere. Only people who don't know any better get themselves into that.

It happens, but you seem to have very bad luck with certain things. I ride every day on the train and bus and have never witnessed anybody defecating anywhere or any piece of that matter anywhere. I've never seen anybody being groped, etc. You honestly have some ridiculous fears. I agree with you about smelly homeless people (ithappens sometimes, but I've noticed now it's less) and the defecation thing would suck, but honestly, you think this happens all the time? Think again.
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