CTA Rant Thread (Addison, Irving, Montrose: station, park, ghetto)

[Drover]

I think they said a loss 2 to 4 seats per car. I think that's a fair tradeoff for much more standing room, because let's face it, the passenger count on any given train car usually follows one extreme or another: enough to fill half the seats (if that), or well into standing-room only.

[Drover]

Oh, here's my favorite piece of CTA brilliance: the online system map currently shows the Irving Park and Damen stations as still open and the Addison and Montrose stations as still closed. Get your sh*t together, people -- you've only had three flippin' months to update your maps. People sort of count on those maps to plan out their trips, and out-of-towners in particular may not know how to adjust if they arrive at their destination station only to find it closed.

[Chicago60614]

Things I HATE...although they've been said.

The people who will gives their LIVES to reach the door of a crowded Brown Line before it gets to Washington/Wells when EVERYONE knows that EVERYONE is going to be getting off the train at that stop. Just calm down - we get it. You don't have to be right in front of the door 2 minutes before the train stops.

The people who will also give their LIVES to get on the train IMMEDIATELY upon the doors opening. This is the best when 45 people are trying to get off during rush hour - yet they just don't understand that they can easily board when everyone exists. I normally just smash right into these people and carry them back off the train with me.

The people who will absolutely REFUSE to walk up an escalator, even when 5 people come running up behind them, and we can all see the train we're waiting for (the one we COULD have gotten) sitting in the station.

The people who board a bus, stand there, twitch for a second, THEN start asking "now...where does this bus go?" "Well I don't want to go there though, I need to be at...." "well how do I get there?" "Why do I have to go all the way downtown" "Ok, well, ok, now WHERE? does that bus pick me up?" "How long until it comes?". GET OFF THE BUS, LOOK AT YOUR MAP, AND MOVE ON. Or at least keep it to the 7 second conversation it needs to be. You're talking to a driver on a crowded bus, not the consierge at a hotel....

The zombie mothers who sit on a train and stare at a spot on the wall as their children run screaming bloody murder through the train stepping on people and stomping things. Then suddenly the mother will start slapping their faces and screaming at them to shut up. Then they go back to staring....

The people who carry most of their worly possessions to work with them on the bus, and absolutely bash everyone around them without realizing that when your purse makes very hard and direct contact with something - IT'S NOT A WALL, IT'S A HUMAN. The same human you're been slamming into for 15 minutes!!!

The people who hold their soaking wet umbrella away from them so they don't get drippy - yet at the same time are giving me a shower the whole way downtown.

People who run screaming through an intersection for a bus, make us miss the light, then get off the bus 2 stops later.

[Chicago60614]

Oh yes, and the pole huggers on the trains. I'm sorry that you find the need to hug the crap out of the entire pole like it's a long lost pet - but there are 8 people who need something to hold onto. The best is when they even hold their head against the pole as well, so as to take up the ENTIRE thing...

Also the people who get on when it's packed, but absolutely INSIST on moving to the direct center of the train car, as if they're trying to "teach us a lesson" about moving to the center. Sorry sister, but it's already packed in the center, so open your eyes and just shut up. It's ok to be touching someone else on a packed train, you're not going to die. A few weeks ago this woman with a fur coat on forced herself through 20 people to stand in the center of the train. UNFORTUNATELY, I was standing in the center of the train, and she shoved into me (like when people are passing by, and for a second or two you're really squished against something/one), but she didn't move. THAT'S where she wanted to be standing. I'm not sure if she thought I would vanish into thin air, but I just shoved back into her....the look on her face was absolute horror. The thought someone would be brushing up against her fancy coat!! The horror!!! We spent the next 10 minutes fighting our own personal WWIII personal space war, until she finally got off.

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by Chicago60614

The people who will absolutely REFUSE to walk up an escalator, even when 5 people come running up behind them, and we can all see the train we're waiting for (the one we COULD have gotten) sitting in the station.

Have to take issue with this one... I have two really bad knees that occasionally get most inflamed by taking stairs (old football/track injuries). I often stand on the escalator coming out of the Red Line if my knees are inflamed and sore, but make sure to stay on the right so people can get by on the left. If you don't like it, tough.

[browneyedgurl]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

Have to take issue with this one... I have two really bad knees that occasionally get most inflamed by taking stairs (old football/track injuries). I often stand on the escalator coming out of the Red Line if my knees are inflamed and sore, but make sure to stay on the right so people can get by on the left. If you don't like it, tough.

I understand where you are coming from, because I have knee problems too. I leave adequate space for people to walk past me on the escalator, but it's the escalator....it moves. If wherever you need to be is that pressing, you could've used the stairs.

[youngurbanprofessional]

I hate it the most when people overcrowd a seat. Most trains and buses have seats next to another one, and a lot of times, fat or thin, people take up more than their share of space.

1. If I'm so fat that I take up more than one seat on a bus/train, I should be running to work. I once saw a fat guy try to squeeze himself between two other people who were already sitting down confortably. By the time he was sat, the other two people had to get up from their seats.

2. If you have so many bags that you can't keep all of them near you without taking up an entire bench, then you should be standing. Especially during rush hours.

3. There is a game people play on the trains, I call it: "how many people can we fit in a car". I hate this game, so do a lot of people. If you think it is worth it to force-squeeze yourself into a train car simply because you can't wait less than 5 minutes for the next train, you are dead wrong. Sometimes I just want to literally shove them off the train, or elbow them in the face. Someday I just might.

The CTA employees are incompetent and bad enough, but we expect that from ghetto people who make no money. Other people, however, should have some common sense and learn not to be so selfish. I agree with a previous poster, some people need a punch in the face. Otherwise they can keep doing stupid **** and get away with it.

[jdiddy]

Originally Posted by youngurbanprofessional

I hate it the most when people overcrowd a seat. Most trains and buses have seats next to another one, and a lot of times, fat or thin, people take up more than their share of space.

1. If I'm so fat that I take up more than one seat on a bus/train, I should be running to work. I once saw a fat guy try to squeeze himself between two other people who were already sitting down confortably. By the time he was sat, the other two people had to get up from their seats.

2. If you have so many bags that you can't keep all of them near you without taking up an entire bench, then you should be standing. Especially during rush hours.

3. There is a game people play on the trains, I call it: "how many people can we fit in a car". I hate this game, so do a lot of people. If you think it is worth it to force-squeeze yourself into a train car simply because you can't wait less than 5 minutes for the next train, you are dead wrong. Sometimes I just want to literally shove them off the train, or elbow them in the face. Someday I just might.

The CTA employees are incompetent and bad enough, but we expect that from ghetto people who make no money. Other people, however, should have some common sense and learn not to be so selfish. I agree with a previous poster, some people need a punch in the face. Otherwise they can keep doing stupid **** and get away with it.

CTA employees do alright for themselves financially, ghetto as some of them may be.

[prairiestate]

Originally Posted by OrangeAndBlue

With all the problems the CTA has, live in almost any other US city for a while and you'll realize just how lucky we are to have such a "good" system. Chicago is still one of only a very small number of cities in this country where it's possible to live very comfortably without a car (thanks to the CTA).
So yeah, as much as I get annoyed at times, overall I'm still happy with it - could be a lot worst.

Well, let's see.

In Philly, the trains and stations are clean, and there are transit cops all over. You actually feel safe on transit there, and there are very few people creating a nuisance.

In Denver and Minneapolis, buses show up on time, and they are clean, and have comfortable padded seats.

Seattle also keeps their bus fleet clean, and the drivers are remarkably friendly and helpful.

Really, I haven't found a transit agency yet that doesn't do a better job then Chicago in keeping their system clean and in good repair. Now, you may argue for the extent and frequency of Chicago's service. Well, other cities are pretty well covered by their transit systems, though the buses may not run quite as late, or as frequently. On the other hand, Chicago's network of high frequency service is pretty much confined to downtown and the north side. Have you ever tried to live outside those areas and rely on transit? I have, and it's not much fun. The frequency of service is no better, if not worse, then in other large cities. And you do without other amenities, such as on time service, clean buses and friendly drivers. So, in limited areas, Chicago may have a superior system, but overall, I think many other cities do much better.

[prinsessa]

It used to drive me nuts when people would sit on the outside seat but now I understand why. I have had my butt "accidently" rubbed a few times while trying to get out of a inside seat. I also had a guy rub my leg when I was in H.S. I don't totally feel safe riding the el. One of my friends got robbed at gun point and I heard of a woman getting assaulted (almost raped). These both happened during the daytime. I know you can get attacked any where in the city but sitting so close to a perv is a little scary.

btw, I always get up for people to sit in the inside. And I always get up for older people or pregnant women/people with small children. I remember taking the bus when my daughter was little (around 1 1/2) with a umbrella stroller (that was folded up) and a baby bag. I couldn't even hold on to the pole because I was holding her with one hand and the bag and stroller in the other. Not one person got up for me. The bus driver stopped the bus and made an announcement that she wasn't moving until someone got up for me. One woman got up but she was getting up at the next stop anyway.