CTA Crowd-SOS please
Ok, so every morning I gather my gym bag and head to the Logan Square blue line to head just a few stops up to Damen to get off in Wicker Park and head to my gym. From there I get ready and catch the bus to work. No prob. WRONG.
#1 It's rush hour at 8am when I get down there, so the crowd is savagely waiting for the train to arrive.
#2 People won't move to the back so when you enter you have to squeeze through to move yourself to the back. Because you are polite. And they are not.
#3 By the time Damen comes up you are squished against some guys man boobs and you barely have room to breathe. Not to mention that when you try to get off the train you have to say excuse me 80 times and then fight the incoming traffic. Now, LET'S TALK ABOUT INCOMING TRAFFIC RULES:
A. Please wait for everyone to get off the train before you get on (a given, I would think)
B. Please stop pushing me
C. Please stop looking like scary muppets (see diagram 21E)
Digram 21E
#1 It's rush hour at 8am when I get down there, so the crowd is savagely waiting for the train to arrive.
#2 People won't move to the back so when you enter you have to squeeze through to move yourself to the back. Because you are polite. And they are not.
#3 By the time Damen comes up you are squished against some guys man boobs and you barely have room to breathe. Not to mention that when you try to get off the train you have to say excuse me 80 times and then fight the incoming traffic. Now, LET'S TALK ABOUT INCOMING TRAFFIC RULES:
A. Please wait for everyone to get off the train before you get on (a given, I would think)
B. Please stop pushing me
C. Please stop looking like scary muppets (see diagram 21E)
Digram 21E
#4 When I FINALLY get off the train with all things in tact, I would like to walk down the stairwell safely. Except that incoming traffic thinks they can make it up to the train so they decide to run up both sides of the stairwell. I then cling for dear life. I do not want to die, please use your side.
And that concludes the top 4 reasons why commuting in Chicago can be sort of like an episode of Fraggle Rock except you don't know if you are going to make it out of the cave.
Comments
D. If you're standing near the door, step off the train to allow others to exit; then get back on.
E. If you're standing on the platform, leave room/a path so that those exiting the train can quickly move off the train.
F. On the escalators, stand to the right, walk on the left (oh, that's already a rule).
And for elevators:
Guys, this is one place where the ladies first courtesy does not apply: just get off the elevator.
Another area where the ladies first courtesy does not apply: revolving doors.