Subway and Public Transportation Etiquette - The People We Encounter

[Piobaire]

I have not been asked for money in years. I guess I do not seem friendly?

 

[gomestar]

no, you have an automobile.

 

[Piobaire]

Well, yeah, but I do walk around a bit downtown from time to time. Also, we have beggars at stop lights. They don't bother me. I like to do the opposite of everyone else. I make and hold eye contact vs. looking away.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I am afraid of the AIDS needles that might get shoved into my eyeball if I do that.

 

[Piobaire]



I am afraid of the AIDS needles that might get shoved into my eyeball if I do that.

It's all about proper safety equipment. Glasses with a safety lens are paramount.

 

[gomestar]

i don't make eye contact with anybody on the subway. Unless it's a really hot woman, at which point I try to eye **** the **** out of them.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I get looks on the subway a lot. People are trying to decide whether I am good looking or not. Must be my long nose, Yale Chin, and hipster glasses. Gets em' every time.

 

[gomestar]

what's a Yale chin? Maybe a smug raise of the chin to let other people know "you are not worthy of my stare?". I thought that was a Harvard chin.

 

[imatlas]

I got onto a crowded, standing room only BART train this morning, and noticed a homeless looking dude sacked out across two seats sleeping. As I walked by I kicked the side of the chair as hard as I could, creating a satisfyingly loud bang and startling him awake.

Was that wrong?

 

[patrickBOOTH]



what's a Yale chin? Maybe a smug raise of the chin to let other people know "you are not worthy of my stare?". I thought that was a Harvard chin.

It's a Bonfire of the Vanities reference. I just have a prominent chin.

I got onto a crowded, standing room only BART train this morning, and noticed a homeless looking dude sacked out across two seats sleeping. As I walked by I kicked the side of the chair as hard as I could, creating a satisfyingly loud bang and startling him awake.
Was that wrong?

You're kind of a dick, yes.

 

[Fang66]



I can't remember the last time I saw an AM beggar. They're almost always PM.
A few years ago, there was this one particular AM begger who kept on going on and on about his problems, the usual suspects (he really wanted to get a job, but lost his birth certificate, etc. etc.). Clearly getting no love, he then said it was his birthday and asked everybody to wish him happy birthday. Again, no love. Then seeing he was about to strike out, he said he had AIDS. No love there either, so on to the next train car it was.
And I haven't seen this one woman in a few years either, but she used to go on a train with a construction tub of sorts and pretended to use it as a drum to keep the beat while she was singing her song about being broke. Only thing is, she was soooo bad at the "drum" that it just sounded like an odd thump at random points in her random song.
And I only saw this once, but a mom and her young son came on the train begging for money, the mother claiming that the son was starving. Only thing is, the kid was like 5'8" and 450 pounds, so it invoked contrasting thoughts of "well of course he's starving, the only way to be that big is to be ALWAYS starving", as well as "he looks pretty full to me".

The joys of living in a third world country.

 

[imatlas]



You're kind of a dick, yes.

Sometimes I feel like a dick, sometimes I don't.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Today walking down to the platform this old crippled guy is slowly walking up and tells me the train isn't running. I say, ugh, really? You know rhetorical question out of frustration. Then as I begin walking down to the platform to wait I hear him say, fine don't believe me jackass! I wish he said it to my face, the old ****.

 

[gomestar]

yesterday was an interesting transit day. In the morning, I walked up to the station and see hoards of people pouring out, and I knew what it means. I walked to work. The same thing nearly happened again today, but I happened to squeeze in at one of the ends. Yuck.

and then yesterday evening, the trains were crowded and backed up, and they did the "the next stop will be XX" meaning they'll be skipping a bunch of stops in between. Instead of skipping the first stop, the train pulls in and stops at the platform. Then it sits for a moment and people outside wait for the doors to open, and then the train takes right off leaving the people outside pissed. Funny to me.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I get so infuriated with the MTA and its bullshit. I want to know why they are expanding their service to second ave when they can't even maintain the current system and they have no money! What idiots on the board decided to make this capital expansion project a go and during rough economic times is an asshole. Now my monthly fare is going up again. It has gone up 30% in the last 4 years. Horse **** if you ask me.