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Wednesday, February 8, 2012

They see me running... they be hatin' ...

Text message from 905263XXXX
to 9054427423 (cj@thiscrazytrain.com)
WED FEB 08 2012 08:11 AM

One of my biggest pet peeves is when I'm running for the train such as the 7:53 train this morning in Oshawa and because it takes forever to find a spot I'm usually running for the train and what irks me is when the CSA sees you running and closes the doors. How do these jerks sleep at night? Then to make matters worse sometimes they come to a dead stop and just sit there because of a brake check and the CSA doesn't open the doors to let those of us stranded on the train get on. I wasn't impressed I had to take the 8:25 this morning. Nor have I been impressed on those mornings where I could have taken the 7:53 while the train sat there after moving an inch and didn't open the doors.

Text message from 9054427423 - CJ@thiscrazytrain.com
to 905263XXXX
WED FEB 08 2012 08:12 AM

Not to be mean, rude or bitchy but if you don't make it onto the 7:53 AM train before it leaves (ON TIME), the CSA is doing his/her job by closing the doors and keeping GO Transit on schedule. GO made me a promise trains would be on time. They didn't make you a promise that if you were late they'd hold the train for you. I'm sure the CSAs sleeps just fine at night. If you know parking is a problem at Oshawa why not make the effort to leave 5 minutes earlier or just drive to Whitby and use the parking garage? As for starts and stops and idling trains, I am sure there are safety reasons for why doors don't open. But I have witnessed doors opening after the train has moved a foot or so. I know it's upsetting to miss a train but it's no one's fault but your own.


Text message from 905263XXXX
to 9054427423 (cj@thiscrazytrain.com)
WED FEB 08 2012 08:27 AM

Wow! Quite a response from someone who's the first to point out the error of everyone's ways. have you never been late for a train?

Text message from 9054427423 - CJ@thiscrazytrain.com
to 905263XXXX
WED FEB 08 2012 08:28 AM

But you ARE in error! So of course I'm going to point it out. Yes, I've been late for trains but I just wait for the next one. I once witnessed a person pull off a shoe and whip it at the train as it was leaving. I find such anger comical because really, trains are supposed to be on-time. That's how it works. Imagine how chaotic it would be if CSAs waited for every late person?


EVERY DAMN MORNING
"And they stood there like turkeys as they watched the train they just missed pull away ..."

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Jeez, rider, accept some personal responsibility. You being late is the CSA's fault now? And then you get mad at CJ for not embracing your whine?

Just drive your car, OK?

Harith said...

Sometimes I can detect just a little bit of malice in the polite way a CSA says "please stand back, doors are closing" after the third time someone has charged and forced open closing doors.

Harith said...

Oh and the other night, just as we all filled the 5:34 LSW going to Hamilton, and the doors had closed, someone was banging on the door right by the CSA. This person did it twice. The train was full, like REALLY full, couldn't move an inch without being in someone's face. Yet...

*BANG*BANG*BANG*

I think I detected a slight sense of smug satisfaction in the CSA's face when he was actively denying that person an open door.

Drumstick said...

I know the frustration. I once came up the stairs and the doors closed just as I was about to board. Then, the train stood there for over 2 minutes (I timed it). The CSA knew I was there but wouldn't open the door, so I had to wait 45 minutes for the next train.

Was it my fault for being late in the first place?...YES.

Could the CSA have opened the door to let me on since the train just sat there?....YES.

End of the day, my fault so I'm not about bitch about it to GO.


But if you are constantly running for the train in the morning...get your ass up 5 minutes earlier...problem solved!

DF said...

Wow the sense of entitlement in some people kills me. Get your lazy ass outta bed earlier and stop your effin bitching!

Squiggles said...

Gotta agree with CJ on this one. The complainer has got to change their morning routine to leave 5 mins earlier.

And why shouldn't the CSA sleep at night? There is a good chance s/he never saw you standing there like an idiot who couldn't get to the station on time.

As an aside, the sense of entitlement irks me. It is the same as those who bitch about never getting a seat. Those of us who do, got to Union early enough to wait to get those seats.

Bicky said...

I have been on both sides of the issue. I've missed the train by thatmuch and watched it pull out of the station. I've also been fortunate to have a sympathetic CSA see me and pop the doors back open.

When I miss the train, it's my fault. Should have timed it better, I know that. But when the CSA opens that door again, I feel like I've just won the lottery.

It sounds like this commuter has a frequent problem of making it on time. No sympathy here.

Anonymous said...

it would seem that the texter was just venting. cj could have been more sympathetic. i can see why the texter got upset.

lswgirl13 said...

The problem is that if they open the door for one person, then one more gets to the top of the stairs and then they open the door for them and so on . . . it's gotta stop somewhere.

C.J. Smith said...

C'mon...
It's no different if you told me you tried to rob a bank but some security guard stopped you from getting behind the counter.

FRED said...

@lswgirl

Yes. It stops at the time the train is scheduled to leave. Why is this so hard for some to grasp?

lswgirl13 said...

Exactly Fred. I know being on the LSW I am spoiled and during the morning rush I can grab a train about every 15 mins. but if I was say, on the Barrie line, I know I better get my ass to the station on time.

Anonymous said...

Exactly! I was once on a train, (last train of the morning, too, haha), and I saw a few people JUST catch the train by that much! And also a few people JUST missed the train by that much! (And one person ran in a few moments before the train's departure and had to get out a few stops later and cancel his ticket because the main machine was broken, and the other one is all the way down the platform! I had to go all the way out there in the cold - NOT fun.) And each time I thought, "Jeesh! I mean, I know stuff happens, like your cat decides to puke all over the stairs when you're leaving or you drop your car keys in the snow or something like that, but this is the last train of the morning!" If a two-minute cat-puke cleaning job causes you to miss your train, then you cut it too close!" I've missed enough city buses due to mishaps like that, so I assume it's like that for the train as well.

Anonymous said...

These people don't seem to realize that they'd be holding up hundreds of people... maybe even more than a thousand, when the cars are packed. Why should all of those people have to wait and possibly be made late for sake of a straggler?

Dot said...

On one occasion quite a few years ago, my sister and I got stuck in the elevator leading from the TTC Union Station (she was a wheelchair user). We were in a panic as we were in great danger of missing the last train from Toronto to Oshawa. We were stuck for well over 10 minutes. Fortunately the folks got the elevator moving again and radioed the train operators, who kindly held the train for us. We were really grateful for that ... :o)