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Monday, February 4, 2013

GO Transit wants you to shut the hell up (but only those on the Barrie line)

Apparently you Barrie folk are hella noisy because GO is introducing quiet zones to your line.
Ha! Don't be fooled. Barrie was chosen for this pilot project because its trains don't run on any other corridors, so signage and the like doesn't require changing and removal. God forbid such an initiative actually involve work, and effort. Le sigh... 


I've been running this website for nearly 3 years. I can count on one hand the amount of complaints I've received about Barrie passengers - 4. Four. FOUR! And Barrie gets picked as the guinea pig for this Lord of the Flies-esque pilot project. Hilarious.

But wait, it gets better, GO isn't policing the silence. Nope, it's up to you, Barrie friends, to flex your pointer finger and your lips and shut people up.

This is bloody brilliant! It really is. What GO Transit needs to do is give out those foam fingers you see at baseball games, but only make them in the shape of a "Shhh!" sign and hand them out at stations along the Barrie corridor. Then, when someone is on the phone regaling everyone about tales from the office regarding the wrong photocopier having been ordered and the step by step saga it took in having it returned, a person with a foam finger can jump up and wave it in the air. Right? Can you feel the excitement building? I sure can.

It's true people have been asking for quiet coaches for years, but you'd think GO would step it up a notch and come up with a more effective way to enforce it rather than the following:

What happens if...
Someone is making noise in the Quiet Zone?
  • Quietly and politely ask them to keep noise levels down
  • Move to another coach where there is less noise
I need to make/take a phone call?
  • Please go to the mezzanine or lower level to talk on your phone

11 comments:

mumzthewurd said...

so pretty much what we have to do now only with some signs. (that we paid for with our fare increase)

C.J. Smith said...

It will NEVER cease to amaze me how Metrolinx spends money collected from the fare box.

Squiggles said...

A) This needs to be done on all trains,
B) People don't police themselves now, why would they do it because of some stickers around (case in point foot riders), and finally
C) Do they really think sounds don't travel? I can always hear people talking on the lower level.

Peter said...

The solution, available for decades, is this: http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/graphics/cone_title.gif

Yes, it's the Cone of Silence. Or, for a nominal fee, purchase a personal "GO Cone": http://torontosportsmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/cone_of_silence.jpg

RC said...

So they are suggesting to move to another coach if someone makes noise in the Quiet Zone... I was hoping it's the noisy people we could escort out.

Anonymous said...

This will be a litmus test for passengers to see if they're going to obey rules.

C.J. Smith said...

RC

It's never the perps who are expected to move. I have one reader who, when complaining about smokers at Oakville, was told to consider other routes to get on the train as opposed to walking through crowds of smokers. So basically, this person was expected to build himself a catapult so he could launch himself from the parking lot to the platform. True story.

Anonymous said...

I'm on the Barrie line and I think apart from a few chatty Cathy's who are absurdly loud for such early hours, it's not that loud. What's funny is everyone was walking around on eggshells yesterday afternoon on the 4:10 pm northbound, to which I told a few people, "Don't worry, the pilot starts NEXT Monday so don't be afraid to speak."

I fear that people are constantly going to be shushing people or better yet, people pressing that lovely yellow strip because people aren't following the rules.

I do agree that I think we should all get those pointy finger things you get at sporting events.

Having said that, I was quite appalled yesterday when I asked some asshat to move his godforsaken bag on the seat next to him.. It went like this:

Me: Excuse me sir but could you please move your bag off the seat, I'd like to sit down. (Note being polite)
Him: But I'm saving my seat for my friend.
Me: Well I'm sorry but you're friend isn't here and you're not allowed to save seats, regardless if your friend is on his or her way.
Him: But I'm saving the seat for my friend.
Me: You're not allowed to save seats. We're all paying customers and I'm entitled to a seat if there is one available and further, please remove your bag.

After some grumbling and huffing and puffing, he did. He wouldn't move his flippin legs though so I could get IN to the seat but the girl in front of him did.

Two minutes later, his friend strolls over and the man now beside me gestures with his hand that I'm obviously sitting there and he was trying to save his seat... and proceeds to I'm sure of it berate me in Italian. He then finishes his rant by saying: "A bitch is a bitch".

Oh no you just did not call me a bitch. I spoke up and said: "EXCUSE ME??!?!" Loud enough so people around could hear this jackass. I said, "Fine asshole, you can have your fucking seat because I don't want to sit beside some douchebag that randomly calls women bitches because he doesn't get his way" And I stomped off. I was in no way going to sit beside that asshole and have him talk trash about me in whatever language he spoke. Wasn't worth my frustration or anger over being called a bitch. I was PMSing and it just sent me over the talk and I teared up once I got into the next train car. Like seriously, what MAN does that? What person says that? He was I'd guess late 30's, early 40s. I'm sure his mother would be proud. And you know the problem? I see it all the time. People look around, notice bags on seats and NO ONE SPEAKS UP. I didn't want to mouth off too much to the asshole because I was afraid that he'd press the yellow strip and shit on me for harassing him. Again, not worth the powder to blow to hell but man, what a douchebag.

Sorry, long post. LOL

Lori M said...

I take the train from Port Credit and I either get off at Exhibition or Union. I would have preferred they tested out the quiet zone on my line as I have encountered numerous loud people on it. I remember being sent the survey about quiet zones, my preference was for a quiet zone at the front and back of the train this way the whole car is a quiet zone.

Squiggles said...

@ Anon 10.32:

Yay for having cajones!

Personally, I have sat on a person's bag when they do not move it after being asked. Mind you, it has only happened once when I was desperate for a seat (I have a bad back that prohibits standing for a long stretch of time). Since then, I make certain I get to the train early enough to not have to do this.

But still, I am glad you stood up to both of his bad behaviours!

Anonymous said...

I was going to say the exact same thing about our fare increase paying for this marketing! What a waste of money.