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Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Some people need to play with matches

from:PC
to:cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date:Mon, Apr 6, 2015 at 2:07 PM
subject:Quiet Zone fun

Hi CJ
Last Thursday, the "fake" Friday leading into the long weekend, I was on the 4:53 Lakeshore East and sitting in the Quiet Zone. I don't care if people talk while we are still at Union but once we roll away, it's time to ssshhhhhhhhh!
I was sitting behind the quad nearest to the stairs. The one right under the HUGE Quiet Zone sign. There were four people in that quad and all four were talking so loudly that someone from the bi-level section actually came up the stairs and shushed them!
I couldn't work up the nerve myself and all around me, people kept turning and staring at these losers who just didn't get the hint.
After the man from the lower level asked them to keep it down, it got really ugly as these four people decided to be more obnoxious and started laughing louder with all kinds of grandstanding.
It was incredibly pathetic and rage-inducing.

So I asked myself, what would CJ do? 

I didn't have a chainsaw handy, and I can't throw a punch because I'm broke. So I decided to stand up and move into the little space that enters into their quad and I just stood there, staring out the window. They shut up for a bit while they tried to figure out what I was doing. What I was doing was interfering with their comfort of riding the train by invading their space because their loud, obnoxious behaviour was interfering with my comfort and enjoyment. I didn't budge. I didn't make eye contact. I just held onto the pole and stood there. My knees were almost touching the knees of the guy who was the biggest jerk of the four. Finally, after what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes, the jerk asks me if I wouldn't mind going back to my seat. I ignored him. His friends laughed awkwardly. 
I was working up the nerve to actually sit on his lap when this woman got up and she stood right next to me and asked me how I was. We began to have a quiet conversation about the quiet zone and how it works, and how people are total assholes. I am really grateful to that woman. She enhanced my superpowers tenfold. 
The loudest asshole to ever ride a train got up and excused himself and went downstairs. His friend eventually followed him. I wouldn't move for either of them, so they had to force their way around me. I wanted to kick both of them in the arse as they went down the stairs. Then the lady and I sat down in the two seats that were now vacant. The other two noisy jerks ignored us, but at least they were quiet. I put my music back on and the lady stared out the window. 
I was really proud of the two of us. My new best friend left at Ajax and wished me a Happy Easter. I then left the quad to return to where I was sitting originally. And then I threw up... nah, I'm just kidding but I really did feel like it. 

Did I do good?!!!

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

You win at Quiet Zone!!!

Anonymous said...

Awesome!

Never fails...the loudmouths are always sitting right in front of th giant Quiet Zone sign.

Priti P. said...

There's nothing admirable about this passenger's decision to force him or herself into this man's space. This is just as worse as being an inconsiderate loud mouth talker. If the writer had enough nerve to do this, then the writer had enough nerve to say something. I'm not clapping.

Iona Pintó said...

PC,
IMO you did better than good. You did GREAT!

Cam T said...

*SlowClap
I 100% approve this message!!!
Well Done

Priti..words would not have resolved anything. They would have started an argument.

#KCCO

Anonymous said...

Good for you !

C.J. Smith said...

Priti,
I disagree. These people were told by someone NOT INT THE QUIET ZONE to be quiet and it didn't work. Did you read that part?

Anonymous said...

Really Priti?
You're not serious ...

FRED said...

Best story I've read on here in a long time!

Priti P. said...

Am I the only one who is looking at this reasonably? PC used forced intimidation that eventually caused another passenger to leave his seat. If more people asked these people to be quiet, I am sure that strength in numbers would have been as equally effective as opposed to standing in front of someone.

Also, it's the Quiet Zone and I've learned, ***even CJ has learned***, that we all have a differing opinion of how people should conduct themselves.

It was before a long weekend, people were probably pumped. Maybe CP was exaggerating the volume of noise in an attempt to be funny but I am not one to support intimidation tactics.

C.J. Smith said...

Whoah! Don't drag me into your argument. I told you I disagreed. My situation from a few weeks back doesn't even compare.

Anonymous said...

I still think that smothering fools in kindness is the best way to go - i.e. ask the louts really nicely if they could please keep it down. If they refute that then - it's game on.

PChan said...

The guy that came up from the bi-level area was super nice about it. Trust me. These four people were absolutely obnoxious. When the guy sat back down after coming to ask them to keep it down since they were in the Quiet Zone. They were snickering about why he cared and saying things like "some people should drive". Just outright grandstanding.

At that point, I got super angry. And I exacted my revenge which I do not feel bad about and I don't care if others disagree with my tactics. It worked. No one threw a punch. No one was verbally abused and we all went home and had a nice Easter.

Cam T said...

Where is the "Star" or the "Thumbs Up"
How do I "Like" this comment???

I'm new to blog reading...

Once again, we'll done. Handled perfectly. Optimal results.

Ginger said...

This is a tough crowd. Holy crap. I thought PChan was amazing for what he (she?) did!

Squiggles said...

I love what PChan did! I would have done something similar... well, if I thought of it.

It is a shame that we have to go the passive-agressive route more often than not anymore. All because people cannot be bothered to be courteous to those around them. Even AFTER being reminded!

PChan said...

I've been reading this site long enough to know you can't please everyone!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the clarification - in light of the attempt to be nice to these fools then I think you done good. Maybe the Quiet Zone posse could come up with a common method to deal with these numpties. Perhaps a slow hand clap?

April said...

Priti, the writer did not use intimidation. He/she didn't make eye contact or do anything that was in any way intimidating.

Bullies need to be disarmed, and in this case all the writer did was stand close enough to remove the layer of comfort that these bullies were enjoying.

In future, I don't think you need to work up the courage to sit on their laps. You don't need any physical contact, just almost contact.

Skin Man said...

PC for the win!

I think that we are starting to lose sight of what intimidation and bullying really look like, at least Priti's commence lead me to that conclusion.

When person A is being a bully, person B can disarm that person by not condoning their actions, which is exactly what happened. All the silence in the rest of the train simply reinforced the obnoxious jerks that their behavior was acceptable.

I think PC's solution was profoundly creative.

Unknown said...

I think what PC and the person who stood up behind her as well. More people need to either stand up or back people up when they do, its the only way these bullies and idiots will stop.

Jules said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tal Hartsfeld said...

If it was ME who stood next to those motormouth cretins they'd probably threaten me, call the cops on me, and I'D end up being the one removed instead of them.

Some of you people should be grateful God made you "normal" and, as such, you can pull off certain types of strategies that certain others never could (and get away with).