Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
According to passengers, it was a tough night, so thanks guys!
It takes a winning @GOtransit team 2 keep customers safe & get them home after @BlueJays game #pride #professional pic.twitter.com/MVahZeymf2
— Bill Grodzinski (@GOgrodzinski301) April 14, 2015Make sure you take a knife and dig out the clotted blood and other things you shouldn't talk about on a train, especially in the Quiet Zone
Friday night, as the 4:53 pm train rolled out of Union, this woman who had rushed upstairs within minutes of departure was still settling in her seat, rummaging around in her half a dozen bags, undressing herself, and blowing air out of her mouth. Tough day, I thought. We've all been there honey.
Suddenly, she pulls out her iPhone from her beneath her blouse, pushes her glasses down to the end of her nose, holds her iPhone at arms length away from her, and dramatically dials a number. Around her, people begin to squirm.
Remember that one high school teacher we all had with the incredible booming voice? The one that could be heard across a busy parking lot, with a streetcar rumbling by, and some guys in a 5.0 blasting some Stevie B., as she hollered at you and your friends to get your butts back into class?
She was on my train.
"Hello? Honey?" She boomed into her phone.
(pause)
"Yes. Yes!!! I'm on the 4:53. That's right! What's that?"
(pause)
"Yes, that's right!" She nods emphatically.
(pause)
"Okay. Splendid! Oh, honey? Make sure you take a knife and dig out the clotted blood, okay?"
(pause)
"No, use the knife my mother left us. The one with the white handle."
(pause)
"Make sure to dig it all out and leave it all in the sink, okay?"
(pause)
"You know I don't like that," she says sternly.
"And oh... make sure it puts the lotion on the skin."
(She didn't really say that last sentence, but she might as well have.)
"Okay... Yes ... I love you, too. See you soon!"
She hangs up.
The reactions from people around her and myself were hysterical. One lady looked like she wanted to blow chunks. The over-enunciated phone call could be heard three coaches over. I think even the CSA heard about the carnage that was about to go down in this lady's home.
I whispered to the man beside me, who looked far from amused.
"I hope to God she's talking about chicken."
Here are some other things you shouldn't talk about on a train:
1. Your plans to give up your unborn child to Children's Aid if it's born with "anything wrong with it".
2. The bottle of wine you stole from your boss' cabinet.
3. Your daughter's first period and how "she put the pad on sticky side up".
4. Jews and their "thousands of holidays off work when they're probably out golfing".
5. Leaving your baby alone for a few hours so you can get some grocery shopping done.
6. The affair you had but you won't leave your husband because at least your kids "will have a dad in the house".
7. Any test result from your doctor.
8. Describing your son's recent circumcision.
9. Bragging about how you never buy a ticket for the train.
10. The result of your latest pregnancy test and when you and your husband will "do it" again.
Items in bold are conversations I have personally overheard over the years. The others are conversations others have relayed to me via Twitter or text message that they've been witnessed to.
Suddenly, she pulls out her iPhone from her beneath her blouse, pushes her glasses down to the end of her nose, holds her iPhone at arms length away from her, and dramatically dials a number. Around her, people begin to squirm.
Remember that one high school teacher we all had with the incredible booming voice? The one that could be heard across a busy parking lot, with a streetcar rumbling by, and some guys in a 5.0 blasting some Stevie B., as she hollered at you and your friends to get your butts back into class?
She was on my train.
"Hello? Honey?" She boomed into her phone.
(pause)
"Yes. Yes!!! I'm on the 4:53. That's right! What's that?"
(pause)
"Yes, that's right!" She nods emphatically.
(pause)
"Okay. Splendid! Oh, honey? Make sure you take a knife and dig out the clotted blood, okay?"
(pause)
"No, use the knife my mother left us. The one with the white handle."
(pause)
"Make sure to dig it all out and leave it all in the sink, okay?"
(pause)
"You know I don't like that," she says sternly.
"And oh... make sure it puts the lotion on the skin."
(She didn't really say that last sentence, but she might as well have.)
"Okay... Yes ... I love you, too. See you soon!"
She hangs up.
The reactions from people around her and myself were hysterical. One lady looked like she wanted to blow chunks. The over-enunciated phone call could be heard three coaches over. I think even the CSA heard about the carnage that was about to go down in this lady's home.
I whispered to the man beside me, who looked far from amused.
"I hope to God she's talking about chicken."
Here are some other things you shouldn't talk about on a train:
1. Your plans to give up your unborn child to Children's Aid if it's born with "anything wrong with it".
2. The bottle of wine you stole from your boss' cabinet.
3. Your daughter's first period and how "she put the pad on sticky side up".
4. Jews and their "thousands of holidays off work when they're probably out golfing".
5. Leaving your baby alone for a few hours so you can get some grocery shopping done.
6. The affair you had but you won't leave your husband because at least your kids "will have a dad in the house".
7. Any test result from your doctor.
8. Describing your son's recent circumcision.
9. Bragging about how you never buy a ticket for the train.
10. The result of your latest pregnancy test and when you and your husband will "do it" again.
Items in bold are conversations I have personally overheard over the years. The others are conversations others have relayed to me via Twitter or text message that they've been witnessed to.
Monday, April 13, 2015
Invalid PRESTO card is indeed valid - anyone else experienced this? Shoot me an email
| from: | LLM | ||
| to: | CJ Smith | ||
| date: | Fri, Apr 10, 2015 at 10:18 PM | ||
| subject: | My second Presto problem |
Hey Cj, LLM here.
Normally presto has been very good to me if you don't count that $100 issue I had with them awhile back but you do and so do I, so I am now encountering my second problem with them.
On the 9th (of April), I needed to travel to Exhibition Station which is one half of my default trip, the other is Port Credit.
At Port Credit, I tapped my card with no issues and boarded the train, but on my way back, my train was just a few minutes away and I needed to get to platform one at Exhibition station, so I bypassed the machines on platform four to tap one of the machines on the opposite platform so I didn't miss my train
All the machines I tapped my card at on the platform one side read 'invalid card' when I did, which I found odd seeing as I had no problem whatsoever at Port Credit.
Now, I took my chances, and boarded the train anyways hoping that if I was asked for my card, it would show that I at least tried to tap my card. No check took place so I didn't get that proof.
Out of curiosity I went to the Presto facebook page to see if anyone else had encountered this and to ask about it. No one had and presto wasn't any help.
First they said I might have been within the travel window, and not charged for my return trip, and included a link to the presto faq.
When I said that made a little sense but still didn't explain why the machines read 'invalid card' when I tapped on at the start of my ride?
I know my card isn't invalid because it worked when I tapped at Port Credit and I know at least one of the machines I used was working for other people.
I just wanted to know why this happened?
-------------------------------------------
Biting my tongue. Sitting on my hands ... won't say it ... (-Cj)
See! I'm not the *only* one who asks the same question (over, and over, and over, and over again)
Standing room only commuter train. Busy executive paid the extra fare for her bags? @GOTransit #inconsiderate pic.twitter.com/PQ0zAp2bbf
— MC™ (@__m__c__) March 31, 2015I'm pretty sure that sign says means "No Parking". I think those diagonal pavement markings mean the same
Go Transit parking donkeys will find you, no matter where you decide to park. @ThisCrazyTrain pic.twitter.com/nQcUrEHUgp
— Commuters United (@commutersunited) April 7, 2015
New bus schedules and new drivers
After the issues with Route 90 between October and March, my route was revamped with a new schedule for my travel window beginning April 11.
When my bus arrived this morning, it was awesome to be greeted by one my favourite operators. We arrived at the station on time, and those of us who like to run for the 7:15 from Oshawa had time to hoof it, while others waited for the 7:28. These are the folks who like to grab a coffee, etc.
Everybody wins!
When my bus arrived this morning, it was awesome to be greeted by one my favourite operators. We arrived at the station on time, and those of us who like to run for the 7:15 from Oshawa had time to hoof it, while others waited for the 7:28. These are the folks who like to grab a coffee, etc.
Everybody wins!
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Some dude called me around 3 this morning to talk to me about holes
Do you see the time?
I keep my phone near my bed because we don't have a landline installed in the house. I want to be reachable should any of my family members need me, which is why I answered this call very early this morning.
My heart immediately began to race because a phone ringing at that hour only means bad news (or a wrong number, but who gets a wrong number at 2:54 am)?
I answered and after saying "hello" three times - when I didn't get a response the first time - I had visions of my mom wandering down a hospital corridor using a borrowed cell phone, unable to speak because she's so upset (seriously, I have the most overactive imagination at 2:54 am).
Finally this male voice says, "Do you know I can't get a GO bus on (muffled) (inaudible)?"
"Excuse me," I say. "What?! It's almost three A.M. Are you high?" As it turns out, I don't think this was much of a stretch on my part.
"I didn't know who else to call (muffled) closed and like, I found you on Google and ... (inaudible) (muffled) (sudden loud whirring sound, like a drill).
"Are you putting up drywall or something?" I ask this person. Seriously, was this guy renovating his basement on an all-nighter and then decided to take a break and just call me?
"No, I'm on (inaudible) (static) so then I was like how do I find the hole (static)?"
Hole? I'm wide awake now.
"Why do you need a hole?" I ask.
"For the bus," he says.
"You need a hole for the bus?" I asked all matter of fact. This is the part where if this was a movie, and I smoked, I'd sit up straight in bed and reach for a cigarette.
"Yeah, so the bus can go through it," he says. This was then punctuated by what sounded like sirens. The kind of sirens that go off when you rob a bank.
"Why would a bus need to go through a hole?" I ask. This is the part where if this was a movie, I'd be lighting the cigarette and roaming aimlessly around my bedroom searching for an ashtray.
"Because I have to get past the lake!" He yells.
"Sounds like you need a boat. Not a bus," I muse. I now have my laptop open and I'm checking my site logs to see who is on the site right at that moment or accessed it in the past 10 minutes so I can pinpoint some kind of location for this guy (Oh look, a comment, I'll read this why this guy keeps ranting about the lake being in the way of the hole).
"... That's why I said we should use dynamite... " says the guy.
"Pardon," I say since I missed the first part because I was writing a comment.
And then with no warning, the line went dead. He didn't call back and I tried to go back to sleep.
All I could take away from this was that he must have been in Burlington (my site stats yielded nothing tangible) and was looking for GO Transit to make a tunnel to Union Station. Or he was high, missed the last bus, and called me because I have a website. So surely, I can help.
This suitcase should have sustained a firey death this morning
The train is pretty much empty when it shows up to start its run at Oshawa. If you're first on with a suitcase, you know what you should do with it?
Not this:
Sit in the aisle. Put it under the seat, or better yet, go sit on the bench seat near the doors if it's that important that your belongings be that close to you and you don't want to be a hazard in an emergency evacuation.
At Whitby, a person sat down. Suitcase lady pretended she couldn't see other passengers boarding and seeking out seats.
At Ajax, despite two gentlemen who approached her quad, she buried her face in a newspaper and continued to pretend she didn't see people looking at the seat. Trust me, this jerk knew what she was doing.
So these men stood.
Not this:
Sit in the aisle. Put it under the seat, or better yet, go sit on the bench seat near the doors if it's that important that your belongings be that close to you and you don't want to be a hazard in an emergency evacuation.
At Whitby, a person sat down. Suitcase lady pretended she couldn't see other passengers boarding and seeking out seats.
At Ajax, despite two gentlemen who approached her quad, she buried her face in a newspaper and continued to pretend she didn't see people looking at the seat. Trust me, this jerk knew what she was doing.
So these men stood.
This is wrong. She's not more important than you. I'm tired of telling grown adults how they should behave in shared space on a public commuter train.
This was a planned strategy.
Typically, most people with suitcases tend to sit in aisle seats or do their best to allow other passengers to sit. That's how it works.
She bought one ticket, not two.
If the people I'm ranting about in the post below this one would pick up a newspaper ...
GO riders warned of Union Station platform changes
You know how the platforms at Union are changing and some bus schedules are being updated?
And if you don't know, or you want more info, you know who you don't ask?
THE BUS DRIVER.
The bus driver is there to perform one critical duty, and that is to drive the bus, as best as she can, as safe as she can and as UNDISTRACTED as she can.
She isn't there to assist you with your bazillion questions quizzing her about what she knows, and doesn't know, about our bus route and the platform switch at Union Station. This despite her telling you she moves from the bus route after this Saturday!
And yet, you still kept yapping. And the more you yapped, the slower she drove as she attempted to digest your questions.
We missed our train because of two passengers that for the life of me, can't read; can't figure out that there is this thing called "gotransit.com"; or Facebook; or Twitter; or walk up to those nice men and women at Union who have been handing out information pamphlets like the bosses they are all week.
Myself and another passenger began raging aloud at these two idiots who either pretended to ignore us, or heard us criticizing them, but didn't clue in we were talking about them.
Our driver is a nice person. Sometimes it's hard to tell people to shut up, especially people who refuse to listen. Never in my life have I witnessed such boorish behaviour, as well as anger, that was misdirected at the driver who has nothing to do with the decision to switch platforms, or adjust bus schedules. Nor is she obligated to tell you what the new bus stop times are, especially after she pointed out she wouldn't be on the route after the 11th, and that the new schedules are available at Union Station.
Kudos to my driver and her amazing level of patience. She's a better person than me.
( I guess it's a good thing I don't operate a GO bus for a living. Clearly, I'd be fired).
THE BUS DRIVER.
The bus driver is there to perform one critical duty, and that is to drive the bus, as best as she can, as safe as she can and as UNDISTRACTED as she can.
She isn't there to assist you with your bazillion questions quizzing her about what she knows, and doesn't know, about our bus route and the platform switch at Union Station. This despite her telling you she moves from the bus route after this Saturday!
And yet, you still kept yapping. And the more you yapped, the slower she drove as she attempted to digest your questions.
We missed our train because of two passengers that for the life of me, can't read; can't figure out that there is this thing called "gotransit.com"; or Facebook; or Twitter; or walk up to those nice men and women at Union who have been handing out information pamphlets like the bosses they are all week.
Myself and another passenger began raging aloud at these two idiots who either pretended to ignore us, or heard us criticizing them, but didn't clue in we were talking about them.
Our driver is a nice person. Sometimes it's hard to tell people to shut up, especially people who refuse to listen. Never in my life have I witnessed such boorish behaviour, as well as anger, that was misdirected at the driver who has nothing to do with the decision to switch platforms, or adjust bus schedules. Nor is she obligated to tell you what the new bus stop times are, especially after she pointed out she wouldn't be on the route after the 11th, and that the new schedules are available at Union Station.
Kudos to my driver and her amazing level of patience. She's a better person than me.
( I guess it's a good thing I don't operate a GO bus for a living. Clearly, I'd be fired).
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
You had one job, PRESTO!
| from: | axxxxxxx7@gmail.com | ||
| reply-to: | axxxxxxx7@gmail.com | ||
| to: | cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| date: | Wed, Apr 8, 2015 at 3:43 PM | ||
| subject: | Presto email |
I was on Presto's site to email them about something. They have one of those boxes for you to type your email into and submit. Did you know you can't use the following characters?
| & ; $ % ' \ " <> () + ,
So you can't even use dollar signs, apostrophes or commas.
My email wouldn't go through until I removed all of those.
I've never seen such a thing on an email form.
Instagram account posting photos of women on TTC raising consent concerns
An Open Letter to a TTC fare inspector
from Reddit
So, this morning I was on a 502 westbound streetcar and a fare inspector got on. Many people who paid with cash or a token and had no plans to transfer to another route didn't have transfers, therefore didn't have the proof they paid. The inspector was not fining anyone, nor kicking them off the streetcar. When he came across someone without proof, he just warned them about the upcoming changes and told them even if they aren't transferring it is good to take a transfer anyway just for proof of payment so they don't risk being fined. Yes, this seems redundant for riders to do who aren't making transfers, but I don't feel it's too much to ask to just grab a transfer. It's certainly much preferable to get a transfer than to pay the fine.
Anyway, so there was probably 50 people on the streetcar and everyone nicely and politely showed their pass/transfer and those who didn't have a transfer politely said they understood and from now on will get a transfer. Well, everyone was nice and polite, except one guy who decided he was far too important to be bothered by the fare inspector. He started yelling at him, telling him his job is worthless and he is even more worthless for taking such a job that wastes resources. He said he is not happy that part of his fare is going to this inspector's pay cheques and he is garbage for fining people. He said he has been taking the TTC for 40 years and he doesn't deserve this kind of treatment, as if he was the only person asked to show his fare, and as if he was being asked to prove he didn't commit a murder or something. The inspector stayed very calm and professional and tried telling him he was just giving out warnings for when the program really starts rolling out. The inspector told this overreacting jerk (my words, not the fare inspector's) a few people didn't have proof and he wasn't fining them nor kicking them off the vehicle, he just warning them for the future. Well the guy kept freaking out and people started telling him if this bothers him so much he is free to find other methods of transportation to work, and that this inspector didn't make these rules, he is just employed to enforce them, which he wasn't even doing, he was just warning people about the POP program rolling out on all vehicles.
In the end, the dick had a metropass and could have just showed it to the fare inspector, rolled his eyes about the situation he doesn't agree with, stay silent and carry on with his day. But no, he had to make a spectacle of himself and personally insult a young man just doing the job the TTC is paying him to do, and doing it both professionally and politely. I just couldn't understand what he thought he would be achieving in doing this. He was a 50-60 year old man who was yelling at a guy who looked maybe 25 who probably just got this job a few days ago and has no pull with how the TTC is managed.
So, to that fare inspector, I'm sorry one guy was a dick to you. You are not worthless and you are not garbage, you are just doing the job you are employed to do so you can make a living, just as I do mine. And I commend you for being so polite and professional, because I likely would not have been able to keep it together like you did.
To other riders, you may feel similar to this man, but there is no reason to act in the manner this guy acted. Fare inspectors are just doing their job, they didn't make the rules, they are just enforcing these rules. They need a job just as you and I need a job to make rent or mortgage payments, buy groceries, provide for our loved ones and so on. Don't be a dick like this guy, just show your pass/transfer and go on with your day, even if you don't agree.
To that guy, if you see this, you should be completely ashamed of the childish way you reacted.
TL;DR: fare inspector came on the streetcar simply warning people to get transfers in the future even if they don't need it as the proof of payment program is rolling out on all routes. One guy took exception to being asked to show his pass and even though he had a metropass he continued to insult and berate the fare inspector, who was nothing but polite and professional in return. Don't be that guy, just show your pass/transfer and go on with your day.
So, this morning I was on a 502 westbound streetcar and a fare inspector got on. Many people who paid with cash or a token and had no plans to transfer to another route didn't have transfers, therefore didn't have the proof they paid. The inspector was not fining anyone, nor kicking them off the streetcar. When he came across someone without proof, he just warned them about the upcoming changes and told them even if they aren't transferring it is good to take a transfer anyway just for proof of payment so they don't risk being fined. Yes, this seems redundant for riders to do who aren't making transfers, but I don't feel it's too much to ask to just grab a transfer. It's certainly much preferable to get a transfer than to pay the fine.
Anyway, so there was probably 50 people on the streetcar and everyone nicely and politely showed their pass/transfer and those who didn't have a transfer politely said they understood and from now on will get a transfer. Well, everyone was nice and polite, except one guy who decided he was far too important to be bothered by the fare inspector. He started yelling at him, telling him his job is worthless and he is even more worthless for taking such a job that wastes resources. He said he is not happy that part of his fare is going to this inspector's pay cheques and he is garbage for fining people. He said he has been taking the TTC for 40 years and he doesn't deserve this kind of treatment, as if he was the only person asked to show his fare, and as if he was being asked to prove he didn't commit a murder or something. The inspector stayed very calm and professional and tried telling him he was just giving out warnings for when the program really starts rolling out. The inspector told this overreacting jerk (my words, not the fare inspector's) a few people didn't have proof and he wasn't fining them nor kicking them off the vehicle, he just warning them for the future. Well the guy kept freaking out and people started telling him if this bothers him so much he is free to find other methods of transportation to work, and that this inspector didn't make these rules, he is just employed to enforce them, which he wasn't even doing, he was just warning people about the POP program rolling out on all vehicles.
In the end, the dick had a metropass and could have just showed it to the fare inspector, rolled his eyes about the situation he doesn't agree with, stay silent and carry on with his day. But no, he had to make a spectacle of himself and personally insult a young man just doing the job the TTC is paying him to do, and doing it both professionally and politely. I just couldn't understand what he thought he would be achieving in doing this. He was a 50-60 year old man who was yelling at a guy who looked maybe 25 who probably just got this job a few days ago and has no pull with how the TTC is managed.
So, to that fare inspector, I'm sorry one guy was a dick to you. You are not worthless and you are not garbage, you are just doing the job you are employed to do so you can make a living, just as I do mine. And I commend you for being so polite and professional, because I likely would not have been able to keep it together like you did.
To other riders, you may feel similar to this man, but there is no reason to act in the manner this guy acted. Fare inspectors are just doing their job, they didn't make the rules, they are just enforcing these rules. They need a job just as you and I need a job to make rent or mortgage payments, buy groceries, provide for our loved ones and so on. Don't be a dick like this guy, just show your pass/transfer and go on with your day, even if you don't agree.
To that guy, if you see this, you should be completely ashamed of the childish way you reacted.
TL;DR: fare inspector came on the streetcar simply warning people to get transfers in the future even if they don't need it as the proof of payment program is rolling out on all routes. One guy took exception to being asked to show his pass and even though he had a metropass he continued to insult and berate the fare inspector, who was nothing but polite and professional in return. Don't be that guy, just show your pass/transfer and go on with your day.
Lady lost at Union
This poor girl was wandering around outside the GO Concourse steps leading to the TTC Union subway station last night during rush hour.
I approached this lovely lady (I learned it was a "she" via a Twitter conversation) who was very friendly and very hungry. It also looked like she had trouble flying. She was long way from a lake and this wasn't a good place for her to be.
With the help of the GO Transit, Toronto 311, Toronto Railway Museum and Ducks Unlimited social media teams, she was eventually rescued. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to her but I want to believe she is swimming happily in High Park's Grenadier Pond.
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