Monday, April 14, 2014
NDP commits to GO service to Niagara. It's easy to promise, not so easy to deliver
Not only does NDP Leader Andrea Horwath support regular GO commuter rail service in Niagara, it’s a key part of her transit platform.
“Absolutely, unequivocally yes, we support all-day GO service to Niagara,” Horwath said during a visit to Niagara Friday.
“We know how important it is. We have been listening to the municipal leaders across the region talk about this as a big priority. This is absolutely something that we support.”
Horwath would not say how the NDP would pay for the initiative, adding those details would have to wait until the next election campaign.
“We have actually a significant plan when it comes to transit infrastructure investment, not only for the Niagara region, but for other communities as well.
“We will be unveiling the full details of that, including funding, when, and if, we’re into an election campaign.”
Presto - Why U No Math?
I received a lot of feedback since Thursday about my beef with Presto and their 25 cent service charge for underpayments. As a courtesy, Presto allows for you to tap and enter a negative balance if you don't have enough funds in your e-purse for your trip. When you clear the underpayment, you are charged 25 cents for this transaction.
I understand why it's done.
What I don't like is that I also learned that if you go into overdraft because your funds weren't loaded onto your card within the 24-hour window, as has happened for many customers, you still are charged 25 cents.
But it is what it is and I remain a "bitter bitch".
Anyhow, Presto is unable to calculate the balance of my e-purse correctly. It's really hard to have confidence in this system.
I understand why it's done.
What I don't like is that I also learned that if you go into overdraft because your funds weren't loaded onto your card within the 24-hour window, as has happened for many customers, you still are charged 25 cents.
But it is what it is and I remain a "bitter bitch".
Anyhow, Presto is unable to calculate the balance of my e-purse correctly. It's really hard to have confidence in this system.
Am I still a bitter bitch? Or am I a bitch with a point?
Friday, April 11, 2014
Are you pregnant? Are you sitting down? You may not like this news
What's that?
You can't sit down?
Right. Because no one will give up a seat.
There are some of us who still do. However, I have erred in the past presuming a woman is pregnant when in fact she just drinks a lot of beer. It shouldn't be offensive if someone thinks you're pregnant when you're not. It can be hurtful if you were never able to have kids but my God, we put too much stock in what is an honest mistake. We've chatted about the "seats for all things pregnant" before and many men weighed in claiming they've been burned in the past assuming a woman is pregnant. One guy was tore a new butthole over it. Mike, that woman was a cow, you have to get past it, dude.
The reality is we now live in a world of uncommon courtesy where if someone holds a door open for us we run to social media to tell the world about it. We write letters to the editor to tell the local readership about the man who helped us in the parking lot of the Whitby Sobey's when our grocery bag broke, and a cucumber was squashed, and it was kindly replaced by the same man who then disappeared in the night -- refusing the 89 cents you tried to give him to pay for the cucumber. We tweet about the lady who turned in the watch lost on a TTC train claiming, "faith in humanity has been restored" and lastly, we write Shout Outs in a commuter rag to thank strangers for the random acts of kindness demonstrated on the GO train.
It's a shame. No, really. It's a damn shame. And this is why, Pregnant Women of the Commute, you need to ask to sit.
I meant to say "standing at this stage" in my email to C.
You can't sit down?
Right. Because no one will give up a seat.
There are some of us who still do. However, I have erred in the past presuming a woman is pregnant when in fact she just drinks a lot of beer. It shouldn't be offensive if someone thinks you're pregnant when you're not. It can be hurtful if you were never able to have kids but my God, we put too much stock in what is an honest mistake. We've chatted about the "seats for all things pregnant" before and many men weighed in claiming they've been burned in the past assuming a woman is pregnant. One guy was tore a new butthole over it. Mike, that woman was a cow, you have to get past it, dude.
The reality is we now live in a world of uncommon courtesy where if someone holds a door open for us we run to social media to tell the world about it. We write letters to the editor to tell the local readership about the man who helped us in the parking lot of the Whitby Sobey's when our grocery bag broke, and a cucumber was squashed, and it was kindly replaced by the same man who then disappeared in the night -- refusing the 89 cents you tried to give him to pay for the cucumber. We tweet about the lady who turned in the watch lost on a TTC train claiming, "faith in humanity has been restored" and lastly, we write Shout Outs in a commuter rag to thank strangers for the random acts of kindness demonstrated on the GO train.
It's a shame. No, really. It's a damn shame. And this is why, Pregnant Women of the Commute, you need to ask to sit.
I meant to say "standing at this stage" in my email to C.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
TIL Presto wants 25 cents to clear your negative balance. I didn't know this was a thing
DID YOU KNOW THIS? I didn't. Presto isn't a bank.
Presto tweeted me back:
@ThisCrazyTrain @ellenroseman @GOtransit This is not new. This fee is in the PRESTO Card Terms & Conditions http://t.co/diWO6ysIJb (see PDF)
I read through it and although it's documented, it's not explained why the fee is necessary.
I think we're entitled to ask and know why Presto feels a need to collect a fee seeing as they aren't in the bricks and mortar business.
Anyhow, here's a follow-up post: Presto charges for courtesy. I guess I can be okay with that
Presto tweeted me back:
@ThisCrazyTrain @ellenroseman @GOtransit This is not new. This fee is in the PRESTO Card Terms & Conditions http://t.co/diWO6ysIJb (see PDF)
I read through it and although it's documented, it's not explained why the fee is necessary.
I think we're entitled to ask and know why Presto feels a need to collect a fee seeing as they aren't in the bricks and mortar business.
Anyhow, here's a follow-up post: Presto charges for courtesy. I guess I can be okay with that
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Petition to bring GO train service to Niagara
| from: | AV | ||
| to: | "cj@thiscrazytrain.com" | ||
| date: | Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 8:48 AM | ||
| subject: | Niagara GO petition |
Hey CJ,
Are you aware of this petition?
http://www.getniagaragoing.ca/
Thought maybe some of your readers would want to sign it.
Has nothing to do with GO Transit... but he's wearing green in the video
Do you want to laugh some more? These are even more funnier if you remember the GI Joe PSAs from when we were kids (those of you in the 35-45 age range)
And the award for most balls goes to ...
| from: | MM | ||
| to: | cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| date: | Wed, Apr 9, 2014 at 10:09 AM | ||
| subject: | Bag rider extraordinaire |
Guy in the headphones is reading the paper. Has his bag and personal office set up on the seat across from him. Hung his jacket over the headrest to infringe on another quad entirely.
Woman sat down, didn't seem to care the jacket was there. Dude didn't seem to care she was leaning on his jacket, and made neither an attempt, nor an offer, to move his shit.
To quote Dr. Evil, "Let me tell you a little story about a man named Sh!"
Oh the Quiet Zone. How I hate what you've become - a playground for passengers with pent-up passive aggressive anger issues and for those who don't give a shit about anyone but themselves.
I wear headphones. I gave up on the Quiet Zone even before there was a Quiet Zone. I learned early on that some people can't help themselves and the worse, THE WORSE, are the helicopter mothers. The ones who phone their teenage children at stupid o'clock in the morning to drill them on whether they are out of bed, found the clean underwear left on the tea cart in the living room, if they got breakfast going, brushed their teeth, put their lunch in their backpack, grabbed the spare key, fed the dog, wiped their ass and ARGH! ARGH! ARGH! and ARGH! My mother never phoned me any morning of my high school life to make sure I was up, fed and dressed. NOT EVEN ONCE. If I couldn't find my underwear at 14, I sure as hell wouldn't be holding down a job at 24. I don't know... I don't know about today's parents of teenagers. Mind you, I have a daughter with autism spectrum disorder. Maybe I will have to hover? I don't plan on it, though. I grew up with a mentally disabled sister. My mom sure as hell didn't hover over her - at least nothing like what I have witnessed on the train via these one-sided phone calls.
All the Quiet Zone did was force these moms to the lower level, but there are still the moms who don't give a shit and still make the calls. I sat next to one this morning who started her call in the Rouge Hill dead zone. All I needed to hear was, "Hello? Hello!!! We're breaking up. HELLO!? Did you find the orange juice?" and I was out. I turned up the volume on my episode of Sons of Anarchy and disappeared.
I get, on average, one to two emails a week (same with text messages) from passengers pissed off at people who can't shut up or who sit right under the Quiet Zone sign and conduct loud conversations on topics nobody gives a rat's ass about. But yesterday was a special day. There must have been something in the air because I received an email and two simultaneous text messages all around the same time and another email this morning.
I wear headphones. I gave up on the Quiet Zone even before there was a Quiet Zone. I learned early on that some people can't help themselves and the worse, THE WORSE, are the helicopter mothers. The ones who phone their teenage children at stupid o'clock in the morning to drill them on whether they are out of bed, found the clean underwear left on the tea cart in the living room, if they got breakfast going, brushed their teeth, put their lunch in their backpack, grabbed the spare key, fed the dog, wiped their ass and ARGH! ARGH! ARGH! and ARGH! My mother never phoned me any morning of my high school life to make sure I was up, fed and dressed. NOT EVEN ONCE. If I couldn't find my underwear at 14, I sure as hell wouldn't be holding down a job at 24. I don't know... I don't know about today's parents of teenagers. Mind you, I have a daughter with autism spectrum disorder. Maybe I will have to hover? I don't plan on it, though. I grew up with a mentally disabled sister. My mom sure as hell didn't hover over her - at least nothing like what I have witnessed on the train via these one-sided phone calls.
All the Quiet Zone did was force these moms to the lower level, but there are still the moms who don't give a shit and still make the calls. I sat next to one this morning who started her call in the Rouge Hill dead zone. All I needed to hear was, "Hello? Hello!!! We're breaking up. HELLO!? Did you find the orange juice?" and I was out. I turned up the volume on my episode of Sons of Anarchy and disappeared.
I get, on average, one to two emails a week (same with text messages) from passengers pissed off at people who can't shut up or who sit right under the Quiet Zone sign and conduct loud conversations on topics nobody gives a rat's ass about. But yesterday was a special day. There must have been something in the air because I received an email and two simultaneous text messages all around the same time and another email this morning.
| from: | DR | ||
| to: | cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| date: | Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 7:41 AM | ||
| subject: | Quiet zone |
7:15 am LSE express to Union.
25 min later of talking about trailers, the conversation continues...
| from: | J | ||
| to: | cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| date: | Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 5:55 PM | ||
| subject: | Welcome to the quiet zone on the Kitchener line |
Where people take three seats with their crap, foot ride (at least the shoes are off) and have 25 minute phone conversations at volume 11.
I want all the chainsaws....
I want all the chainsaws....
Would prefer to remain anonymous, please.
Text Exchange Number One
Text Exchange Number Two
(What makes this one funny is this is a friend of mine, but I didn't know that at first)
(What makes this one funny is this is a friend of mine, but I didn't know that at first)
"Hook" me up? Will ya?
An anonymous but very reliable source at GO Transit provided an answer about yesterday's "jaunty pipe" aka the girder hook aka the whole Leprechaun post, etc...
The email:
"As GO works on the Union Station Re-vitalization – safety is our top priority! So is complying with the legislation around preserving a heritage building such as Union Station. The hook in question is one of a number of ‘shore power hooks’ throughout the shed. The hooks were used to hold electrical cables which served the trains. They kept the cables up off of the ground and out of the way of the baggage carts and people on the platform. They are heritage artifacts and are identified for retention during our renovation. They are all in good condition and securely welded to the steel shed structure."
I guess me using them to hook footriders from is out of the question. Dang.
The email:
"As GO works on the Union Station Re-vitalization – safety is our top priority! So is complying with the legislation around preserving a heritage building such as Union Station. The hook in question is one of a number of ‘shore power hooks’ throughout the shed. The hooks were used to hold electrical cables which served the trains. They kept the cables up off of the ground and out of the way of the baggage carts and people on the platform. They are heritage artifacts and are identified for retention during our renovation. They are all in good condition and securely welded to the steel shed structure."
I guess me using them to hook footriders from is out of the question. Dang.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Lucky charms
I snapped this picture because I was intrigued by the long metal hook suspended from the steel girder. What I got was a Leprechaun with a jaunty looking pipe.
UPDATE - it's not for mail or bags or anything of the sort. Answer here.
More talk of relief transit and GO
Hi CJ.
Saw this on the Star website. Talking about using GO to relieve crowding on TTC. The third last paragraph nails the sentiment I'm sure many GO riders would be wondering.
http://www.thestar.com/bigideas/2014/04/08/big_ideas_can_go_relieve_ttc_crowding.htm
-Bicky
Saw this on the Star website. Talking about using GO to relieve crowding on TTC. The third last paragraph nails the sentiment I'm sure many GO riders would be wondering.
http://www.thestar.com/bigideas/2014/04/08/big_ideas_can_go_relieve_ttc_crowding.htm
-Bicky
Monday, April 7, 2014
Just call this the working title of my memoirs
This post is rather timely as I was just hit up for some "how do I change myself into a better self?" advice. I don't know if my advice will be helpful but I hope it provides the person with some inspiration.
Some nights I come home absolutely ravenous and when I discover my husband doesn't have dinner on the table at exactly 6:25 pm, I become a raging lunatic.
When I get off the bus, I have visions of him frantically cooking, sweat pouring down his back as he anxiously watches the clock and begs the pasta (whole wheat of course) to boil faster. Our kitchen faces the street so I can see the tension on his face as he nervously glances towards the front walk looking out for my arrival.
It's awful it's come to this. And this is where I want to apologize to him. I am blessed to have a partner who can be counted on to prepare dinner five nights a week.
Chad, I'm sorry for all the things I've said on an empty stomach.
I'm in mourning
One of my favourite stand-up comics died on the weekend, apparently from natural causes. John Pinette was overweight but like myself, he had been working on getting healthy. He had dropped considerable weight since his early performances.
And from Matt:
I'd like to take a moment to honor him here.
And from Matt:
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Best be recognizing
Seriously.
On Friday morning, this woman, Margo, hopped on the LSE westbound to Union at Whitby and sat right across from me and realized suddenly who she was sitting across. Girl was excited. So was I!
Being recognized is cool. Of course, I still fear the crazies but I'm ready for them - Mace and all.
Don't be shy. Be like Margo!
Friday, April 4, 2014
You mean this wasn't a good idea?
QMI AGENCY
A New York man died while apparently "subway surfing" on top of a train, the New York Daily News reports.
Police said the man suffered fatal head trauma when he slammed into an overhead barrier as the train pulled into a station near Elder Ave. in the Bronx.
Full Story
It must be so exhausting to find a garbage bin (NEVER MIND THAT THERE ARE ONES ON THE TRAIN)
Why else would people throw beer cans and unfinished Booster drinks into the stairwell?
It's bad enough we get subjected to the laziness of litter bugs once the snow thaws throughout our own neighbourhoods, we get to see more littering laziness on our journey through Union.
Pick up your trash.
Donkeys.
It's bad enough we get subjected to the laziness of litter bugs once the snow thaws throughout our own neighbourhoods, we get to see more littering laziness on our journey through Union.
Pick up your trash.
Donkeys.
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Meanwhile, in Houston TX
There were children in the vehicle!
HOUSTON (AP) -- Police have released video showing an SUV being struck by a Houston passenger train after the driver went around crossing gates.
The light-rail train then dragged the vehicle before finally coming to a stop. Two adults and two children in the SUV were transported for treatment of injuries not considered life-threatening.
The accident happened last week. The Metro Transit Authority of Harris County released video footage Monday showing the SUV drive around the gates, then slow for other motorists traveling along a road parallel to the tracks. The train struck the SUV broadside on the passenger side.
It was left a mangled wreck, partially pinned under the front of the train.
Police say the driver will be cited for running a red light and other infractions.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Happy hour!
| from: | TW | ||
| to: | "cj@thiscrazytrain.com" | ||
| date: | Tue, Apr 1, 2014 at 12:07 PM | ||
| subject: | Drinking now allowed on the trains, didn't you know |
Hello CJ,
I have browsed your blog a few times and thought it was high time to contribute. I feel like I've read somewhere that you are a 4:53 LSE commuter, like myself.
Anyways, yesterday this individual chose to sit across from me. Fine, right? It's a train, you get on and pick which ever seat you like. And it was fine, until he pulled out his first beer. Before I go further, I having nothing against drinking. I don't drink myself, but what others choose to do is their business. That being said, the smell of alcohol makes me extremely nauseous. Horribly so. It was a painful trip home.
That beer in his hand? His third one of the trip. When he got off the train, it appeared as though walking was a bit of a challenge. To be fair, I've never seen the man before nor have I seen him walk and it's totally possible that walking is challenging for him regardless. But really? I don't know enough about beer to tell you how much that particular can holds. Say it was a 473mL can. That's just shy of one and a half litres of beer in about 45 minutes.
I wish I wasn't such a pansy and said something. My heart nearly beat out of my chest when I took the photo. Had I seen him pull out keys, I would have called him on it. I completely understand this may not be an issue to others, but downright disgusting for myself. Never have I ever been so happy to hear the word "Oshawa".
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| from: | Cindy (Cj) Smith cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| to: | TW | ||
| date: | Tue, Apr 1, 2014 at 12:11 PM | ||
| subject: | Re: Drinking now allowed on the trains, didn't you know |
Oh my god, I got on the bus with this guy yesterday who before boarding, decided to smoke his cigarette right outside the open bus door so it wafted into the bus as people boarded. Once on the bus I could tell this guy wasn't all together but politely asked that next time he not smoke right where people are boarding. Blank stare at first and then he was outraged that I would tell him where he could and could not smoke. That was a lot of rage and now I know why!!!
At the oral surgeon
'Member how I told you all how my gum line decided to quit my mouth? I'm at the oral specialist (giggity) waiting... and waiting...
I walked here. 7.4 kilometers.
Pause.
So I get to have a frenectomy! Also, my lower gum line will be built back up. With donor tissue (I see dead people).
Fun times.
I walked here. 7.4 kilometers.
Pause.
So I get to have a frenectomy! Also, my lower gum line will be built back up. With donor tissue (I see dead people).
Fun times.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
How can something so awful be so incredibly good?
Slipknot better just pack it in and Pantera should garage sell all the things!
Because this.
And what does this have to do with transit or GO? Not only did Japan give us Babymetal but they have bullet trains.
Because this.
And what does this have to do with transit or GO? Not only did Japan give us Babymetal but they have bullet trains.
Is this a high priority for you? It's not for me but I guess it is for some
| from: | MS | ||
| to: | cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| date: | Mon, Mar 31, 2014 at 7:39 PM | ||
| subject: | Wi-fi at GO |
Hi CJ.
Saw this on the Star website. Not sure if you've seen it yet:
http://www.thestar.com/news/
Wi-fi still a ways off at all GO stations. I'm not usually there long enough to need wi-fi but I guess some people are.
Proof you can't stop crazy, even in the Quiet Zone. Introducing "Sibling loopholes"
| from: | kk | ||
| to: | cj@thiscrazytrain.com | ||
| date: | Mon, Mar 31, 2014 at 4:29 PM | ||
| subject: | Quiet Zone is for Sissies |
Hi CJ,
You must get emails like this every day (Let me just stop this email right here... OH MY GOD. I get emails about the Quiet Zone that are not of this planet and usually always about food such as "this guy brought McDonalds into the QZ and proceeded to noisily eat his French Fries and drink his drink" - OH THE HUMANITY!) but I thought I'd share a quiet zone loophole I learned Friday.
You must get emails like this every day (Let me just stop this email right here... OH MY GOD. I get emails about the Quiet Zone that are not of this planet and usually always about food such as "this guy brought McDonalds into the QZ and proceeded to noisily eat his French Fries and drink his drink" - OH THE HUMANITY!) but I thought I'd share a quiet zone loophole I learned Friday.
I was on the 5:10 Lakeshore East, sitting in the Quiet Zone. The woman behind me was talking in a lowered voice - not low, just down anotch - but she talked constantly to her companion from Union to Main. I turned a couple of times to glance back at her. I thought this was asemi-subtle, non-confrontational way to remind her of where she was sitting. Y'know - in the Quiet Zone. After my second look back, she turned to me and hissed,"Yyeesss?"
I said,"This is the quiet zone."
"I'm talking to my sister!"
I pointed to the sign and repeated calmly, "You're in the quiet zone. And you're talking."
She repeats that she's "talking to my sister!" and "You don't need to turn around five times to look at me!"
A couple equals two, not five. Whatevs.
So as it turns out, the quiet zone doesn't apply to you when you're chatting with your sibling. I guess she was also exempt from using good manners.
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I agree - it's a confusing statement. Are you saying 64 million people have ridden GO since 1967 or that GO transports 64 million people in a year? If you could help me understand, that would be great. It can't be an annual figure. Your system doesn't support that