Nobody makes you feel anything

Recently one of my good friends gave up on Twitter. She deactivated her account and pulled chute completely, removing the app off her phone and sending emails to those of us she knew personally who followed her to contact her by text or email.

She was tired of all the hate, she wrote to me in a text. I said she needed to understand digital cruelty can be managed and it starts with how she needs to stop allowing herself to be hurt by people who use anonymity to empower them into being jerks.

I'm not like you, she wrote. I don't have that kind of skin. 

She tweeted mostly about being a "lesbian trying to make it in a straight world". It's not like she was out there pushing recipes for chocolate cookies. She chose topics that can cause some very narrow-minded people to lose their fucking minds with hate or ignorance. 

People are cruel but they can be downright awful when they can wrap themselves up in a blanket of uninhabited hate.

I've had my share of trolls. I still have trolls. I have people who visit this site every day with the sole purpose of trying to make me guilty or ashamed for topics I write about, pictures I post or comments I've made. 

But I've learned to manage the trolls by allowing their comments to help me reflect on who I am as a person. If I feel a shred of guilt, then that's because I feel guilty, not because of an anonymous comment.

Nobody makes you feel anything. You feel what you feel based on decisions you make. . 

I really hope she reconsiders her decision. 

People who are different have been bullied for too long into silence. 

Her tweets were a bright light for a lot of people - straight and gay. Twitter is now a darker place now that she's gone.

When does the Quiet Zone become the Quiet Zone?

This morning. About 7:47 AM.  Train leaves Oshawa at 7:53.

Very important business man makes his way upstairs with his phone clamped to his ear.

"Blah blah blah report from Boston blah blah blah Eric in IT blah blah blah call my girl blah blah blah blah blah coffee at RBC blah blah blah blah he's not my bro blah blah blah blah yeah the wife was sayin' blah blah blah..."

He's really projecting this call.

This women behind me stands up like a meerkat.  Her eyes narrow in on very important businessman.

She moves into the aisle to stand near him and politely tells him to can it and points to the Quiet Zone sign on the wall in front of him.

He makes it a point to look at his watch with a tremendous amount of grandstanding and declares the Quiet Zone is not in effect because the train has not left the station. He goes back to his phone call.

She walks away mumbling something about shoving his watch down his throat while I yearn for popcorn.

But true to his word, when the CSA announced last call for the doors he ended his call and lapsed into a coma.

That's some hardcore sleeping right there

Photo credit

It looks like he's wearing a tire

Rage is building as we head into wetter weather and colder months

A job only Mike Holmes could appreciate (or my pretend contractor boyfriend, Bryan Baeumler)

When this email came in and I looked at the photos on my phone, I really thought I was looking at a broke-ass bird house.

from:		AP
to:		cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date:		Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 8:26 AM
subject:		Newmarket CO

Hi, not sure if I am the only one who finds this ugly and half-assed. This is our tax dollars at work. During some recent renovations you can witness the high quality of work that the contractors GO hires do. The rusty knife was also lying on the base of a lamp post for 2 weeks until somebody took it away.

from:		Cindy (Cj) Smith
to:		AP
date:		Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 8:28 AM
subject:		Re: Newmarket CO

Hi Andrew
What is that? It looks like a bird house I made in the 4th grade

from:		AP
to:		cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date:		Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 8:35 AM
subject:		Re: Newmarket CO

Hahaha. Love the jagged cuts. You think they could have used something a little nicer. Even a piece of inner tube between the sign and fence. In fact just screwing it to the post would work instead of the hose clamp. I find the quality of work is getting worse and worse.

Clearly I didn't try very hard here...

from:		JK
to:		cj@thiscrazytrain.com
date:		Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 9:22 AM
subject:		October 5 Photoshop Fail

Hey CJ, continue to appreciate the time & effort you put into TCT, always good for a chuckle or to raise my blood pressure, but hey, as long as I'm feelin', I ain't dyin'.

Just got back from a trip & was catching up on TCT as I rode in this morning.  Looking at your Oct 5 post of the Photoshop fails, wow, too much!  But I did notice something really odd.  You pointed out that that model of bus actually looks like the picture y Michael Taylor you posted right beneath the photoshop fail in question.  OK, they really blew this one - why the heck did they even go to that much trouble to change the way the bus looks?!

Oh well, on to the next item, which is a picture of a bus with a Merry Christmas message on it........... That looks EXACTLY like the bus in the photoshop fail.

Ummmm...........

Oh well, I've pulled way bigger boners than that. Just thought it kinda funny.  I hope you don't post an actual picture of the model waiting to get on the bus and she turns out to be 4 foot nothing

:-S

It's the exquisite ornamental fountain that steals the show, really

Part 5 of an installment, exclusive to This Crazy Train, "Meet the Deckers"

Editor's note: If you have had issues while aboard a Double Decker bus, or have a story about a Double Decker experience, drop me a line at cj@thiscrazytrain.com

Read previous installments here

Special to This Crazy Train

Keep your eyes on the road, two hands on the wheel...

by Ali Gator (not his real name)

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) issued two letters to the City of Ottawa regarding the Sept. 18, 2013 collision between an OC Transpo bus and a VIA Rail train.  The investigation is on-going.

The recurring theme in the TSB's verbiage is the driver "may" have been distracted by the video monitor.  For those not familiar with the device, here is the TSB's letter on the matter.

I found the references to the Canada/USA guidelines to reduce driver distraction interesting, especially the following:

"The guidelines are based on the fundamental principle that a driver's eyes should be looking at the road ahead rather than at an in-vehicle device.  The guidelines are designed to encourage automakers to forego in-vehicle systems that require the manual input of data while a vehicle is in motion, or that require unreasonably long glances away from the forward visual scene."

When I saw the photo of the overhead console of the OC Transpo bus, I thought it to be rather Spartan when compared to GO Transit double-decker buses, which are built by Alexander Dennis Ltd, too.  With reference to Photo 1, a GO Transit driver will need to look up to use any of the following instruments:

1. Video monitor

2. HVAC control

3. Destination sign controller

4. PA system

5. Computer aided dispatch / GPS navigation, aka CAD/AVL.  Apparently, GO Transit Operations can send text messages to this device.

6. Multi-channel radio (with handset) for voice communications.

7. Controller for the video system.  Apparently, there is no access this device yet, but it does power up, and it is a distraction, because it’s too bright for some drivers.

Photo 1: Overhead instruments on GO Transit double-decker bus

Photo 2 shows there are controls on the left console, and the PRESTO point of sale terminal is to the right of the driver's seat.  Hanging over the red-handled emergency brake is the microphone for the PA speakers, which are used to announce upcoming stops.  Interactions with the PRESTO machine happen sometimes when the bus is in motion.

It should be noted that drivers of shorter physical stature must make a significant effort to reach up to the controls of the instruments when the bus is in motion.  Not shown is the rear view mirror to see what is happening in the lower saloon.

Photo 2: A complete view of the driver's area

Photo 3: A closer look at the side console

Photos 4 and 5 illustrate another source of distraction; the overhead instruments can come loose from the panel.

Photo 4: Instrument hanging precariously above the driver

Photo 5: Destination sign controller held in place with “official” GO Transit duct tape

As one driver remarked to me, "It was much easier to execute my job before GO Transit introduced all this newfangled technology."  The introductory lines to Roadhouse Blues were never truer and support the Canada/USA guidelines for reduced driver distraction.

There is some contention surrounding the content of the TSB letters, but that's a story for another day.

This bus driver and Hudson's Bay's Queen Street store should get together

Relevance

GO Transit can't photoshop

This photo is making the rounds on Twitter and Facebook from GO Transit. It's being used to illustrate the importance of having your fare ready before you board a GO bus.

Go ahead and stare at it for a bit.

Here's what this typical model of branded GO bus tends to look like, similar to this photo from photographer, Michael Taylor.

Let's look at the GO photo again, this time from how I see it as a graphic designer and Photoshop artist.

A. No wipers? This is dangerous. Unless this isn't a GO bus and is some stock photo of a bus that was edited to be a GO bus (the wipers could be mounted at the top of the windshield and out of frame).

B. Is that a fare box?!

C. Why does this woman's head curve with the shape of the window? And damn, it's bright on that bus. It's never that bright inside. Not during the day.

D. Where is the door? Shouldn't it be open? The bus is not full. This driver is a jerk!

E. How short is this woman? Is she kneeling? Take a look at the sideview mirror and take in the perspective. She's only a head taller than the wheel well, making her what? Three foot nothing?

F. Dude needs to seriously invest in some fabric softener or Lady E is using some amazing hair care products. Her hair doesn't have a strand out of place in the wind that is causing the dude's jacket to stand sideways.

This.

And the award for the dumbest pair of vandals goes to ...

Karma rode the GO Train this morning

Seated near me are two girls in UGGs, wet UGGs because one of them must have walked through a puddle, or spilled coffee, or trampled through wet grass? Wet UGGs had her boots pressed against the edge of the cloth seat in front of her. You could see the wet stains when she shifted them. Her friend was beside her.

Once we hit Ajax, and more people wanted to sit, wet UGGs' friend jumped up, and sat, in the seat where wet UGGs' UGGs had been and realized she had just sat in wetness, in white jeans.

She stood up, and was frantic, and her friend was all "like, like, like" and she was all "like, like, like" and I was all, "awesome, awesome, awesome".

"Even during off peak hours" - ALL OF THE APPLAUSE

Moments only a transit commuter can have

from:		Assenza
to:		"cj@thiscrazytrain.com"
date:		Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 9:19 AM
subject:		this morning

I can understand as a commuter why Cindy started this blog, because no matter what route you take on a daily basis there is always a story to tell. I think that is definitely the case on the 501 Streetcar route in Toronto.  It's known to be the longest streetcar route in the world, but more than that for me, some of the most entertaining, obscure, and inspiring moments have occurred on that very route.

This morning into work was no exception…

This morning, the streetcar stopped at Queen and Sherbourne.  Kevin Clarke was standing on the southeast corner.  He's a homeless mayoral candidate who I have only heard of and never seen before.  He tags graffiti all over the city about his mayoral run.  He took advantage of the red light, and stopped packed streetcar to unleash his mayoral platform.   In an impassioned tirade, and the short time it took for the light to change to green, he wonderfully projected a keen diatribe of why he was the best choice for mayor and how he would better the city. A packed 501 streetcar full of commuters on their way to work definitely heard him.  He was talking directly to us, I give him full props for taking advantage of the moment to have an audience. Some disregarded him, some pretended not to listen but did, some laughed at him, and some were flat out freaked out by him.  I had a window seat facing south, and made eye contact with him,  gave him my full attention, and was thoroughly impressed.  I flashed him the peace sign as the streetcar pulled away, and he returned it.

I truly wonder what he would be like in a debate, who knows, I can say he's ten times more eloquent than Doug Ford but then again so is Buster the lobby cat in my building.  Still I love riding the 501 because of unexpected moments like that one, and I am not saying that I will mark an X beside his name.  But I gotta say, that likely will easily be one of the coolest moments that happened today, he may not have my vote, but he certainly got my attention and then some.

Love on the GO

Subway videos showcase the things and people we lose

Your requests. Your demanding emails. It's all about you, right?

I'm kidding...

Yep, I do plan on posting the pics I received of the broken PRESTO cards when I create the official ThisCrazyTrain Broke PRESTO card online gallery (maybe this weekend). But don't get too excited, I didn't even break 50 entries but I will reiterate that every entrant had to pay $6 for a new card.

Not a single person had a card replaced under warranty. Not one.

Broken PRESTO card contest takes a turn for humanity

from:		Cindy (Cj) Smith
to:		Rav Gill
date:		Tue, Sep 30, 2014 at 10:57 PM
subject:		Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Hi Rav!
On August 8th you submitted an entry into my broken Presto card contest. Guess what!? My cat, using a very scientific process, sat on your email and declared you the winner.
You have a choice between $25 to spend at Starbucks or The Keg.
Please let me know if you are able to meet tomorrow in front of the Dairy Queen at Union Station for 4:45 pm, or a time convenient for you, to collect your gift card. I will pick up the card up on my way down.

Cj

from:		Rav Gill
to:		Cindy (Cj) Smith
date:		Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 2:31 PM
subject:		Re: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Hi Cj!

This is amazing. But you know what's amazing? Your website and your desuire to right all that is wrong with this fare card. Truth be told as much I'd like to see you spend that money on me I have a request. Don't be mad. But do you think I can suggest a charitable donation to something that is dear to my heart? And you can make it in my name? You can keep the receipt. Or if it's too little, don't worry. It's the principle of it. I lost my dad and my brother to cancer. I participate in the Terry Fox run every year and in their memories. Would you consider a donation? I hope I'm not overstepping what you were trying to do here and I hope it doesn't cause a problem among those who entered.

Rav

from:		Cindy (Cj) Smith
to:		Rav Gill
date:		Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 3:19 PM
subject:		Re: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Rav,
That's a wonderful gesture. As for hard feelings among other entrants, I am using my own money to fund the prize so I don't think it matters how it's spent or if you would rather be charitable. I'm all for it. I'll look into the donation and I think you should get the receipt because I believe a $25 donation is tax deductible. If you're comfortable, please send me your mailing address, otherwise, I'll use my information but make it on behalf of you (as requested), or better yet, how about you give me your dad and brother's name?
I do have to announce the winner today and will publish what we chatted about online. Okay to use your full name and where you're from?

from:		Rav Gill
to:		Cindy (Cj) Smith
date:		Wed, Oct 1, 2014 at 3:24 PM
subject:		Re: Congratulations! Steak (or coffee) is on me!

Absolutely! My home address is XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Mississauga, ON XXXXXXX You're too kind. Thank you for this honour. And it's ok to publish my name and any other details you wish to share.
Rav