General rules of thumb for public transit - as submitted to local newspapers, and the TTC:- please practice the general idea of first come first serve. As most of us learned in our early years of education, we stand in line to ensure fairness. No ma'am - you are not more important than me because you arrived 4 minutes later. Please respect the fact that I ride the bus/subway/streetcar too, and arrived here early to ensure a place in line.
- please remove your giant backpack, so that I may pass you when moving to the back of the vehicle. Those signs DO apply to you, despite what you think. Woman with giant purse - despite the fact that the bag you carry is not classified as a 'backpack' the rule still applies to you, as you still impede people's ability to move freely. Man with giant breifcase that hit me in the face walking up stairs this morning - this means you too.
- if the door on the subway opens, and you are in front of it, you are classified as an 'entering rider' or an 'exiting rider'. If either of these terms do not apply to you, please refrain from standing in the way of the multiple people trying to push past you. You are quite obviously in the way.
- I have no control over your longing to be deaf by age 32. but despite what you may believe, I have no interest in hearing your heavy metal music. Yes, I do enjoy a little heavy rock in my home, or earphones. However, I do not feel it necessary to subject the world to my preferences. Therefore, please have the same respect for me, and everyone on the subway/bus/streetcar, and TURN DOWN YOUR MUSIC.
- I know you really like your bag, and think it more important than most people in your general area - however. If there are people on the bus/streetcar/subway who are standing, then your bag takes second priority to a human being. Please remove your bag from the seat next to you, and be considerate enough to allow another person to rest. And please - do not grunt when I have to ask you to move it. It is really not as much of a hassle as you make it out to be.
- Despite calls for equality, there are specific people who will always take seating priority: pregnant women, older men and women, and those who are injured or otherwise unable to stand with the ease that you may. Therefore, when I offer a seat to the pregnant woman to my left, do not sit down when I stand up. And when I point out to you that I was standing up to allow the pregnant woman to sit down, do NOT ignore me.
Situation (that actually happened):
Jamie - sitting in a priority seating area, with a broken toe.
Older woman with a chip off her shoulder, quite clearly able to walk normally, "this seat is for me. Get out"
Jamie (shocked), "excuse me?"
Older woman, "get out of my seat"
Jamie - looks around to see ridiculous amounts of open seats around, and quite close - speechless. Gets up and moves to the next seat back… while quite obviously limping painfully. Sits behind woman in order to prove a point.
Old woman watches as older woman, barely able to pull herself onto the streetcar climbs on. Much fewer seats available (and I have already offered mine to someone else, so despite my broken toe, I am standing), and old woman stares out the window, and ignores the older woman hunched over, but standing because there are no seats available.
Moral of this story - you may think I look healthy, but I may not be. Ask politely, and I can explain to you why I may be sitting here. Chances are, I will offer my seat if necessary anyways!
- On the flip side of this, if I am sitting in a priority seating area (aka. On the streetcar), do not rudely ask me to mov
- Have you ever walked through a door and had it slam in your face? I have. A lot. And I make a point to say 'Thank you' quite loudly to the person who did not feel is necessary to hold the door behind them, or even look to see if someone else was coming. When you walk through a door, take a quick look behind you to see if someone's coming. If so, hold the door for them. It's a small gesture that indicates that you respect your fellow human being. On the other side of the coin, if you are walking behind someone, and they hold the door open for you, do not walk through without touching the door, leaving them standing behind you - grab the door, say thank you, and let them walk away. This is most likely why people don't hold doors for anyone anymore.
I take the TTC daily - and trust me. These things happen on a daily basis. I make enemies frequently, due to people not standing in turn, swinging bags, grunting because they have to move their plastic bag with shoes from the seat beside them. I am also not passive aggressive - which means I say things. Out loud. To people. And I have been thanked before by stander-bys.
Please - minimize hate in the city. Respect some common sense.