Another Men's Room Post

Okay. I can understand men who prefer not to use urinals. It can be embarrassing, standing out there with your penis on display.

I know a surprising number of men who prefer to pee in a stall - often with a newspaper or printout (usually of a sports article, I've noticed - they're often left behind). It's a chance to take a break without smoking, I guess.

What I don't understand is men who use a stall to pee - and then pee standing up. Invariably they splatter all over the seat. Even if they have decent aim, the height and splash factor makes drops on the toilet seat inevitable. And they never bother to clean up after themselves. These are supposed to be professional people, for god's sake!

So why the hell do they do it? I just don't understand some people.

Another Men's Room Post

Okay. I can understand men who prefer not to use urinals. It can be embarrassing, standing out there with your penis on display.

I know a surprising number of men who prefer to pee in a stall - often with a newspaper or printout (usually of a sports article, I've noticed - they're often left behind). It's a chance to take a break without smoking, I guess.

What I don't understand is men who use a stall to pee - and then pee standing up. Invariably they splatter all over the seat. Even if they have decent aim, the height and splash factor makes drops on the toilet seat inevitable. And they never bother to clean up after themselves. These are supposed to be professional people, for god's sake!

So why the hell do they do it? I just don't understand some people.

Letter to the MBCR

I have been riding on this line for over three years, and can count the number of times I've been able to get a seat on my fingers. Tonight there were 11 people standing in the coach that I was in, and at least six had to stand in the vestibule. Far more were standing in the coach on the other side of the vestibule. Every seat was full.

This is nothing new. The #715 Franklin train is ALWAYS overcrowded. Yet the #619 Needham Heights which stops at Ruggles at 4:13 always has AT LEAST eight fully empty seats per coach.

Your conductors are arrogant and rude. Your prices are ridiculous - over $200 per month and you don't even put on enough coaches to allow passengers to sit? You pack us in like animals, except that it would be a crime to treat animals like this.

Don't give me the same old story about two-level coaches not fitting on the line. They fit fine in the morning. And don't tell me about the survey of ridership - I believe my own eyes, not the many reassurances I've had from MBCR spokespersons that there are always adequate seats. You have no credibility left on that point.

In hundreds of rides I've had less than ten chances to sit down - and I'm never the only one forced to stand. It's rare to have a chance to sit before Norwood Central.

I've discussed the incredibly bad service with many other passengers, and agreement is universal: management doesn't give a damn and won't do a thing about it. Many say they've complained, and have since given up. It's like talking to a brick wall.

I realize that this is a waste of my time, but I just want you to know that there are a lot of us who are really angry about your contemptible service.

Letter to the MBCR

I have been riding on this line for over three years, and can count the number of times I've been able to get a seat on my fingers. Tonight there were 11 people standing in the coach that I was in, and at least six had to stand in the vestibule. Far more were standing in the coach on the other side of the vestibule. Every seat was full.

This is nothing new. The #715 Franklin train is ALWAYS overcrowded. Yet the #619 Needham Heights which stops at Ruggles at 4:13 always has AT LEAST eight fully empty seats per coach.

Your conductors are arrogant and rude. Your prices are ridiculous - over $200 per month and you don't even put on enough coaches to allow passengers to sit? You pack us in like animals, except that it would be a crime to treat animals like this.

Don't give me the same old story about two-level coaches not fitting on the line. They fit fine in the morning. And don't tell me about the survey of ridership - I believe my own eyes, not the many reassurances I've had from MBCR spokespersons that there are always adequate seats. You have no credibility left on that point.

In hundreds of rides I've had less than ten chances to sit down - and I'm never the only one forced to stand. It's rare to have a chance to sit before Norwood Central.

I've discussed the incredibly bad service with many other passengers, and agreement is universal: management doesn't give a damn and won't do a thing about it. Many say they've complained, and have since given up. It's like talking to a brick wall.

I realize that this is a waste of my time, but I just want you to know that there are a lot of us who are really angry about your contemptible service.

Another letter to the MBTA

I'm posting this because it covers something that I was going to write about a few days ago. Unlike the other letter, which went directly to the MBCR, this one is going to the head of the MBTA - it's a column he does in the Metro. I'll elaborate after the letter.

---

I've been riding the #715 Franklin train from Ruggles (at 4:19 PM) for more than three years now. In that time I have been able to get a seat less than ten times. Often ten or more people are left standing in whatever coach I'm in. The same overcrowding takes place in all six coaches. On many days the train is so crowded that people are jammed in the aisles.

Yet the #619 Needham Heights which stops at Ruggles at 4:13 always has AT LEAST eight fully empty seats per coach. Why?

Last Friday (7/13) I counted 33 people standing in my coach; it was impossible to move down the aisle. There was a medical emergency, and passengers were unable to move down the car in search of help. We had to resort to shouting to try to get the word passed to a conductor that a woman had passed out. It took ten minutes or more for a conductor to arrive. Had the woman's condition been serious, the delay caused by overcrowding could have had serious consequences.

I've spoken to MBCR employees many times in the past and filed "concerns". I've never received the least satisfaction. I've been told over and over that the annual ridership survey insures adequate seating. In this case, I'll believe my eyes rather than MBCR spokespeople who've lost all credibility.

The conductors are often rude. I've personally seen instances in which a conductor has neglected their post, leaving it up to fellow passengers to open the stairways for pregnant women and handicapped veterans - this is NOT an exaggeration.

We passengers often discuss the terrible service we receive. Many of us are paying more than $200 a month for our passes, and yet we can't get a seat until Norwood Central or later - that's 25 minutes or more spent standing, crammed elbow to elbow with other passengers.

Many of us have filed complaints, only to receive the same completely unsatisfactory responses. Frankly, we've given up making complaints. It's clear that management couldn't care less.

---

The woman looked as if she were in her late 30s, blonde, a bit chubby. A pregnant nurse managed to struggle through the crowd from our coach and reach her; so did a paramedic on the other side. There wasn't much they could do without equipment, but they monitored her. That's more than those two conductors were doing; when they finally arrived (where the hell where they?), all they did was stand there and gawk at her.

The train stopped at Readville for 20 minutes until and ambulance came and paramedics with a stretcher took the woman off. As we were waiting, several of us who were standing in the vestibule were chatting; we'd been pushed into the vestibule to allow the nurse to get through the crowd. Suddenly, a fat woman came to the door and yelled that the door should be closed to keep in the air conditioning, and slammed the door in our faces. It hadn't been particularly hot, but apparently that lard-ass felt that every little bit of AC was vital to her well-being - more vital than ordinary everyday politeness, obviously.

Jesus, I'm pissed off tonight.

Another letter to the MBTA

I'm posting this because it covers something that I was going to write about a few days ago. Unlike the other letter, which went directly to the MBCR, this one is going to the head of the MBTA - it's a column he does in the Metro. I'll elaborate after the letter.

---

I've been riding the #715 Franklin train from Ruggles (at 4:19 PM) for more than three years now. In that time I have been able to get a seat less than ten times. Often ten or more people are left standing in whatever coach I'm in. The same overcrowding takes place in all six coaches. On many days the train is so crowded that people are jammed in the aisles.

Yet the #619 Needham Heights which stops at Ruggles at 4:13 always has AT LEAST eight fully empty seats per coach. Why?

Last Friday (7/13) I counted 33 people standing in my coach; it was impossible to move down the aisle. There was a medical emergency, and passengers were unable to move down the car in search of help. We had to resort to shouting to try to get the word passed to a conductor that a woman had passed out. It took ten minutes or more for a conductor to arrive. Had the woman's condition been serious, the delay caused by overcrowding could have had serious consequences.

I've spoken to MBCR employees many times in the past and filed "concerns". I've never received the least satisfaction. I've been told over and over that the annual ridership survey insures adequate seating. In this case, I'll believe my eyes rather than MBCR spokespeople who've lost all credibility.

The conductors are often rude. I've personally seen instances in which a conductor has neglected their post, leaving it up to fellow passengers to open the stairways for pregnant women and handicapped veterans - this is NOT an exaggeration.

We passengers often discuss the terrible service we receive. Many of us are paying more than $200 a month for our passes, and yet we can't get a seat until Norwood Central or later - that's 25 minutes or more spent standing, crammed elbow to elbow with other passengers.

Many of us have filed complaints, only to receive the same completely unsatisfactory responses. Frankly, we've given up making complaints. It's clear that management couldn't care less.

---

The woman looked as if she were in her late 30s, blonde, a bit chubby. A pregnant nurse managed to struggle through the crowd from our coach and reach her; so did a paramedic on the other side. There wasn't much they could do without equipment, but they monitored her. That's more than those two conductors were doing; when they finally arrived (where the hell where they?), all they did was stand there and gawk at her.

The train stopped at Readville for 20 minutes until and ambulance came and paramedics with a stretcher took the woman off. As we were waiting, several of us who were standing in the vestibule were chatting; we'd been pushed into the vestibule to allow the nurse to get through the crowd. Suddenly, a fat woman came to the door and yelled that the door should be closed to keep in the air conditioning, and slammed the door in our faces. It hadn't been particularly hot, but apparently that lard-ass felt that every little bit of AC was vital to her well-being - more vital than ordinary everyday politeness, obviously.

Jesus, I'm pissed off tonight.