Many of us try to get to our destination, just to get stuck behind some slow person or almost get stuck on the train because someone decides to stand at the door. This has happened to me several times, making me suffer the misery of the hot underground metro station. Here are a few tips of metro etiquette. I'm thinking of printing this and handing it out to people, but I thought I'd share it with my small audience first to get your reactions.
- Do not hop on the metro and automatically stand in front of the door. Most likely there are other people behind you that are trying to get on the train.
- Don't stand in front of the door when people are trying to get off. You slow down the flow of traffic and cause people to miss their stop or not get on the train.
- Please do move to the center of the car... Expeditiously. I can guarantee you that you will get off the train at your stop, even if you are at the center of the car.
- Do not form a line where it is not needed. (I only say this because lines bother me and often stop the flow of traffic.
- When someone says "excuse me", try to move. (I'm not a rude person, but I have to push people all of the time because they don't respond to my politeness.)
- Try to place your bag under the seat in front of you. There is a bit of space for some smaller luggage pieces to go under the seat instead of in the aisles. (My carrier bag fits.) This frees up a lot of space.
- Be aware of your surroundings. You are not the only person on the train so be aware that people will get off and on at various stops. Be aware that you may have to move to allow people to get off an on the train. And, please be courteous when doing so. Don't just look at people like they are stupid because you are in the way.
- Tip for tourists especially... Map out your exact route so you won't get in people's way. And please do not get off the escalator and stop to admire the scenery. There are people behind you that are trying to get out of the metro station too.
I'm up to eight right now, and I'm sure I'll be adding some at some pint, but please help me out by adding to the list or commenting on the list already published.
You missed a few rules, Nakia. Here they are.
ReplyDelete- DO NOT board the train as slow as you can possibly walk - and then stand near the doors! It's even worse if you weigh over 300 pounds. You can't even see your own feet, and you don't seem to understand that people have a hard time walking around you!
Please board the train QUICKLY, and go toward the CENTER of the car. If you don't comply, you'll be shoved out of the way. It's nothing personal.
- When boarding, please DO NOT play with your Ipod, read the newspaper, talk on your cell phone, or text your friend! You're walking slowly while you do this, and the other passengers have commuter trains to catch. No one gives a shit about your playlist or your idiot friend.
Stop doing what you're doing and BOARD THE DAMN TRAIN QUICKLY. Walk to the center of the car. Your Ipod playlist and newspaper *might* be there twenty seconds from now. I can't guarantee that. The fact that you're doing this stuff as you board a train means that you're not paying attention to your environment. That makes you an easy mark to get robbed.
If you don't comply, you will be shoved out of the way - or robbed. It's nothing personal....but you brought it on yourself.
- If you're wearing a big bookbag / laptop bag on your back, please face forward on the train at all times. By turning sideways, you take up a lot of unnecessary space. That makes it hard for other passengers to board and leave the train.
If you don't comply, you'll be shoved out of the way. It's nothing personal.
- Commuters and tourists: DO NOT stop in front of large groups of commuters to admire the scenery during peak commute times.
If you don't comply, you'll be shoved out of the way. It's nothing personal.
- Tourists: Do not let your children wander around.
- The most important rule: BE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE AROUND YOU. If you do this, you wouldn't be breaking any of the other rules that piss off other riders so much.