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GO Transit: Service thread (including extensions)

I feel bad for people in Milton and Mississauga who have heard the same thing over and over for the past 30-40 years.
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At least something was established in the early 90’s, before GO’s budget cuts:
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Aren't all the windows removable? Wouldn't that make an evacuation relatively easy, even in that mess?
Yes, there are emergency escapes in some windows. Still, the density of bikes would impair evacuation.

Even without that, how does someone get off at their stop if they are hemmed in by bikes?
 
Yes, there are emergency escapes in some windows. Still, the density of bikes would impair evacuation.

Even without that, how does someone get off at their stop if they are hemmed in by bikes?
No idea for regular stops, but I am guessing if I were on it, I would be moving to a door the stop before to make sure I could get off.
 
No idea for regular stops, but I am guessing if I were on it, I would be moving to a door the stop before to make sure I could get off.
Which causes unnecessary anxiety for passengers on both the safety and fear of missing their stop counts, and possibly pushes them towards driving or Uber instead
 
The tricky thing is that you don't want everyone hovering near the door because they are afraid they will not be able to get off at their stop otherwise.
 
Aren't all the windows removable? Wouldn't that make an evacuation relatively easy, even in that mess?
Let’s hope they work! They didn’t in the 90’s
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(for the record I'm being sarcastic here, I trust the existing emergency exit windows, but they shouldn't have to be the only option, bikes can still obstruct them and in the event of a fire smoke and flames can overcome someone before they can get the window open)
 
At this point I am inclined to believe that the only solution to this issue is an outright ban of bikes on the Kitchener Line. These people continually demonstrate day after day that they do not care for the safety and comfort of their fellow customers.

All six bike coaches are currently in use on the Kitchener Line, yet some of these people continue to overwhelm regular coaches even when multiple bike coaches are present on a single consist. They have to frequently be reminded not to ride their bikes down station platforms, including busy station platforms, or even the stupid narrow and stupid busy platforms at Union during rush hour or after an event. They frequently have to be reminded to allow those with mobility devices to use the elevators first. They engage in shenanigans such as activating the yellow emergency strip upon arrival at each station in order to buy themselves time to drag their bikes off coaches they chose to overcrowd to begin with, resulting in significant delays. And of course, they throw a hissy fit whenever someone from GO whether it be the Operators, Transit Safety, or Revenue Protection try to enforce GO policies, or even just regular passengers trying to get off the damn train.

In the last week or so, Metrolinx has begun to take a more heavy handed approach to enforce the bike policy on westbound trips departing Union and Bloor each evening, by dumping a boatload of Transit Safety and Revenue Protection officers onto platforms to babysit trains. I fear this further takes away a significant amount of resources that could better be utilized elsewhere in the network where Transit Safety already has the reputation of being “slow” and “useless” amongst Operators.

Just ban the damn bikes.

/rant
 
At this point I am inclined to believe that the only solution to this issue is an outright ban of bikes on the Kitchener Line. These people continually demonstrate day after day that they do not care for the safety and comfort of their fellow customers.

All six bike coaches are currently in use on the Kitchener Line, yet some of these people continue to overwhelm regular coaches even when multiple bike coaches are present on a single consist. They have to frequently be reminded not to ride their bikes down station platforms, including busy station platforms, or even the stupid narrow and stupid busy platforms at Union during rush hour or after an event. They frequently have to be reminded to allow those with mobility devices to use the elevators first. They engage in shenanigans such as activating the yellow emergency strip upon arrival at each station in order to buy themselves time to drag their bikes off coaches they chose to overcrowd to begin with, resulting in significant delays. And of course, they throw a hissy fit whenever someone from GO whether it be the Operators, Transit Safety, or Revenue Protection try to enforce GO policies, or even just regular passengers trying to get off the damn train.

In the last week or so, Metrolinx has begun to take a more heavy handed approach to enforce the bike policy on westbound trips departing Union and Bloor each evening, by dumping a boatload of Transit Safety and Revenue Protection officers onto platforms to babysit trains. I fear this further takes away a significant amount of resources that could better be utilized elsewhere in the network where Transit Safety already has the reputation of being “slow” and “useless” amongst Operators.

Just ban the damn bikes.

/rant

Easy solution - impound their bikes for 14 days upon violation of the bylaw.

AoD
 

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