A
AlvinofDiaspar
Guest
From the Post:
Riding the ugly way
KELVIN BROWNE, National Post
Published: Thursday, February 08, 2007
The TTC could be the better way if many of its current riders were asked not to use it. These are the people who don't understand public transit etiquette, as well as being not particularly attractive to look at, especially at 7 a.m. Behaviour (and appearance) in public spaces has devolved over the years in Toronto, but nowhere as obviously as on transit. It's not about guns and violence, thank goodness, but we have to change our unsophisticated ways if we want more people to willingly use the TTC.
We can't blame the quality of our TTC experience on TTC employees. Other than in Paris, where a national penchant for condescension and transit workers' powerful unions produce noticeably diffident employees, I detect little difference in employees' attitudes between London, Barcelona or Shanghai and here. But the riders in these cities are better trained than in Toronto. In other words, it's about "us" and how we should improve, not "them."
My TTC issue isn't a list of the ways people are boorish or don't otherwise treat you and me like the princes or princesses we are. It's about how we increasingly tolerate behaviour in public amenities that limits their use because only the most insensitive or those without options will voluntarily use them. Sure, more frequent service, cleaner subway cars and shiny new transit stations will help, but do something about those other riders first.
I'm certainly not proposing more posters in the subway that attempt education. Oh, look, a man dressed like a pig -- what a clever way to teach people not to litter. It doesn't work. Similarly, all those little notices stuck to the doors could be legal disclaimers (don't hold the doors open, don't rush the doors, and so on) rather than the unequivocal instructions about how to use the facilities they should be.
You might expect it's kids who are the most offensive: pierced and with their hoodies on, grubby feet on seats, loud music blaring and little cliques of three using seating for seven.
In reality, the most pervasive offenders are rather angry-looking forty-something women. Typically overweight and spilling out of trendy but unsuitable clothes, the attitude is "My life is hell, so why should yours be any different?"
This group is impatient in line buying tokens and grumble audibly about how long those in front are taking. They barge ahead when subway or bus doors open with a sense of impunity -- "What are you going to do about it mister, hit me?" They have the loudest voices in the car and are the ones most likely to be heard complaining on their cellphones. If they have a package, it's always on the seat next to them and their shrug says it all: "Yeah, well then make me move it."
The worst transit crimes, however, are committed by a small, exclusive category. They're the "otherwise engaged" zombies. Intent on Black Berry or cellphone messages, or a million miles away with ear phones and music so loud you can hear it regardless -- they're always in the way. Get them off the subway and efficiency will skyrocket.
Toronto riders don't have the instincts I've seen elsewhere: Stand right, walk left on escalators. Get back from the door when it opens. Go to the back of the bus. Be concerned that purses, backpacks and bags can smash into others. (Backpacks are a special menace.)
I haven't mentioned the absence of please, thank you, excuse me or I'm sorry. This is everywhere, not just on transit. I said thank you to a fellow rider the other day and got "uh-huh," which is better than the non sequitur "no problem," I suppose.
London transit is superior to ours; the subways in particular are sterling. And my experience with London riders was sublime: Courteous, eager to line up and fully understanding of the central role civility plays in a densely populated city if transit is to function. New York's facilities are not as well-maintained, but the riders very proper, albeit wary.
Who's going to fix this? The TTC. But no more posters. Verbal announcements are helpful. Not just friendly "stand clear of the doors" but strident admonishments to stand back and let people on and off. Or else.
If you had real people barking a few orders to recalcitrant riders, ones that embarrassed offenders, things would soon change. Pick up that litter, move to your right, feet off the seat.
We need our parents in the subway teaching us good manners. A transit experience is not just about hardware or speed but the quality of the ride we give fellow riders.
Kelvin Browne's new urban etiquette column debuts soon in the Post. If you have questions on things that annoy or puzzle you about how other people behave in Toronto -- who's right, wrong or out to lunch--e-mail him at kelvinb@rom.on.ca
_________________________________________________
Excellent article. Bring on the whips and cattle prods.
AoD
Riding the ugly way
KELVIN BROWNE, National Post
Published: Thursday, February 08, 2007
The TTC could be the better way if many of its current riders were asked not to use it. These are the people who don't understand public transit etiquette, as well as being not particularly attractive to look at, especially at 7 a.m. Behaviour (and appearance) in public spaces has devolved over the years in Toronto, but nowhere as obviously as on transit. It's not about guns and violence, thank goodness, but we have to change our unsophisticated ways if we want more people to willingly use the TTC.
We can't blame the quality of our TTC experience on TTC employees. Other than in Paris, where a national penchant for condescension and transit workers' powerful unions produce noticeably diffident employees, I detect little difference in employees' attitudes between London, Barcelona or Shanghai and here. But the riders in these cities are better trained than in Toronto. In other words, it's about "us" and how we should improve, not "them."
My TTC issue isn't a list of the ways people are boorish or don't otherwise treat you and me like the princes or princesses we are. It's about how we increasingly tolerate behaviour in public amenities that limits their use because only the most insensitive or those without options will voluntarily use them. Sure, more frequent service, cleaner subway cars and shiny new transit stations will help, but do something about those other riders first.
I'm certainly not proposing more posters in the subway that attempt education. Oh, look, a man dressed like a pig -- what a clever way to teach people not to litter. It doesn't work. Similarly, all those little notices stuck to the doors could be legal disclaimers (don't hold the doors open, don't rush the doors, and so on) rather than the unequivocal instructions about how to use the facilities they should be.
You might expect it's kids who are the most offensive: pierced and with their hoodies on, grubby feet on seats, loud music blaring and little cliques of three using seating for seven.
In reality, the most pervasive offenders are rather angry-looking forty-something women. Typically overweight and spilling out of trendy but unsuitable clothes, the attitude is "My life is hell, so why should yours be any different?"
This group is impatient in line buying tokens and grumble audibly about how long those in front are taking. They barge ahead when subway or bus doors open with a sense of impunity -- "What are you going to do about it mister, hit me?" They have the loudest voices in the car and are the ones most likely to be heard complaining on their cellphones. If they have a package, it's always on the seat next to them and their shrug says it all: "Yeah, well then make me move it."
The worst transit crimes, however, are committed by a small, exclusive category. They're the "otherwise engaged" zombies. Intent on Black Berry or cellphone messages, or a million miles away with ear phones and music so loud you can hear it regardless -- they're always in the way. Get them off the subway and efficiency will skyrocket.
Toronto riders don't have the instincts I've seen elsewhere: Stand right, walk left on escalators. Get back from the door when it opens. Go to the back of the bus. Be concerned that purses, backpacks and bags can smash into others. (Backpacks are a special menace.)
I haven't mentioned the absence of please, thank you, excuse me or I'm sorry. This is everywhere, not just on transit. I said thank you to a fellow rider the other day and got "uh-huh," which is better than the non sequitur "no problem," I suppose.
London transit is superior to ours; the subways in particular are sterling. And my experience with London riders was sublime: Courteous, eager to line up and fully understanding of the central role civility plays in a densely populated city if transit is to function. New York's facilities are not as well-maintained, but the riders very proper, albeit wary.
Who's going to fix this? The TTC. But no more posters. Verbal announcements are helpful. Not just friendly "stand clear of the doors" but strident admonishments to stand back and let people on and off. Or else.
If you had real people barking a few orders to recalcitrant riders, ones that embarrassed offenders, things would soon change. Pick up that litter, move to your right, feet off the seat.
We need our parents in the subway teaching us good manners. A transit experience is not just about hardware or speed but the quality of the ride we give fellow riders.
Kelvin Browne's new urban etiquette column debuts soon in the Post. If you have questions on things that annoy or puzzle you about how other people behave in Toronto -- who's right, wrong or out to lunch--e-mail him at kelvinb@rom.on.ca
_________________________________________________
Excellent article. Bring on the whips and cattle prods.
AoD
!