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[side_show]

Oh, Bozack...

I too know the terrible yuckiness that is public transit, but I ride the bus, and almost daily.  My anger level is never higher than when I'm crushed on a bus with someone whose shouting to somone on their cell phone about "that bitch."  

I've developed two personal rules that help me get through it.  As a public service to you and anyone else here who uses public transportation, I'll list them here and encourage anyone else to post their own suggestions too.

Rule #1: always wear headphones, even if you are not listening to music. (this discourages crazy people from talking to you, or if they do, it allows you to ignore them without feeling totally like an ass.  Also, if you aren't listening to anything, you can intentionally experiement with pushing other peoples limits in subtle ways like leaning into them and you can then hear things about yourself from the comments of those who don't think you can hear them.

Rule #2: Always carry a small sample vial of perfume or cologne, or an apple and/or orange.  If you are stuck beside someone with body odour, mouth odour, bladder issues, etc.  it is always good to have something that you deem "clean smelling" to keep near your nose to counter the effects.

[AlohaDawg]

I can't help but wonder just how lucky/apparently rich I've been - everyone on the trains I rode to work were impeccably clean skyscraper types with WSJ's and briefcases.  

The Bus I ride now is populated with 1/3 HS School students on their way to various private High Schools, 2/3 people heading to downtown jobs - the trick is to get on the bus really early. I get on around 6:15 and it's pretty OK. Much later and I hear it gets weirder.

[wombat]

Rule #1: always wear headphones, even if you are not listening to music. (this discourages crazy people from talking to you, or if they do, it allows you to ignore them without feeling totally like an ass.

I second this advice, useful for many public situations.

I grew up in NYC and didn't learn to drive till an advanced age so I always took public transit everywhere and didn't think anything of it.  But now that I've been driving to work for a couple of years, getting on the subway is such a shock.  And this is the DC Metro, where one generally feels not adequately dressed up if one is wearing jeans.  It's pretty civilized.   But now I am so shocked by all these people in my space.

[CortJstr]

And this is the DC Metro, where one generally feels not adequately dressed up if one is wearing jeans.  It's pretty civilized.   But now I am so shocked by all these people in my space.

As somebody who only takes the metro on weekends and at night I must say, wtf?

[pmcd9]

I rode the subway all over London and it was a pleasurable experience.  Everything was (relatively) clean and seemed to be running efficiently.  I was never hassled for money and I never encountered any menacing freaks even late at night.  In fact i'm quite sure I was the freak because I didn't avoid eye contact and said howdy to anyone who sat or stood near me.  You'd be amazed how disarming friendliness can be.

~Paul

[pmcd9]

Thank you Melanie for the advice.  It is well recieved.  I didn't smoke pot this weekend, but it was more due to fear of punishment than fear of psychosis.  Although this may suggest otherwise, I am doing perfectly fine.

~Paul

[side_show]

Yeah, you definitly don't want that car taken away due to punishment.  That would suck.

[jough]

I love public transportation, especially the train.  I could ride on the train just for fun for hours, listening to music and daydreaming.

Amtrack long distance rail is of course more fun and much nicer than regional Septa rail (Philly's transit system) but even the nasty-ass local trains are nice to ride on.  I love hearing the stop announcements, watching people get on and off, watching people sitting waiting for the train, watching the landscape blow by... it is relaxing and enjoyable, even when really busy and crowded.

Of course, being a man of gravity, I am aware that other people dread watching me walk down the aisle, hoping that I will not squeeze-in next to them.  And usually I'll just stand if there isn't ample room.  I don't want to be packed in tightly with some stranger.

[arkabee]

headphones will also help keep wind from blowing into your ear canal and making you die with the fever and the pain.

jough is right, trains are fun.  woooo, wooooo.

that clickety clack clack is an amazing sound.

wooo, woooo!

[wombat]

And this is the DC Metro, where one generally feels not adequately dressed up if one is wearing jeans.  It's pretty civilized.   But now I am so shocked by all these people in my space.

As somebody who only takes the metro on weekends and at night I must say, wtf?

I guess it makes sense it's different at off hours, but try a rush hour sometime. It's like you're standing around some government office but with a strange hallucination that it's moving.  It's not like this in NY where there are all classes of people regardless of the time.

[JorgeFabregas]

My wife finds that she hates humanity much less when she rides to work on the El instead of drives. Driving brings Chicago drivers. Driving brings anger.

[Thee]

What johnny cash album should I get?

[Lister]

I love the London subway.  The early lines are quaint and fun (except if you are in rush hour in a popular station), and the recently-built lines are from the future.  Everything's generally as clean as can be expected, and people are generally nice*.  If you know your line changes beforehand, it's possible to transfer really quickly through them.  I had fun doing it, and I'm not sure why.

For reference, the Paris Metro smells like feet.  Feet soaked in cheese.  It's pretty much clean, but since most trains use rubber wheels and there really isn't much ventilation... cheesefeetass.

I really do have to agree with the headphones thing.  You automatically create a bubble of indifference around yourself, which can be a powerful weapon.  I like the rubberized earbud style, which blocks quite a bit of sound even when there's no music.  Kind of nod your head to some beat and people will leave you alone unless they want money.  Keep nodding and even those people will go away.  Power!

* Except for the girl who tried to pick my pocket just as the doors were closing.  But even she was polite about it, and I didn't have my wallet in my back pocket anyway 'cause I'm paranoid like that.

[wombat]

My wife finds that she hates humanity much less when she rides to work on the El instead of drives. Driving brings Chicago drivers. Driving brings anger.

I used to agree with this.  But now I find that people on the subway can make me just as annoyed.  They are walking too slowly in front of me or they are standing still on the escalator and not letting anyone by or they are wearing shoes that no mortal woman should reward the shoe industry for producing.

[CortJstr]

I used to agree with this.  But now I find that people on the subway can make me just as annoyed.  They are walking too slowly in front of me or they are standing still on the escalator and not letting anyone by or they are wearing shoes that no mortal woman should reward the shoe industry for producing.

Stand right, walk left. It's not calculus here, people. Why do we waste the time of school children everywhere with cursive writing and how to improperly address a letter but we can't teach "stand right, walk left"?