Hi all, today's story comes from a guest, who we'll call Othello. He takes a NJ Transit bus each day, and just as we Long Island Rail Road denizens have to translate terms like "track condition," Othello has to decipher bus euphemisms.
I travel into NYC via NJ Transit bus. The service is mostly reliable, but the rush-hour commute into New York by vehicle is brutal. NJ Transit has no magic wand to fix the the inevitable issues that slow traffic, so we all have to endure delays as a fact of life.
Just as Eskimos have hundreds of words for snow, NJ Transit has many terms to describe the usual, everyday, slow rush-hour service. Here are a few of my favorites.
Showing posts with label Stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stories. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Guest Post: Stay Thirsty, Friends
Today, we have another great guest story from "The Duke of Albany." The Duke has shared some interesting yarns, including "The Golden Slipper" and "One Man Anti-Terrorism Task Force."
I won't give too much away, but there is no need to ever go thirsty on the Long Island Rail Road. You may be late, you may be irritated, but you won't ever want for a beverage.
I won't give too much away, but there is no need to ever go thirsty on the Long Island Rail Road. You may be late, you may be irritated, but you won't ever want for a beverage.
Friday, March 18, 2016
Nothing Has Changed... WHEW!
Hey TTIV followers. You haven't heard from me in a while, and that's because I've been distracted by a personal situation. But today, I am on the train from Hicksville to Penn Station, and ready to once again share my thoughts, rants, and general exasperation.
My main observation today is that NOTHING has changed.
My main observation today is that NOTHING has changed.
Monday, February 08, 2016
Get Up For Pregnant Women!
We all share the instinct of protecting children, and that sentiment usually extends to expectant mothers. So why is it that when a woman who is clearly with child boards the train, people pretend to not see her?
To be fair, you may not know for sure if a woman is pregnant. She could be, er, "built abundantly," making you unsure if she's with child or not. But we're talking about the obvious case of a glowing lady with a big round belly.
TTIV asked readers about their experiences and opinions on this topic. As is customary here, contributor identities have been changed to Shakespearean names.
To be fair, you may not know for sure if a woman is pregnant. She could be, er, "built abundantly," making you unsure if she's with child or not. But we're talking about the obvious case of a glowing lady with a big round belly.TTIV asked readers about their experiences and opinions on this topic. As is customary here, contributor identities have been changed to Shakespearean names.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
The Triangle Of Disdain
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| The Triangle of Disdain |
As some of you know, I'm a recent Citi Bike convert. It's a fantastic New York City quality of life improvement. If Citi Bike were a religious cult, I'd wear a robe, shave my head, and live at the airport. I'd hand out flowers, gear shift knobs, and pamphlets to travelers.
Given the amount of time in Manhattan I spend 1) walking, 2) biking, and 3) occasionally driving, I've noticed a personal behavior pattern. Whichever method I'm using, I have great hostility for those doing the other two.
I call this behavior pattern the "Triangle of Disdain." While trying to get from point A to point B, the "green ball of grouchiness," represented by Oscar the Grouch, falls somewhere on the triangle.I suspect I'm not unique. Let's have a look at how it works.
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Hungry... Snarled... Score!!
I generally don't mind the commute, but tonight my daughter has a basketball game and I was late due to snarled trains. And that stinks.
I made it just a few minutes late. My daughter brought me a packed dinner because she thought I'd be hungry.
The kid's a keeper.
By the way, her team won.
I made it just a few minutes late. My daughter brought me a packed dinner because she thought I'd be hungry.
The kid's a keeper.
By the way, her team won.
Friday, January 01, 2016
Cheers to 2015 and Welcome 2016!
The other day, I received a series of emails from the Long Island Rail Road. A person was hit by a train near Hicksville. A grade crossing gate was broken somewhere. And there was no drinking allowed on the train for New Year's Eve.
Friday, December 25, 2015
Holiday Spirit And Potentially Bad Choices
My generally happy holiday mood and perhaps an insanity streak may have saved me from bodily harm. The setting of this story is the subway, my final ride of 2015 from my client's office to Penn Station. It was pouring rain, and people who typically take a Citi Bike (like me) or walk sought shelter on the train to get to their destinations.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Encroachment Should Come With Penalties
Webster's Dictionary states that personal space is "the physical area immediately surrounding someone, into which any encroachment feels threatening to or uncomfortable for them." Yes, encroachment in a confined space is a problem, and nowhere is it felt more than on a crowded Long Island Rail Road train.
In the NFL, encroachment is called when a defensive player enters the neutral zone, making contact with an opponent prior to the snap. There is no neutral zone luxury on the LIRR, and you certainly can't expect conductors to act as referees, so unchecked violations are a regular issue.
There are different levels of encroachment. Some egregious, and some minor. Let's look at a few.
In the NFL, encroachment is called when a defensive player enters the neutral zone, making contact with an opponent prior to the snap. There is no neutral zone luxury on the LIRR, and you certainly can't expect conductors to act as referees, so unchecked violations are a regular issue.
There are different levels of encroachment. Some egregious, and some minor. Let's look at a few.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
The Wheel Of Blame
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| The MTA Wheel of Blame |
I assume the MTA Communications department office has a large, prize-style "Wheel of Blame" to determine delay messages. They spin the wheel, an item comes up, and click "send." Communication responsibility fulfilled. Is it accurate? Who cares?
Let's review the slots on the Wheel of Blame.
Wednesday, November 04, 2015
There's More To Life Than The Quiet Car
No matter though. Let's be visionaries for a moment and assume the program is a massive success. What if the MTA decided to build on that success and introduce different kinds of cars for different kinds of commuters?
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Citi Bike: Cobblestones and Sweat
In my last post I wrote about trying Citi Bike. This past Thursday night, I downloaded the app and familiarized myself with bike docks near my usual destinations. On Friday morning, I was ready to try it. At 53 degrees and sunny with no wind, conditions were perfect.
Upon my arrival at Penn Station, I checked the app and saw that there were six bikes at the dock on 8th Avenue. Fantastic! This is going to work out well.
Upon my arrival at Penn Station, I checked the app and saw that there were six bikes at the dock on 8th Avenue. Fantastic! This is going to work out well.
Friday, October 23, 2015
New Adventures In Commuting
Trains, trains, trains. Buses, buses, buses. Subways, subways, subways. Blah blah blah. When you read TTIV, do you feel like things get repetitive sometimes? Nah, me neither. Every day is a new experience when riding the rails. But how about we try something new? TTIV has decided to embark on a new commuting experience, Citi Bike.
The Citi Bike program has been around since 2013. When it started, the bikes were terrible and the program received lukewarm grades at best. A newer fleet of bikes have been introduced and many people are happier with the program now.
The Citi Bike program has been around since 2013. When it started, the bikes were terrible and the program received lukewarm grades at best. A newer fleet of bikes have been introduced and many people are happier with the program now.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Going Off The Rails Again
TTIV published a post a few weeks back, containing random musings. Thanks to all the positive responses, we're doing this again. As I sit here watching game 4 of the NLCS between the Mets and Cubs, my mind has wandered, as it often does, to commuting. Let's get right to the sound bites in another edition of "Off the Rails."
Friday, October 16, 2015
Subway Characters
Quite the morning on the subway today, saw some interesting characters.
All the way from Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn to Park Place in Manhattan, this woman made her nails hot pink. By the end of the ride, I had a nail polish headache.
It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, people are wearing pink. And then some are riding pink and rocking the purple.
Commute Off-Peak At Your Own Risk
Earlier this week, a friend who doesn’t often ride the LIRR took the train home from meetings in Manhattan. He found himself surrounded by numerous amateurs, which is no surprise since it was 3 PM, and certainly not rush hour. Amazed by the plentiful rudeness, he gave me real-time text updates for the duration of his off-peak trip.
TTIV takes no pleasure in what he endured. However, there's a sense of vindication in knowing that I’m not the only one who gets frustrated by lack of self-awareness. General disrespect of others in the shared space of a train car is unfortunately the norm.
Today's post is a cleaned up transcript of our conversation. TTIV protects the identities of contributors with Shakespearean names, and today's contributor is "Borachio."
TTIV takes no pleasure in what he endured. However, there's a sense of vindication in knowing that I’m not the only one who gets frustrated by lack of self-awareness. General disrespect of others in the shared space of a train car is unfortunately the norm.
Today's post is a cleaned up transcript of our conversation. TTIV protects the identities of contributors with Shakespearean names, and today's contributor is "Borachio."
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Open Door Policy
Hey! Remember TTIV? It's been a few weeks since I've shared any musings. I could say I've been too busy to write, but that's a copout. The truth is that I've looked at my backlog of ideas and have been less than excited by them. Combine that with an unhealthy obsession of binge-watching "Dexter" on Netflix, and I've gone radio silent.Well, not completely silent. I've posted on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, so if you're on those sites, can you please throw TTIV a like? Or a follow?
That was shameless. Let's get back to the core business of TTIV, which is to point out the weird, wacky, and unusual things that present themselves on the commute. Today, we've got an interesting one.
Sunday, September 13, 2015
The South Lake Union Trolley
Do you remember the post where a reader shared a photo of the "TART?" That's the acronym for the "Tahoe Area Regional Transportation." How could level-headed people agree to that acronym? I have no idea, but it exists.
Today we'll explore a transit acronym that's worse. Or better, depending on your point of view.
Today we'll explore a transit acronym that's worse. Or better, depending on your point of view.
Sunday, September 06, 2015
The MTA Is Very, Very, Very Sorry
The MTA published an explanation and apology for September 2nd's commuting mess. The letter is little more than a weak attempt at damage control, and it got me thinking that the people who run the Long Island Rail Road's public communications should take a walk down the yellow brick road, see the wizard, and inquire about some extra brain power.
I often defend the LIRR when stuff happens, because hey, stuff happens. But in this case, the problem was exacerbated by poor communication, and that's one thing over which they had control.
Knowing that service improvements are as likely as getting a decent bagel outside New York, I'll quell my frustration by picking this press release apart.
Knowing that service improvements are as likely as getting a decent bagel outside New York, I'll quell my frustration by picking this press release apart.
Wednesday, September 02, 2015
Communication Breakdown... It's Always The Same
When I wake up in the morning, I check my phone. First things I want to know: Is everyone is ok? Were there any emergencies overnight? Did TTIV get any new subscribers? I mind the important things.
Today, I had about 75 messages in my personal email account. When my inbox is this clogged, I know that the Long Island Rail Road is attempting to share their latest service troubles. The LIRR is terrible at communicating concise information, so they overcompensate with a barrage of endless messages that do not stop until the situation is resolved.
Today, I had about 75 messages in my personal email account. When my inbox is this clogged, I know that the Long Island Rail Road is attempting to share their latest service troubles. The LIRR is terrible at communicating concise information, so they overcompensate with a barrage of endless messages that do not stop until the situation is resolved.
