How often do you ride the trains then it stops abruptly, then after 10 minutes of silence comes that annoying unclear mumbling attempt of an announcement, sounding like the driver has a mouth full of Cheerios, or rice crispys treats – “excuse me ladies and gentlemen were are delayed because of train traffic ahead of us”... Ugh! Not only is this announcement annoying but also infuriating. Train excuses and sorry announcements comes a dime a dozen, and here are a few of the most popular excuses: - Train traffic ahead - Sick passenger - Waiting for dispatcher - Train track issues /track work - Police investigation - Disabled train - Nothing, just a bunch of useless mumbling - And the best one this train is out of service, everyone please leave the train. (last stop) Do you know that fights are more likely to start while trains are delayed, there's just something about being in a train packed with commuters and train comes to a sudden halt, Immediately you make that deep sigh, but it takes a few minutes for your brain to realize that you are not heading to your destination in a timely fashion, as you would have expected. Next you get restless, Tapping your fingers, yawning, scratching your head, reading those silly ads "buy a New York subway map t-shirt, and matching umbrella and rain boots”…No I think I'll have to pass on that deal. Next you find yourself staring at random people, and you get even more annoyed as they catch you staring and stare back...awkward.
The next natural thing we do is try to look as disgusted as possible and try to have someone,.. anyone concur. This is where irony kicks in, commuters become – “commuter friends”, the conversation starts with how early they woke up for this important business meeting and the line of events that lead up to the train delay. Before we know it we start talking about our kids, our problems, our life, and for a few minutes as the conversations bloom we become human, more open... Forgetting the problems left behind, and the problems we are heading to. Until the train makes that 1st chug, yanking us back to reality, silence sweeps the humanity back under a rug, and then we think to ourselves, why am I talking to a stranger? How long were we stuck here? How will I explain to my boss, man these trains suck! Then we sigh, avoiding all eye contact with our newly found commuter friend (the one minute train stand had ended), We become machines again just a few angry commuters late as hell for work. Fact: I've heard 4 different announcements during a 20 min ride.
Commuter safety tip: Each train car door has 2 sections,2 persons are allowed to stand there, one per door no one likes that person that pretends to pass then just stands there in the middle. there is no where for you to hold on to dummy! keep it moving please and thanks.
