A big thank you...

A big thank you to all of the drunk T riders on Friday night coming from Halloween parties.  That sentence is not sarcasm.  Although you made my wife and me feel old, we had a ball chatting with you in your inebriated states.  There were some awesome costumes, too.

Don't worry, Berry Freeze girl, you'll get a great job!

Mike

Rain, rain, go away...

Well, it rained today, which meant that the train would take forever.  Start and stop, start and stop.  I don't know why the trains have so much trouble traveling in inclement weather, but let's say I had another T driver who did not recognize that the customers are, well, the customers.

It is a truth universally acknowledged...

that winning the hearts and minds of passengers is low on the list of the T's priorities.  I saw this in spades yesterday when the driver slammed the door in the face of another woman and me as we ran for the train.  We managed to get on on the second car and took off for Park Street, where we waited for five minutes do to congestion.  Gee, thanks guys.

Tradeoffs

I had to make a tradeoff yesterday.  It was not a good one.  My D-Line started to appear just as I was ordering at Dunkin Donuts.  We have two things working against us in this situation: First, this particular DD has the slowest staff in recorded history.  Second, the two customers in front of me appeared to have recently enjoyed an herbal substance.  Not oregano.  Needless to say, I missed the train.

Not good.  I caught a C-Line afterward, which made it all the way to Hynes before the rear car filled with the smell of burning rubber.  Rear car out of service.  After a delay, front car out of service.  Lovely.  Waited for the next train which was also a D-Line.  Finally caught my train, but at what price?

Mike

Tip for the driver

No, not that kind.  I have yet to meet a driver who deserves one.

But here's the deal: When you're in rush hour traffic, with at least ten minutes between trains, stop telling us to push into the trains.  Seriously.  We get it.  We can't move.  You're just pissing people off.  Also, give up on the revenue collection.  You obviously can't do it right (A gate at Govt Center has been open for weeks, with no one watching it.), you might as well just get us on easily.

Squeezed in on D

For once, the D Line was the late train, and I got squeezed in with the nanny and two kids, neither of whom was particularly happy.  In fact, no one on the train was happy.  I wonder what would happen if Occupy Boston took on public transportation.

All kinds of odd stuff...

Must be a full moon that encourages pissy people:

Yesterday, the woman at Dunkin Donuts gave me too much change.  This differs from when they normally short-change me.

I found out why I can never get the D train at Haymarket: It doesn't go there.  Rats, so much for that plan.

Guys, if you're not getting on the train, don't stand directly in front of the door and block those of us who are.  'Nuff said.

The woman who squeezed in next to me on the train yesterday appeared to be exactly as wide as she was high.  I'm pretty sure she was actually a square.

Jammed up this morning...

Everyone and their grandmother seemed to make it on my train this morning, given the 10-12 minute waits between trains.

Something I rarely see on the morning commute: By the time we were approaching the last few outside stops before Kenmore, the driver was actually refusing to let people on the train.  It was packed, but not sardine-like as some of the outbounds are.  One of the potential passengers actually yelled at the driver for not letting him on.  I think there was definitely room, but I'm not sure he's going to get anywhere yelling at the driver (better to complain on the internet).  He did tell the driver they need more trains, which is true, but I don't see that coming in the near future.

How to grab someone's attention...

I have to admit, last night's ride home was boring until a couple of college-aged girls showed up and sat next to me.  One of them then started talking about the guy she made out with at a party and how another guy was jealous.  Of course, she owed him nothing, since she had only made out with jealous-guy once, also.  Apparently, she is going to make out with somebody this weekend, too.

Sorry guys, I have no idea what party she is going to.

Rain, rain go away...

Surprisingly, fewer starts and stops than normal on the T this morning, despite the pouring rain.  Granted, there was a fair amount of shoving and I got yelled at for having the temerity to wait for an older gentleman to get into his seat, but it was just another day on the T.

I saw that they're having trouble finding someone to apply to run the T.  Gee, I wonder why?  No money, old cars, tons of repairs and the Green Line.  Hey, I'll throw my hat into the ring.

What's with the piercings?

Seriously, I saw a nose piercing and a cheek piercing.  I really hope that my kids don't decide to poke holes in various parts of their bodies.  Although I'm kinda used to earrings.

10 days without the T, but I'm back now!

Wow, it's tough going away and being without the green line.  Well, not really.  Got to work without a problem, but I did leave later than usual.

I was in London for a few days and didn't get to take the Tube, which is unfortunate, but Heathrow Express was wonderful.  15 minute ride from the airport to Paddington, with trains running several times per hour.