things I've learned on the Boston T

I have been enjoying riding public transportation to work for almost 10 years. When I worked summer jobs at the Mayo Clinic, I always took the city bus to work and often the shuttle between the downtown campus and St. Marys. In college I never owned a car, so I rode the Provo bus to the grocery store and to run errands. In DC I took the metro to work, first when I worked in the downtown area and then in Chevy Chase. I have learned to really enjoy commuting in mass transit. I mean, where else can you take a nap, listen to an ipod, read a book, or people watch all while getting to work?

Riding the metro in DC was so delightful. DC has by far the cleanest subway system in the world (I've ridden the subway in Paris, London, Barcelona, New York, and Boston.) The trains are spacious and air conditioned. The stations tell you when the next train will arrive. It is easy to transfer from one side of the tracks to another. And except for the tourists, people who commute on the metro DO NOT TALK. This is pretty much a hard and fast rule; people like to have it quiet on the trains and I've even seen people ask others with loud headphones to turn it down.

Riding the metro (called the T) in Boston has been a whole different experience. The train lines were built at different periods, so some are nice and modern, while others are extremely old. The biggest difference is the attitude of the riders here in Boston. I'm not sure if it is a factor of the culture (Bostonians are often pretty rude) or what, but each day I learn new things. For example:

1. People like to stand up as the train is moving to get 2 feet closer to the door. Mind you, the trains are pretty bumpy and like to jerk a lot, so this ends up making other loose their footing and hit other people. Apparently waiting for 30 seconds until the train stops has never occur ed to a lot of people.

2. If you bump someone, you might get into a fight. I have already witnessed a few heated words passed between passengers, all for things like bumping them while riding or taking a photo and the flash getting in their eyes. In DC even if someone pokes your eye with their finger or steps on your toes, you don't yell at them (both of these things have happened to me and other friends in DC).

3. Yelling "I love everyone" stops fighting. Actually this is the best way I have seen a fight defused. Unabashed love for everyone kind of makes people stop yelling.

4. It is perfectly okay to crowd near the doors, making it impossible for people to get off the train or for others to get on. I think Bostonians need more training on moving to the center of the car.

5. Don't think anything of a complete stranger yelling across the car to get the attention of another passenger. One day this older woman yelled across the train to talk to another man, who she wanted to know where he grew up and then started to give unsolicited recommendations on what to see in Boston. When the other passenger tried to ignore her, she then got really defensive.

6. Eating is allowed on the T, which might explain all the rats and mice I see. Gross.

All of this makes for a pretty entertaining commute. My only regret is that I don't carry a camera with me to take photos of all the craziness I see each day.