Almost everyday I use some sort of public transportation. And almost everyday I see people treating other people bad. My experience yesterday (and encouragement from Todd) is what brought me to this blog today. I was on the platform waiting to get on the metro when a lady, dressed in a professional manner began to yell at an older gentleman. She was yelling, “Don’t you EVER touch me again! Do you understand? Ever!” And she walked back to a different group of people. Well she wasn’t done because she did it again! The gentleman replied after the second time that I witnessed, “Lady, just shut up.” She turned to him said, ” F@(# YOU!” And jumped in the metro and off she went.
I was flabbergasted!! What the heck happened to treating people the way we want to be treated?? Let me tell you a little (or a lot) of what I see…
It starts as soon as I get in my car. Drivers in a hurry to get to their destinations, cutting people off, honking horns, taking parking spots at the train station, etc. I then move on to the train station… I stand on the platform waiting for my train along with hundreds of other morning commuters. If the train is on time, everyone is grunting and groaning as we line up to get on. If the train is late, watch out! People start complaining and bashing public transportation as though there are no other means of getting to work.
So my train ride ends at Union Station. Well the treatment of our mankind does not. People rushing their way through to get to the ONE escalator that hauls all of down to the metro.
<<I have to add that when in D.C. area, one must know that when using an escalator, you can ride it down if you are on the right side, but if you are on the left side you must walk. Ignoring this can result in another commuter yelling the rules from several people back. Believe me, I hear it often!>>
Now that I am at the bottom of the escalator, I run my metro card through the cattle shoot (I call it that because as I stand back and watch people, I think that we operate much like cattle at times). I travel down a second escalator and wait on the metro platform for my next means of transportation. Mind you about half the people from the train are doing the same thing. Most are in a hurry, some are pissed off st who knows what, and then there is a small group of people that just go with the flow. I could fall into either of those categories on any day of the week.
The metro arrives, everyone anticipates the doors opening, we part for people to come off and then the shoving starts. If you have a problem with close quarters or strangers touching you, the metro is not place for you during rush hours. There are days when people of either gender yell at others for pushing or touching them when they too are being pushed. It could be a lousy way to start a day.
I know this can be better. Now I’m not saying that we should hold hands and sing Kum Ba Ya, but we can help one another by knowing that we are all experiencing the same thing!
Remember when you’re stuck in traffic, in an airplane, train, metro, whatever that you are not the only person that is in that situation. Instead of blowing a gasket, pass time by getting to know your fellow commuters! It’s a great time to network and you never know, it could brighten your day!!
Cheers to Thursday!!