Commuter Blues

I officially hate taking the train. Everyday. Day in and day out it is one thing after another that just makes your life miserable. Not that it isn't bad enough that about 30,300 ride the train everyday packed like Sardines but, everyday there is a new adventure or a new set of annoyances that make you want to puke.

Say it with me:

"Hi my name is YOUR NAME HERE and I am a commuter. "

OK. Now breathe.

My Top ten MARC train commuter Pet Peeves:

10. People who sing along to their Ipod or radio. Tone deaf... loud... just plain wrong.

9. People who sing along to their Ipod or radio while you are trying to take a nap. What's worse are the one's who get offended when you ask them to keep it down.

8. Mr. Too Loud Cell Phone Talker & Mrs. Yell In the Phone "Can You Hear Me?" - These two are a match made in commuter hell. He talks so loud the people in the next car know what he's having for dinner when he gets home. She can't get it into her head that when you go through a tunnel that your cell phone signal dies. Learn phone etiquette why don't you...

7. People with luggage. It is a commuter train. Don't get mad at me because you have luggage. It is not my fault. Don't get pissed because your bag is bigger than all outdoors and there is no place for luggage on a commuter train. Don't be mad when one of the people that get on at Odenton (see #5) asks you to move your bag... because it is in their lovely way.

6. People who USE the bathroom on the train. Nothing is worse than being packed into a train like sardines and then have Bill (names have been changed for anonymity) go to the bathroom and light the entire train up. Can't you wait til you get home to take a dump? Why do you have to expose us all to your toxic fumes. If you can't wait, at least get some Febreze, that is the least you can do. Asshole.

5. The people that get on at Odenton. They are rude, nasty and think the whole world revolve around them. Bill is one of them. It is even harder dealing with them sometimes because the conductors cater to them. (ie. saving seats, etc.) That is all I am going to say about that...but I could go on for days. Hmph.

4. Sick People. I understand that everyone gets sick. That is normal. What I don't understand or appreciate are sick people that still ride the train and are sick but don't cover their mouths when they cough. That is the most irresponsible thing I have ever seen. Grown men and women that can't even be shamed into covering their mouths.

3. Broken Trains. The trains run on time about 65% of the time due to mechanical error. Some get cancelled altogether. This is very irritating, especially when you have already worked a 10 hour day.

2. Trains that leave before their scheduled time (or even on time) with people still standing on the platform at Penn Station. Although hard to believe... This happens. What gets me is.. The train will leave Penn Station with people still on the platform, sometimes banging on the door that just closed in their face, but the same train will sit at the Halethorpe or Odenton Stations because they see someone running from the parking lot to get on the train. Some days for two or three minutes. That does not ever occur at Penn Station or West Baltimore unless the train is broken. GTFOH MARC. I won't say it is racial. See I didn't say it.

1. Ignorant People. It is one thing to have a bad day sometimes, but it is another thing to be rude all the time. It is crazy that people will bump into you and not say excuse me. Another thing I hate is when you sit in the single seats, some people stand behind you and put their arm on the top of your chair like it is an armrest. When you ask them to stop hitting you they catch an attitude. (They might be related to Bill. I think they could be neighbors.)