Morning Commute -- Apr. 26, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:04. A train showed up at 8:07 but I could see there was another train right behind it, so I decided to take my chances and wait. I was rewarded, because I got a seat on the train that showed up at 8:09. If all morning commutes were that easy, I wouldn't need to have this blog.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 22, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:09, and a train arrived at 8:12. I got off at Copley at 8:19. The next train came at 8:20, but was too crowded. The train after that arrived at 8:24, and was still too crowded. I finally got a seat on the third train to come through, at 8:25.

And here's another question I have: I could hear the music of the guy sitting two rows away from me, over the music I was listening to. How loud is that music in his ears? And can that possibly be good for you?

Morning Commute -- Apr. 21, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:13, and the first train that arrived at 8:18 was too crowded for me to fit onto. How crowded was it? Well, the next train was right on its heels, at 8:19, and even that one was too crowded for me to get a seat. This is what happens when the trains are not spaced properly.

I got off at Copley at 8:30 and got a seat on the next train to come in at 8:31. But here is a question I have: Why-oh-why does it seem like lights are out so often on the trains? They are either out, or are they flickering spookily in headache-inducing fashion.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 16, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:20 and grabbed a train right away, getting off at Copley at 8:29. The next train to arrive at 8:30 was too crowded, but I got a seat on the train after that at 8:32. Not bad, all in all.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 15, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:20, and a train did not deign to make an appearance until 8:29. I got off with relief at Copley at 8:41. The next train at 8:42 was too crowded, and the train after that at 8:44 was also too crowded. However, my patience rewarded me, and I was able to get a seat on the next train at 8:45.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 14, 2010

I fell behind, and, in an effort not to bog myself down, I am now starting fresh.

So: Today's commute:

I ran to catch a train at the stop at 8:12. The train was packed, and there was an epidemic of people sitting on the steps and blocking the aisles. Please stop doing this, everyone. Please. Also, one random guy on the train was wearing a fedora. He looked good. More men should wear fedoras. Take note.

I got off at Copley at 8:23 and got a seat on the next train at 8:24.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 8, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:16, just as a fairly full train was pulling away. The next train came at 8:20, and I got on, and a man was sitting on the steps. I hate when people do this. It takes up so much space, and makes it so impossible to enter or exit the train without falling all over the place.

We got to Copley at 8:27, and I got a seat on the next train that came into Copley at 8:29. I got a seat, but, unusually, it was the first car that was less crowded than the second car, so I had to dash to get a seat. And then I was annoyed because I was sitting next to a Sprawler. However, when he got off at Park, I really looked at him for the first time and realized he was a kid, all dressed up in a suit, clinging to a resume folder, and then my heart softened and I felt bad. I hope he got the job.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 7, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:11. A train was already there, but it was too crowded for me to get on, so I had to wait for the next one. Which didn't show up until 8:18. I totally lucked out and got a seat at Hynes, but it was next to a man absolutely reeking of cologne. Why do people do that?

Morning Commute -- Apr. 6, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:02. Naturally, the machine that terrorized me yesterday is once again blinking that it's out of order. A train arrived at 8:04, and I got on and got a seat immediately. This is usually a bad sign, and, indeed, when we got to Kenmore at 8:08, we were told that the train was going out of service.

Now I know I've ranted about this before, but, giving it some more thought...I still really don't understand this. Why do they do this? What is the point? Almost everyone getting on the train aboveground is going downtown. It's not like Kenmore is a major destination. It's not like you're really serving any purpose running a train to Kenmore and no farther. What you're doing is moving a bunch of people closer to their destination, and then forcing them to squeeze on the next train. And what does that train do that goes out of service at Kenmore? Does it go back out to the beginning of the C line to transport more people? I guess maybe that's the reason? Run C lines more frequently? But all the people you're collecting just have to wait for another train at Kenmore, so is it really saving time? Argh. Trying to ascribe logic to the actions of the Boston subway is exhausting.

Anyway, a train arrived at 8:09, and we stuffed ourselves onto it. I got off with relief at Copley at 8:14, and got on the next train to arrive, at 8:16, getting a seat immediately again.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 5, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:04, just as a train was pulling in. I stopped at the machine to collect my ticket. This machine has been broken for a while now, but it appeared to be working this morning, so I swiped my card. It went crazy, my receipt ticket darting in and out, in and out, rapidly, and I tried to grab it, and I couldn't, and then it disappeared inside the machine, forever, meaning that I had to swipe the card again to get onto the train, meaning that I paid twice. Of course, there was a subway worker standing there watching the whole thing. I did not appeal to him for help, but he seemed quite unconcerned by the situation.

I ended up getting a seat at Hynes, so I didn't need to do my Copley trick.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 2, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:01, and a train did not arrive until 8:06. This was bad, because it meant that it was very crowded. I got off at Copley at 8:15 and managed to get a seat on the first train that came in, which happened immediately. The bad thing about this seat, however? The man never to me kept falling asleep on me. And then he would jerk himself awake once he touched me. And then he would fall asleep on me again. I am trying to practice having more sympathy for my fellow human beings, and I'm sorry he was so exhausted, but, you know, NO TOUCHING.

Morning Commute -- Apr. 1, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:25, and a train showed up at 8:26. It was crowded, and I had to stand, but I couldn't try my Copley trick because I'd had a 9 a.m. meeting get scheduled at work unexpectedly and I was cutting it too close.

Morning Commute -- Mar. 31, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:13 and ran immediately onto a train. By doing my trick of switching to the second car at Kenmore, I was able to get a seat.

Morning Commute -- Mar. 30, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:25. A train did not arrive until 8:32. Unsurprisingly, given the long wait, the train was packed, and the driver was insisting that you couldn't get on the train unless you could stand behind the white line. I understand this is probably some kind of safety thing, but sometimes I really get the impression that subway drivers are exerting power over you just because they can. "Hey, you wanted to get to work on time? Tough! I've decided I'm suddenly going to start enforcing the white rule line! Hahahahahaha!"

We got to Copley at 8:40, and I got off the snippy train with relief. I don't know why the trains were so spaced out, though, because I waited until 8:44 for the next train to pull into Copley. Luckily, I got a seat. A wet seat. People, how difficult is it not to put your umbrella on a seat? Seriously.

Then, when we got to Park Street, the fire alarm was going off. So I guess subway fires really are a concern!

Morning Commute -- Mar. 29, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:06 and ran to catch a train. There were no seats available but, at Kenmore, I moved from the first car to the second car, getting a seat immediately. This is another CommutingFail Tip for a Smoother Subway Ride(tm): Try to move far enough down the platform to get on the second car. It is almost always considerably less crowded than the first car. (Have I given this advice before? Ah, well, it is worth reiterating.)

At Park Street, they were urging me to help prevent subway fires. I didn't realize this was a major threat.

Morning Commute -- Mar. 26, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:06, and it was 8:16 before the train showed up. Predictably, considering the long wait and the fact that it was snowing, the train was packed and I got stranded in a no-man's land with nothing to hold onto. The overhead bar doesn't count for me, it's way over my head, to reach it I have to stand on tiptoe and then I lose all the blood in my arm.

So it was with relief that I got off at Copley at 8:24. Are the trains slowly creeping up where they stop at Copley? It's weird. The next train arrived at 8:25 and I got a seat on that one immediately. Unfortunately, it was next to a man. I hate to sit next to men who feel the need to dramatically sprawl. Dude, it's not that big, I know it's not, stop it and give me room.

Morning Commute -- Mar. 25, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:36. A train didn't arrive until 8:38 but the advantage of being a little late is that I got a seat right away!

Morning -- Mar. 24, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:18. The ticket machine gave the impression of working, but when I tried to swip my card it blinked "Error While Validating" endlessly and then I finally gave up and headed on the train that arrived at 8:21. The train was very, very, very crowded, and we squeezed on like sardines. It was with relief that I exited at Copley at 8:31. The next train arrived almost immediately but was also fairly crowded. The next train came at 8:32, still fairly crowded. The next train came at 8:34, still fairly crowded, but, as there was no other train in sight, I gave up and got on.

Morning Commute -- Mar. 23, 2010

I got to the stop at 8:05, and a train arrived at 8:06 but we sat around for a while, so we didn't actually leave the stop until 8:08. Who knows why these things happen? We got to Copley at 8:17 and I got a seat on the next train to arrive at 8:18.

Morning Commute -- Mar. 22, 2010

I had a dentist appointment in the morning! A call for great rejoicing, as it meant I got to go into work late, and I walked into Kenmore at 10:52. A train came at 10:54, and I have this to say: A commute not during rush hour took half the time it normally takes. Sigh.