I received a series of GO News Alerts this morning.
First email sent at 07:15:
The Oshawa 07:00 - Union 07:50 train trip is holding at Oshawa due to a track switch issue. The current delay is 15 minutes. An update will be provided when your train is on the move.
This was sent at precisely 07:15. That means GO Transit sent me an email 15 minutes after the train was supposed to depart Oshawa, to tell me that the train was 15 minutes late. I know I suck at math, but I'm confident I could have done the calculation on that one on my own.
Second email sent at 07:18:
The Oshawa 07:15 - Union 08:05 train trip is estimated to be delayed 10-15 minutes from Oshawa due to a track switch issue.
Now, I know that there is always the possibility that the conductor will make up some time and the train will arrive at Union station pretty close to its scheduled time, but if the previous train is delayed 15 minutes, would it not be reasonable to assume the following train will also be delay by an equal amount of time?
Third email sent at 07:29:
Update: The Oshawa 07:00 - Union 07:50 train trip is on the move, delayed 25 minutes late from Oshawa due to a track switch issue.
Back to the first delay. Someone really needs to get their calculator out.
Fourth email sent at 07:39:
Lakeshore East Line Passengers: You may experience a longer commute than usual this morning due to a track switch issue just east of Whitby. GO Trains on your line are currently delayed up to 30 minutes. We are working to resolve this issue and resume your normal schedule. We thank you for you patience and will provide you with updates as we receive more information.
Aaah...now it all make sense. They were just shooting crap out their yaws to appease us. Somewhere, someone is saying: "The whole thing is going to hell in a hand-basket. Just type anything. Use the Track Switch Excuse series."
And even as I wrote this post...
Fifth email sent at 07:55:
Update: The Oshawa 07:15 - Union 08:05 train trip is delayed 35 minutes from Oshawa due to a track switch issue. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Since the Track Switch Excuse is so often tossed about (and let's for a moment, slip into our fairy tale world and assume this is a legitimate excuse and issue), should GO Transit not be looking at why the switches continuously fail? And...now, stay with me on this, cuz it's going to get complicated in a moment...actually FIX the damn switches?
Just a thought.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
A message from GO Transit Alerts:
Lakeshore East Line Passengers: You may experience a longer commute than usual this morning due to an investigation of debris on the track just east of Ajax. GO Trains on your line are currently delayed up to 25 minutes. We are working to resolve this issue and resume your normal schedule as soon as possible. We thank you for you patience and will provide you with updates as we receive more information.
Exactly two minutes later:
Update: The Oshawa 07:53 - Union 08:43 train trip is operating as scheduled from Oshawa.
Really? After all the times you've had a twenty-minute delay with no communication whatsoever, you send this out? And two minutes later, you give us the green light? At the time that you were typing the message, did you not know that the debris was going to be cleaned up momentarily? Or did you sit on this information for a while so that you looked like a hero when you announced it was all clear?
The latter wouldn't surprise me one bit.
Lakeshore East Line Passengers: You may experience a longer commute than usual this morning due to an investigation of debris on the track just east of Ajax. GO Trains on your line are currently delayed up to 25 minutes. We are working to resolve this issue and resume your normal schedule as soon as possible. We thank you for you patience and will provide you with updates as we receive more information.
Exactly two minutes later:
Update: The Oshawa 07:53 - Union 08:43 train trip is operating as scheduled from Oshawa.
Really? After all the times you've had a twenty-minute delay with no communication whatsoever, you send this out? And two minutes later, you give us the green light? At the time that you were typing the message, did you not know that the debris was going to be cleaned up momentarily? Or did you sit on this information for a while so that you looked like a hero when you announced it was all clear?
The latter wouldn't surprise me one bit.
Monday, July 18, 2011
The quiet car can't be implemented fast enough.
The entire way home, I had to listen to a mother talking on the phone to god-knows-who. She was in the quad next to the stairs. I was at the opposite end. The OPPOSITE END!!! And I could still hear her conversation.
Her mangy kids were shouting and carrying on. They couldn't all sit in the same quad. No! One brat had to sit in the quad with his mom and SHOUT to his brother over in the quad opposite.
Then the little girl started singing.
Now, I like me a good show tune now and again, but not on the GO Train and not when I caught the 7:01 to come to work and I'm going home on the 18:43.
To top it all off (cuz, let's face it, every sundae should have a cherry) the geek in front of me pretending to read the newspaper kept sniffling. And not just sniffling, but sucking back boogers with a ferocity that would have made the Dyson guy proud.
I wanted to move. Don't think I didn't consider it. But oddly enough, the train is pretty full at that time, and I'm a firm believer in the phrase "better the devil you know".
So I plugged in my ear buds, zoned out, and imagined where I'd hide the bodies while I listened to Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
The entire way home, I had to listen to a mother talking on the phone to god-knows-who. She was in the quad next to the stairs. I was at the opposite end. The OPPOSITE END!!! And I could still hear her conversation.
Her mangy kids were shouting and carrying on. They couldn't all sit in the same quad. No! One brat had to sit in the quad with his mom and SHOUT to his brother over in the quad opposite.
Then the little girl started singing.
Now, I like me a good show tune now and again, but not on the GO Train and not when I caught the 7:01 to come to work and I'm going home on the 18:43.
To top it all off (cuz, let's face it, every sundae should have a cherry) the geek in front of me pretending to read the newspaper kept sniffling. And not just sniffling, but sucking back boogers with a ferocity that would have made the Dyson guy proud.
I wanted to move. Don't think I didn't consider it. But oddly enough, the train is pretty full at that time, and I'm a firm believer in the phrase "better the devil you know".
So I plugged in my ear buds, zoned out, and imagined where I'd hide the bodies while I listened to Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Took the 20:13 from Union. A relatively quiet trip, though I did have to listen to my BB to drown out all the talking.
When we got to Ajax, the stairwell doors only had one door operating. Buddy in an orange vest was doing some work on the door. I couldn't tell what it was; the glass was intact, and he had no tools that I could see. But he was standing, holding the door closed, preventing everyone from walking through, forcing everyone to funnel through one door.
There were a few ladies (and I use that term loosely) that came up the side and crowded at the front of the group, not bothering to line up with everyone else.
One of them says: "They're making us all go through one door."
I said: "Yes. And that would imply that everyone lines up."
She glanced back, but said nothing. When we got through the doors, she had the balls to walk down the centre of the stairwell.
Now, let me digress for a moment: People who walk down the centre of the stairwell really piss me off. I realize it's a petty thing, but if you think about it, it's really not. There is enough room for two people to walk the stairs side by side. This allows faster walkers to pass on the left. At this moment, I would like to take the time to remind everyone that walking is much like driving a car. Keep right if you're walking slow, keep left if you're passing; though I realize there's a shitload of assholes who drive slow in the passing lane.
So, Miss Budinsky walks down the centre of the stairwell. Slowly, no less. Blocking the way for everyone behind her. No one can get by her. I'm livid. I walk up behind her.
"Pick a side honey and get the hell outta the way."
Oh, don't gasp like that. At least I didn't push her down the stairs.
When we got to Ajax, the stairwell doors only had one door operating. Buddy in an orange vest was doing some work on the door. I couldn't tell what it was; the glass was intact, and he had no tools that I could see. But he was standing, holding the door closed, preventing everyone from walking through, forcing everyone to funnel through one door.
There were a few ladies (and I use that term loosely) that came up the side and crowded at the front of the group, not bothering to line up with everyone else.
One of them says: "They're making us all go through one door."
I said: "Yes. And that would imply that everyone lines up."
She glanced back, but said nothing. When we got through the doors, she had the balls to walk down the centre of the stairwell.
Now, let me digress for a moment: People who walk down the centre of the stairwell really piss me off. I realize it's a petty thing, but if you think about it, it's really not. There is enough room for two people to walk the stairs side by side. This allows faster walkers to pass on the left. At this moment, I would like to take the time to remind everyone that walking is much like driving a car. Keep right if you're walking slow, keep left if you're passing; though I realize there's a shitload of assholes who drive slow in the passing lane.
So, Miss Budinsky walks down the centre of the stairwell. Slowly, no less. Blocking the way for everyone behind her. No one can get by her. I'm livid. I walk up behind her.
"Pick a side honey and get the hell outta the way."
Oh, don't gasp like that. At least I didn't push her down the stairs.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
The GO Train LSE line was pretty messed up tonight. Thankfully, I didn't need to be on it. I took the train to Weston instead.
At first, I thought it was a jumper. Which, I admit, pissed me off. Then I heard the facts. And I am saddened.
This should not happen.
Ever again.
Ever.
Let's hope it doesn't.
At first, I thought it was a jumper. Which, I admit, pissed me off. Then I heard the facts. And I am saddened.
This should not happen.
Ever again.
Ever.
Let's hope it doesn't.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
There was some moron sitting one quad up and across from me this morning who had his iPod on so loud, I could make out the lyrics.
His back was to me and, sadly, he couldn't feel the daggers I shot at him with my eyes.
Dude, if I'm sitting that far away and can still hear your music, you need to have your hearing checked. And your manners.
Moron.
Wait.
He probably can't hear me.
MORON!
His back was to me and, sadly, he couldn't feel the daggers I shot at him with my eyes.
Dude, if I'm sitting that far away and can still hear your music, you need to have your hearing checked. And your manners.
Moron.
Wait.
He probably can't hear me.
MORON!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
I sit in my usual quad with my usual GO Train friend, across the aisle from the usual lady.
We stop at Pickering. A man (I guess to be in his 20s) gets on and sits in the quad across from us with the lady. He kicks up the padded seat and sets his feet on the plastic chair.
Now, I know that many people have issue with this, but I don't. Not really. Kick the seat cushion up or take your shoes off to put them on the seat...I'm ok with that. But this is rush hour. And our car may not be full today, it's still busy. The day has just started. It's not like you've been at work for ten hours already and have had enough and need to put your dogs up.
But it doesn't end with buddy's feet on the seat.
He's huffing and puffing, as though he's in discomfort, massaging his belly and chest once in a while. I'm thinking, "He better not have a heart attack on the train."
He fidgets a lot. Feet up, feet down, head back, head up. He plays with his cell, huffs and puffs. Then he puts his feet up on the seat in front of him (not under the cushion but right on top, on the edge), slumps down in his seat so that his back is parallel to the floor and his head is just resting against the seat-back. He crosses one leg over the other and spends most of the trip lying prone like this.
Are you fucking kidding me? Get your sorry lazy up and act like a grown up. I bet he's related to Snot Rocket Guy.
We stop at Pickering. A man (I guess to be in his 20s) gets on and sits in the quad across from us with the lady. He kicks up the padded seat and sets his feet on the plastic chair.
Now, I know that many people have issue with this, but I don't. Not really. Kick the seat cushion up or take your shoes off to put them on the seat...I'm ok with that. But this is rush hour. And our car may not be full today, it's still busy. The day has just started. It's not like you've been at work for ten hours already and have had enough and need to put your dogs up.
But it doesn't end with buddy's feet on the seat.
He's huffing and puffing, as though he's in discomfort, massaging his belly and chest once in a while. I'm thinking, "He better not have a heart attack on the train."
He fidgets a lot. Feet up, feet down, head back, head up. He plays with his cell, huffs and puffs. Then he puts his feet up on the seat in front of him (not under the cushion but right on top, on the edge), slumps down in his seat so that his back is parallel to the floor and his head is just resting against the seat-back. He crosses one leg over the other and spends most of the trip lying prone like this.
Are you fucking kidding me? Get your sorry lazy up and act like a grown up. I bet he's related to Snot Rocket Guy.
Monday, July 11, 2011
I was going to apologize for not posting, but I decided against it. For two reasons:
I didn't miss commuting one bit. Visiting family in a small northern town reminded me how much I'd like to win the lottery and tell GO to shove it. And if that wasn't enough, coming back to work today was.
I'm walking down the platform. Ahead of me, walking with military precision along the yellow "do not cross this" line, is a woman. I'm impressed that she's not staggering all over the place like some drunken sailor, as most commuters do.
I admit, I walk fast, and I'm gaining on her quickly. The sun is coming up behind us and our shadows stretch for several feet ahead of us. My shadow begins to overtake hers.
Then it happens.
She veers to the right, walks in front of me and I have to careen around her to avoid a collision. Jesus! Does she drive like that?
"Stupid ditz," I say. She doesn't hear me.
Obviously she's in her own little world. Did she not notice my shadow? What did she think it was? Her imaginary friend following her to work?
I hope she realizes that the yellow line isn't actually going to prevent her from stepping off the track into an oncoming train.
- I was on vacation. And no one should ever apologize for taking vacation.
- Prior to vacation, I hadn't witnessed anything that really pissed me off. Miraculous, I agree, and probably worthy of a post in itself, but the lead up to vacation is paramount to the end of the world at my workplace and, for some inexplicable reason, the bosses can't seem to live without me and need to give me every single piece of work to complete before I leave; so I was too busy to post even the most mundane item.
I didn't miss commuting one bit. Visiting family in a small northern town reminded me how much I'd like to win the lottery and tell GO to shove it. And if that wasn't enough, coming back to work today was.
I'm walking down the platform. Ahead of me, walking with military precision along the yellow "do not cross this" line, is a woman. I'm impressed that she's not staggering all over the place like some drunken sailor, as most commuters do.
I admit, I walk fast, and I'm gaining on her quickly. The sun is coming up behind us and our shadows stretch for several feet ahead of us. My shadow begins to overtake hers.
Then it happens.
She veers to the right, walks in front of me and I have to careen around her to avoid a collision. Jesus! Does she drive like that?
"Stupid ditz," I say. She doesn't hear me.
Obviously she's in her own little world. Did she not notice my shadow? What did she think it was? Her imaginary friend following her to work?
I hope she realizes that the yellow line isn't actually going to prevent her from stepping off the track into an oncoming train.
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