Shortly after graduating from college I moved to Atlanta for a job. However, instead of finding an apartment in the heart of the downtown metro area, I opted to share a house in the suburb of Duluth with a couple of friends of friends. Thanks to MARTA (Atlanta’s public mass transit rail system) I was able to park and ride to work each day.
My point of origin was the second to the last MARTA stop and my final destination was downtown, so I was forced to ride the rails for more than an hour round-trip. It was during my daily commute that I learned just how rude some travelers can be. Interestingly, the rudest of the rude were not daily commuters (those people I saw every day); rather, they were the occasional rider, who jumped on MARTA to get to the airport, hang out downtown, get to a suburban mall, etc.
If you are planning to take public transportation, especially during the busy holiday season, but aren’t familiar with the rules of the rails (or road, or underground tunnels), then consider taking a moment to read the following tips to ensure smooth sailing to your final destination:
1. No matter how crowded the metro is and how desperate you are to find a seat, don’t shove your body into the car as soon as it stops. Rather, wait for other passengers to exit before getting on.
2. Don’t take up additional seats with your laptop or other excess bags. I’m pretty sure you paid for one seat, not two or three.
3. Don’t use the seats as a bed. No one wants to see you sprawled out on a row of seats that others can be sitting on and we certainly don’t want your dirty feet leaving nasty marks on empty chairs.
4. Exercise common decency by offering your seat to those who need it more than you do, such as the elderly, mothers with very young children or clearly pregnant women.
5. Other passengers don’t want to hear why you and your girlfriend are on the rocks or what you are planning to do for dinner. Be aware of the volume of your voice when speaking on your cellphone in such tight quarters.
6. Personal space is at a premium on crowded commuter trains. Don’t stand too close and keep your hands to yourself. Sudden lurches at train stops can cause a domino effect of sorts, so be aware of other people, and apologize if you accidently smash into a fellow rider. Likewise, smile politely if you’re the one who got crushed inadvertently.
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