NORMAL — You know, like most people, I’ve often thought about commuter etiquette, but from a different perspective: I don’t own a car and never have. I walk and take public transportation. Therefore I am prompted to add to your list the frustration I feel when people in cars disdain to share the roads with little ol’ me. Yes, they have the “right” to turn right on red, but only if the way is clear, and if I’m waiting to cross the street, then the way is not clear until I am safely crossed.
And crosswalks … are they just the “X marks the spot” for the front of the vehicle, or is the driver supposed to pull up behind them to allow me to cross without fear of moving traffic? Another peeve: Just because I may be dressed up for my job or for an evening at the theater, and happen to be on foot, drivers should not assume that I am “looking for a good time” in their company.
Finally, pedestrians do not have a 2,000-pound vehicle encasing them and are much more vulnerable to weather and traffic than anyone in a car. We are “getting there” much more slowly than anyone in a car is. Could drivers consider that and be more friendly to pedestrians? I think I speak for all of us when I say that we’d greatly appreciate it.
— Rosanette Luther
SAVE THE WHALES INSTEAD
LISLE — Love your creatures found on the commute, but you forgot the most annoying: the Seatsaver! You rush for the train (or even walk) only to be faced with the outstretched arm and “someone’s sitting here.” Sure don’t look like it! Notoriously this creature is female and frequently found in threes.
This ain’t the opera honey! Wish I had a paint bomb at those moments.
— Janet Wilmoth
A WEASEL AND PROUD OF IT
GRAYSLAKE — If your definition of a “merge weasel” is someone who uses the lane that is ending to merge into traffic, then I am King of the Merge Weasels, and proud of it.
I have always wondered what makes people afraid to merge into the next lane when the lane ends. Why the compulsion to cut into traffic a half-mile before the lane ends? If everybody stayed in the lane until the end, there would be no opportunity for “weasels” like me to go up to the front and merge in. As I see it, that is the whole concept of “merging traffic.” Cars merge very nicely at on-ramps; why can’t they merge politely when a lane ends?
Ironically, the picture on Page 8 of the Tempo section illustrates my point exactly. It shows a few cars merging into the lane that continues, then a blank gap with no cars. My question is — what is stopping everybody from driving up and filling the gap so there is one continuous line of traffic? Until people stop “diving” into the next lane (sometimes as much as a mile from the end, with their rear end sticking out, forcing us to go on the shoulder to pass them) instead of “merging” at the end, there will always be us “weasels” more than willing to fill in the gap.
— Ed White
NO MUNCHING, NO SLURPING
CHICAGO — I’m a rider of the 151 bus and constantly see eating and drinking violations, anything from coffee to soda pop, potato chips/taco chips to sandwiches. Those with coffee containers really irk me. The odor, as they sip away, permeates a crowded, warm bus. Then, too, I’m always fearful that the bus will lurch and I may get scalded.
I believe it’s the bus driver’s responsibility to stop these practices. He or she sees them as they board.
— Virginia Whittaker
MORE VIGILANTES, PLEASE
CHICAGO — The behaviors described in your article don’t surprise me: Human beings are too often selfish or, at best, self-absorbed and simply not thinking “big picture” about the consequences of blocking doors in the “L” or placing their handbags beside them in a crowded bus or train.
What surprises me is that more people don’t more directly ask offenders to move or remove their bag. Since moving to Chicago nine years ago, I’ve been amazed at the (unnecessary) patience of Chicago commuters. I’m not calling for rage, just polite but direct reminders to offending parties that their actions have consequences. Believe me, such behavior is not so rampant in other big cities because it is addressed.
Chicago’s more easy-going urban atmosphere makes this a very livable big city, but in this instance it makes it less so. Being excessively polite and patient in the face of such lack of consideration creates a lose-lose situation: Commuters continue to be inconvenienced and offenders never get the hint that they’re pigs.
By the way, you forgot one: groups of people who stand and block passage on escalators so that those who wish to continue walking have to stop and wait. Try that during rush hour at, say, the World Trade Center.
— John Cooke
LEFT TURNS, DONE RIGHT
DES PLAINES — Here are two more selfish drivers who make left turns:
1. The Turner Hog, who insists on making a left turn even though the light has already turned red, blocking the intersection and using up all the time on the green arrow for the drivers who have the right of way.
2. The Stand-Patter, who could pull out into the intersection and make a left turn safely (and also allow cars behind him to do so) when the traffic clears, but doesn’t, and wastes a whole light cycle sitting behind the white line.
Also, here is Barbara Hague’s law:
If a driver makes a big production and obstructs traffic on both sides of the street while pulling out of a parking space, he will make a turn at the very next corner. Nine times out of 10 it will be a left turn.
— Barbara Hague
RIGHT TURNS, DONE WRONG
OGDEN DUNES, Ind. — In your article you omitted this type of driver: “I’ve got my rights, Jack!” This type is so intent on attempting his right turn on red that he/she blocks the pedestrian crosswalk, even though there is no chance of breaking into traffic. Pedestrians are then forced into going into traffic to go around, or climbing over bumpers, especially if the guy/gal behind him/her is of similar ilk. Any one-way south onto Congress is a particularly good place to observe this behavior.
— John V. Morris
TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
DOWNERS GROVE — One offender you left out is the “exhaust sniffer.” These persons used to be called tailgaters, but they follow so close these days, you feel like you are towing them. There is no feeling like seeing only the hood of the vehicle behind you and being able to tell just what curses they are directing at you. I feel they are addicted to the smell of exhaust, so I call them exhaust sniffers.
— Marcelline M. Ricker
FAMILIAR FACES
FRANKLIN PARK — Two thumbs up! Strange how we all recognize the same kind of people. Thanks for letting me start my day with a smile!
— Luba Waszczur
POLE POSITIONS
OAK PARK — As a longtime “L” commuter and veteran of nearly 10,000 train rides, I enjoyed today’s “Moving Violations” article in the Trib and strongly considered posting the chart from your story in my Oak Park station for all riders to see.
My pet peeve are the pole-hoggers, standing commuters on crowded trains who wrap an arm around the pole and then lean their entire body up against the shaft, making it virtually impossible for the rest of us to find even a few inches to hang on to. A sub-species of pole-hogger are the leaners, placing their spine firmly against the pole and then extending their legs and feet out into the doorway area to brace themselves and get in the way of everybody else.
And don’t forget the peddlers hawking everything from newspapers to incense and watches to peanuts. They are particularly annoying when they insist on moving from one crowded car to another after I’ve secured a prime standing spot at the back of the car by the door.
— Jerry Ostergaard
MOVE IT ALONG
CHICAGO — May I add the LeadBlocker: one who quickly steps in front of you when entering an “L” train, then stops dead to scan for an open seat, inhibiting anyone from moving forward to find an open seat.
— Ben Shafer
LEFT TURNS ONLY
TINLEY PARK — I can’t stand the people who use the continuous left-turn lane as a passing lane or a through lane. I haven’t thought of a creative name for them yet.
— Greg Dreyer
THREE TYPES OF DRIVERS
WHEELING — In the world of automobile commuting there are but three types of drivers:
1. The idiots encompassing Merge Weasels, Blade Zombies, Gordon Lightfoots, Pigs On Wheels, Zagnuts and Moms Who Drive Recklessly With Kids in the Car While Smoking With the Windows Up and/or Yapping on the Cell Phone.
2. The idiots who enable the behavior of the above by letting them merge at the last moment, etc.
3. The rest of us, who recognize the other two categories and take steps to avoid or thwart them.
— Scott Wolf
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