Spadina Street Cars
I remain perplexed by the two different approaches to boarding the Spadina streetcar that TTC passengers seem to silently and unanimously agree upon. There are distinct rules; if you are entering at the front of the vehicle the same rules do not apply at the rear.
At the front of the streetcar it is all about chaos. People just cluster around the entrance and hope for the best. If you are waiting to get on here you can expect to be pushed, jostled and even shoved. Usually it is a little old 4'10'' woman who is doing the shoving. It takes up to 4 streetcars to get on, if you don't enjoy shoving your way on.
In stark contrast to this is the method of entering the streetcar at the rear. It is all orderliness and precision (almost - see next paragraph). Usually two lines form, single file thank you very much, and curve to accommodate the seemingly endless line of the people. Seriously, the lineup can go as far as the exit on the farthest end of Spadina station. And this lineup, though it does appear daunting, is much more efficient a way of getting on the streetcar. I know because I used to be one of the jokers at the front entrance. Now I know that within two streetcars, not four, I will be comfortably seated at the back and either reading or knitting.
The one exception is that sometimes people with lack of foresight line up for the rear entrance of the streetcar and do not curve the line where they should. Instead, they just keep lining up until they hit the wall where the stairs to the subway platform are. This means that they block the entrance to/exit from the subway platform. This really annoys me because I think "where do you think this line can go from here?". Anyway, perhaps I should post some photos to support my irritation at this.
Some mornings I would like to be like the kindergarten teacher and teach these commuters how to form a line, single file. I've almost done it, I swear, except that I know that people would think that I'm crazy. Really, I would only do it because I care. That, and the whole two methods of entering the streetcar really, really annoy me!
At the front of the streetcar it is all about chaos. People just cluster around the entrance and hope for the best. If you are waiting to get on here you can expect to be pushed, jostled and even shoved. Usually it is a little old 4'10'' woman who is doing the shoving. It takes up to 4 streetcars to get on, if you don't enjoy shoving your way on.
In stark contrast to this is the method of entering the streetcar at the rear. It is all orderliness and precision (almost - see next paragraph). Usually two lines form, single file thank you very much, and curve to accommodate the seemingly endless line of the people. Seriously, the lineup can go as far as the exit on the farthest end of Spadina station. And this lineup, though it does appear daunting, is much more efficient a way of getting on the streetcar. I know because I used to be one of the jokers at the front entrance. Now I know that within two streetcars, not four, I will be comfortably seated at the back and either reading or knitting.
The one exception is that sometimes people with lack of foresight line up for the rear entrance of the streetcar and do not curve the line where they should. Instead, they just keep lining up until they hit the wall where the stairs to the subway platform are. This means that they block the entrance to/exit from the subway platform. This really annoys me because I think "where do you think this line can go from here?". Anyway, perhaps I should post some photos to support my irritation at this.
Some mornings I would like to be like the kindergarten teacher and teach these commuters how to form a line, single file. I've almost done it, I swear, except that I know that people would think that I'm crazy. Really, I would only do it because I care. That, and the whole two methods of entering the streetcar really, really annoy me!
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