Trains: They’re a thing.

I think that it’s safe to say that in this stage of my life, I’ve been on the train far more times than I can bother to try and count.

Trains are a great form of transport. Sure, they don’t always function as intended, but then again, what does?

I’ve been riding trains since I was a child. I’ve been on trains whilst crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge at least a thousand times. I’ve been across the Sydney Harbour Bridge enough times to have its “splendour” wear off.

Trains are wonderful in many ways. They can get you across the landscape pretty fast iof necessary, but they only allow a small snapshot when they do have to move quickly.

Sometimes they’re spacious , sometimes they’re not.

They’re useful in how much they can carry and move in a set direction, and they’re just kind of fun to be on.
Well, sometimes they’re fun to be on. Not always.

Trains, like many, many other things out there, are pretty symbolic if someone wants to pull symbolism from them. They can only follow the tracks that are set out for them, even if there are opportunities for them to change tracks. The moment they leave, they are no  longer able to set forward and head off to other locations other than the one that they will reach and come to a sudden halt.

Of course, there is always the possibility that a train will be re-railed, but if they are derailed, then that usually is their end.

Well, their end as far as we know. Now that I think about it, there’s probably a few that are fine enough to assess, repair if necessary and then put back on the tracks.

Now, there is a reason as to why I’m writing this about trains at this hour of the morning. I enjoy trains, I enjoy being able to read on them, I enjoy being able to see scenery from out of their windows. I like trains. However, my like of trains is not the reason as to why I am writing about trains at this hour of the morning.

The reason as to why I’m writing about trains is that people find no end to being able to [piss me off when it comes to etiquette and basic forms of respect, especially when it comes to trains.

Like other forms of transport, people seem to be able to find many ways in which they can be selfish assholes and cause other people strife.

Maybe strife is a strong word here, but, well, you know. Dramatic effect.

These people I’m referring to, it’s not those that commit suicide or fall on the tracks by accident, people who get sick and cause delays, etc. etc. Those are far more serious and complex issues than what I’m going to rant about today.

So yeah. People on the trains are as bad as people on the busses. Maybe they’re not as bad. Maybe they’re worse. We’re going to say that they’re just as bad today.

And yes, I know that not everyone on the train is an asshole.

This morning whilst I was heading to work the lazy way (work is about a twenty, twenty-five minute walk from where I am at the moment, so I’ve no real excuse for catching the train, but I was lazy this morning, so that’s my excuse). I walked to the train station, headed to a platform that would soon have a train arriving. The train then arrived.

Riveting, I know.

So the train arrived and the cars in front of me were appearing to be full of passengers.

Quite a few of them got off, less than those that got off got on and then people decided that the best course of action was to huddle in the doorway instead of going up or downstairs, therefore blocking others from getting on. Because as we all know, the best course of action to take when you’re on public transport is to prevent people from getting on, even if there is space for them to get on.

I didn’t have a long wait for the next train, but this still annoys me.

We all use public transport. Why do this? Why make it harder for others because you don’t want to bother and maybe deal with the slight inconvenience of having to take a little longer to get off of the train when it arrives at your [platform?

I wonder if the people who do this are the same ones who push onto the train when people are getting off, slowing down the flow of traffic. I wonder if these are the same people who decide that running onto the train as the doors are shutting, thus risking delaying the train, thus risking delaying trains behind them? Yes, you may be running late but that doesn’t make you more important than everyone else on the train.

And why does your bag need a seat when there are people standing around you? Why do you think that your feet need a seat more than you do?

Why do people do these things? Why do they think that this is acceptable? Why be a shit?

Trains, and by extension other forms of public transport are there for everyone to use. To those who think that shitty behaviour is acceptable: It isn’t. One day someone might just decide to retaliate. They shouldn’t but it could happen and at the end of the day you have no one to blame but yourself.

I don’t understand why people do this kind of crap. It might not seem like much, but it affects people over time. It’s so much easier to not be an asshole about etiquette. It’s so easy to just, well… not be shit, but people seem to keep on taking the selfish route because they don’t want to have basic consideration for their fellow person.

I don’t know as to how it is in other countries, but I find it difficult to believe that those that preach the idea of mateship and behave poorly on public transport truly believe in those values. Well, believe in those values when it extends to something beyond them.