Some customers just need more service on the T
By adamg - 12/13/08 - 8:58 pm
Like when they're passed out across three seats on an Red Line car on a Saturday afternoon and then the train doors malfunction and people are asked to leave the car:
It took two MBTA employees to literally drag this guy out of the car, and he put up quite a fight. This was after one of the employees extracted a bottle of some clear liquid (gin? vodka?) from his person. Ah, Boston.
With photo of the sleeping beauty.
Comments
Fuck the MBTA
By Will LaTulippe - 12/14/08 - 3:38 am
I just got back from my semi-annual (when I go to the airport) T ride. I walk up a flight of stairs at Harvard with cones in front of them (everybody else was doing it, so I trusted the regulars.)
Both exits to the street were locked up and closed. Why? Why wasn't there an actual SIGN reading "EXITS CLOSED?" Why wasn't there a sign telling people where the alternate exit for the 86 bus was?
At least they saved me having to pay the $5.25 taxi toll. I waited until I got to Harvard Square to cab it back to Brighton after finding that I'd probably have to sit in the cold for 25 minutes for the last 86 bus.
Because the T couldn't afford signs.
By operator - 12/14/08 - 11:37 am
Due to poor management throughout the years the T is on the brink of being bankrupt, I'm surprised they even had enough money to buy the cones.
Because it is Massachusetts
By SwirlyGrrl - 12/14/08 - 12:06 pm
You are expected to "just know" a whole bunch of things. If you don't, how dare you be around! Strangers moving between two square block worlds are dangerous. You should just know that, too, along with where to vote (where your parents voted, stupid) and who is running for office and where the right room is at city hall when they have changed the rooms but moved the numbers so room 204 is next to room 301.
Seriously, Massachusetts has an extremely sign-deficient culture. An extremely map deficient one too. There are no signs and maps because the people who should be putting them up don't seem to know of them or how to use them as tools for directing people to the right places. Then they get mad when you point out that they could save themselves a lot of yelling and trouble if they just put one up (because it is obvious? Because might replace the yeller?) The problems extend to places where there should be permanent signs - absent street signs, lack of directional signage on roadways, failure to follow national or international standards, etc. that the area is well known for. The highlight is how these attitudes affect basic signage at the International Airport, on the interstates, and in the transit system - all places that visitors are to be expected.
Notice how the national parks installations on the freedom trail and Navy Yard don't have this problem??
Logan Signage
By pahkcah02 - 12/14/08 - 2:05 pm
My favorite is the parking at Logan Airport. Pull into Central Parking, follow the signs for terminal B. Park car, take elevator, then walk 1/8 mile down a pedestrian walkway. Then go outside, walk through another garage, and speed through another pedestrian walkway and roam aimlessly until you find a sign or can convince an airport employee to take a 10 second break from their cigarette and point you in the right direction. Most city airports have busses or subways to whisk you between terminals or to baggage claim, but not our Logan. As far as Massport is concerned, it's much better to make passengers walk a good 10-15 minutes to their terminals (in heels! with luggage!) because we are a "world class city". At least that's what our signs say, should you be clever enough to spot one.
Massport has free buses between terminals
By Ron Newman - 12/14/08 - 4:50 pm
and they usually run pretty frequently, too.
If you can find them
By SwirlyGrrl - 12/14/08 - 9:01 pm
Sure, there is a map of all the terminals and the routes and with somebody's picture and name in large credits, but the actual location at which each numbered bus stops in the long lanes for buses and shuttles, and how to get to that location from that map can be quite mysterious unless you can find someone to help you.
D'oh
By Gareth - 12/14/08 - 7:42 pm
Why would you park at Central Parking if you're at Terminal B? Don't you know anything? Terminal B has its own garage. It's right there. Terminal B on both sides.
Well, why would Massport say you can park in Central Parking?
By adamg - 12/14/08 - 8:02 pm
I've gone through the same up and over, across desolate concrete strips. No fun. Gets back to the whole sign issue.
You can
By Gareth - 12/14/08 - 8:51 pm
You can park in Central Parking. You can also park in Mattapan. It just doesn't make much sense if you're going to Terminal B.
Looks like that's the red line
By anon (not verified) - 12/15/08 - 12:48 am
not the orange, based on the photo in the link at least.
Changed
By adamg - 12/15/08 - 1:15 am
The seat pattern fooled me - I didn't realize they had those on the Red Line now as well.