To me, the subway in Boston is one of the most important inventions in mankind’s history. It’s fast, ridiculously affordable and it makes my commute every day much more bearable. I could not imagine my life in an urban city without the subway system. Despite all those wonderful qualities, my fellow riders sometimes could make my life very miserable with the ways they use public transportation. There are some unspoken and even obvious rules that people choose to ignore, and it’s not cool.
1. Let people get off the trains before boarding yourself.
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Seriously, we all have our own businesses that we need to take care off, but rushing into the train as soon as the door is opening won’t save you any minute. Eventually, you will struggle moving past people getting off and slow the whole process down. Wait for people to get out first, then proceed to jump on the train.
2. Do not put your stuff on the empty seat next to you when the train is full of people.
I find it selfish and annoying. Either put things on your laps or on the floor. Seats are made for humans (or puppies).
3. Move all the way inside the train, not hogging the door.
It's not a dancing pole. When boarding on the train, you hanging around the doorway might slow everything down as there may be others behind you.
4. When riding the escalators, walk on the left and stand on the right.
I can’t never stress this enough. Especially during rush hours, people need to get home or go to work and you taking it easy the middle of the escalators are not helping anyone.
5. This applies to the subway lines that has street level stops.
When boarding, if you can’t get your payments ready immediately, board last. Nobody wants to wait and watch you pulling everything out of your bag to find some cash or pass for the train.
6. Abide by the "Front Door Policy."
When riding the Green Line, beware that all street level stops have an official “Front Door policy” during non busy hours, which means you can only enter and exit through the front doors of the cars.
7. Stay away from the yellow line when the train is arriving.
I have seen some people trying to be cool by standing very close to the train when it’s arriving. It’s dumb and very dangerous to people around you as well.
I hope these tips and tricks are useful to you, and may we all ride Boston’s subway happily ever after.
