It’s a quiet Tuesday morning at the SkyTrain station. The sun peeks over the mountains as commuters bundle up in their coats, bracing themselves for the day ahead. As the train pulls up and the doors open, people hurry inside, hoping to find a seat for their journey. Then, as the doors slide close, the loud beat of obnoxious music fills the train with headache-inducing rhythms that pound into the heads of all. The same goes for loud and personal conversations. Not only is this inconvenient, it can have negative effects on other passengers.
I don’t mean to be rude, but regardless of the time of day, hearing Skrillex blasting on the train is neither fun nor wanted. The number of times I see either a BeatsPill or a Bose speaker taken out of a bag to play the worst music I’ve heard is incomprehensible. Everyone is affected, and no one is amused. Some riders may become overwhelmed from sensory overload because of the amount of over-stimulation occurring in a small, confined space.
Deeply personal conversations can be triggering, and it’s probably better to relocate those conversations to parks or spaces which aren’t as confined, if private areas are not accessible to you.
According to TransLink, priority seats are for the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant people, and those with injuries. It’s only a seat for someone to sit in if the above categories apply — and it is not a seat for your purse or backpack. A backpack on a seat is the unspoken code on the transit of “I don’t want people sitting next to me,” however, if the bus is full, please remove the pack and kindly offer someone the seat beside you. It’s astounding how a packed bus can have multiple seats occupied by backpacks, laptop bags, or purses that force people to stand, causing an unpleasant trip. Being considerate is vital, and priority seating is for those who need it. You might sit in one of these seats, thinking, “I’ll just get up when I see someone who needs it.” However, it’s important to keep these seats open for those who have invisible disabilities, and may not be comfortable asking you to stand up. Anyone who doesn’t need priority seats shouldn’t take them, because you never truly know just by looking at someone whether they need it or not.
I have many gripes about transit etiquette in Metro Vancouver. I know that most commuters are respectful people who consider those around them. However, it goes without saying that others must be reminded about how to act appropriately when transiting with other people. So please be polite to those around you, and don’t forget to thank the bus driver!
