Gale Schools - Article Archive - 2006 - March

Pain on the train: there is no excuse for being rude when going along for the ride.

Angela boards a train for a 30-minute trip to visit her aunt Carla. She plunks down into a seat and drops her backpack onto the seat next to her. She props up her feet on the seat facing hers. She puts on her headphones, turns her music up loud, and starts singing along. Angela then takes out some smelly nail polish and starts doing her nails.

After a few stops, the train gets very crowded. People are standing in the aisle. Among them is a pregnant woman. She carries a cranky toddler in one arm and a shopping bag in the other. Angela pretends not to notice the woman. Angela doesn't want to make room for the family. Plus, she sure doesn't want that whining kid sitting next to her.

At one point, the train lurches. Angela's nail polish spills onto the floor. She curses loudly and yells that the conductor is a moron. She kicks the open bottle under the seat and leaves it there. Her cell phone rings, but Angela doesn't notice at first, because she has her headphones on. Finally she hears the constant ringing tone.

Angela spends the rest of the trip yakking loudly to her friend Crystal. When the train finally arrives at her stop, Angela jumps up and grabs her stuff. She pushes to get to the door. Her backpack smacks into several passengers as she shoves past them.

When Angela steps onto the train platform, she sees her aunt waiting for her.

"How was your trip?" Aunt Carla asks.

"It was just awful," Angela replies. "It was a real pain."

Easy Riders

The other passengers in Angela's train car would probably agree. They know who was the real pain on the train.

The thing about public transportation is that it's public. Passengers often have to share small spaces. They have to sit or stand uncomfortably close to strangers.

Many are tired. Some have had a bad day. Many are in a hurry. Good manners help everyone stay cool. Whether you are on a train, bus, subway, or plane, the advice is the same: Be considerate. Don't be a jerk.

Behavior Quiz

Read the list of good and poor behaviors on public transportation. Check the line in front of each action that describes Angela's behavior.

__1. putting your feet up on the facing seat

__2. offering your seat to elderly people, pregnant women, or people with disabilities

__3. playing loud music (Even headphones can give out earsplitting noise.)

__4. taking up more than one seat when people are standing

__5. treating the transportation workers with respect

__6. talking, laughing, or shouting loudly, especially while on a cell phone

__7. saying "please," "thank you," and "excuse me"

__8. leaving trash on the floor or a seat, especially half-filled drinks, which can spill

__9. waiting your turn to enter or exit

__10. clipping nails, flossing teeth, shaving, or other forms of grooming

__11. spraying perfume, using smelly grooming products, chewing smelly gum, eating smelly food, or taking off your shoes

__12. taking your trash and all other belongings with you when you exit the train or bus

(1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11)