RTA: What's good, bad, and improvable (Cleveland, Lakewood: movies, construction, tax)

[andrew61]

Another item on my wish list: Bring back Sunday service on the #55 bus line. I hate that the only east-west bus through Lakewood on Sundays is the #26, which as I've said before, I find rather unreliable.

[october2007]

Well, I had a fun experience on one of the buses today. A woman passenger was playing music on her phone so I went over and asked her to use earbuds. She said she didn't have any so I asked if she'd turn it down. She gave me a bit of an argument and asked if it REALLY bothered me. I said yes and so she sort of turned it down but then a few minutes later it was back up loud again. I went over to her again to complain and she started SCREAMING at me at the top of her lungs for at least 5 minutes, no exaggeration. Even her little daughter had to cover her ears it was so loud and went on for so long. She ranted about it being racist (?), that I was old and didn't like young people enjoying themselves etc. etc. Pretty crazy sounding.

The driver didn't say ONE word. If this is what passes for normal then I understand why people prefer their cars to public transportation. The buses can be so uncivilized and even though there are posted "rules" of behavior they are rarely if ever enforced.

[october2007]

I have a suggestion - I would like to see reduced fares for lower income passengers. In Seattle my income was in the lower range and I qualified for a monthly pass that was about 1/2 price. And we had cards that we reloaded rather than getting a new one each month.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by october2007

Well, I had a fun experience on one of the buses today. A woman passenger was playing music on her phone so I went over and asked her to use earbuds. She said she didn't have any so I asked if she'd turn it down. She gave me a bit of an argument and asked if it REALLY bothered me. I said yes and so she sort of turned it down but then a few minutes later it was back up loud again. I went over to her again to complain and she started SCREAMING at me at the top of her lungs for at least 5 minutes, no exaggeration. Even her little daughter had to cover her ears it was so loud and went on for so long. She ranted about it being racist (?), that I was old and didn't like young people enjoying themselves etc. etc. Pretty crazy sounding.

The driver didn't say ONE word. If this is what passes for normal then I understand why people prefer their cars to public transportation. The buses can be so uncivilized and even though there are posted "rules" of behavior they are rarely if ever enforced.

I give you credit for saying something. Trust me though, this isn't unique to Cleveland. Always awkward when this type of loud music playing person gets on the bus here in Boston too. You can tell everyone is too scared to say anything. We just put up with inconsiderate obnoxious music for the duration of the bus ride.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

I give you credit for saying something. Trust me though, this isn't unique to Cleveland. Always awkward when this type of loud music playing person gets on the bus here in Boston too. You can tell everyone is too scared to say anything. We just put up with inconsiderate obnoxious music for the duration of the bus ride.

Yes I realize it's mainly a sign of the times and not just Cleveland. I was quite used to confronting smokers in bus shelters in Seattle but here people fight back even when they're wrong. People aren't quite as in your face in the Pacific Northwest but could definitely see it happening in Boston.

I think next time I'll ask the driver to make his announcement about earphones and audio devices. Not worth setting someone off.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by october2007

Well, I had a fun experience on one of the buses today. A woman passenger was playing music on her phone so I went over and asked her to use earbuds. She said she didn't have any so I asked if she'd turn it down. She gave me a bit of an argument and asked if it REALLY bothered me. I said yes and so she sort of turned it down but then a few minutes later it was back up loud again. I went over to her again to complain and she started SCREAMING at me at the top of her lungs for at least 5 minutes, no exaggeration. Even her little daughter had to cover her ears it was so loud and went on for so long. She ranted about it being racist (?), that I was old and didn't like young people enjoying themselves etc. etc. Pretty crazy sounding.

The driver didn't say ONE word. If this is what passes for normal then I understand why people prefer their cars to public transportation. The buses can be so uncivilized and even though there are posted "rules" of behavior they are rarely if ever enforced.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Next time someone plays music (or video or whatever) on a bus without earbuds, start chanting loudly, "LA-TA-TEE-TOO-TOO, LA-TA-TEE-TOO-TOO" over and over again. I've decided I'm going to do this from now on. If you can play music on the bus, then I can chant. What's fair is fair.

"What? My chanting bothers you? You don't like to see old white people enjoying themselves? Racist!"

I realize there are low-quality people in every big city, but here in Cleveland they seem to predominate. I really didn't get these problems in Chicago. I hate this city sometimes.

[andrew61]

Originally Posted by october2007

I have a suggestion - I would like to see reduced fares for lower income passengers. In Seattle my income was in the lower range and I qualified for a monthly pass that was about 1/2 price. And we had cards that we reloaded rather than getting a new one each month.

I seem to remember that once upon a time we did have such reduced fares... although maybe they were for handicapped only, I'm not sure. In fact, back in the early days of RTA (1970s), if you were legally handicapped/disabled, you could get a special ID card that let you ride free.

And I do like the hard plastic reloadable cards -- like Chicago's Ventra card system.

[andrew61]

Had another bus that never showed up yesterday. And I had to wait a full hour until the next one. My bus had broken down, apparently, and never made it out of the Westgate Transit Center. I tried to leave Lakewood at 7 pm, and didn't make it back to my home in Maple Heights until almost 10. I was livid.

I'm thinking RTA doesn't service its buses properly and that's why there are so many breakdowns.

I need to get back to Chicago even if it means living in a broom closet. In Chicago, 20 minutes is considered a long, long wait for a bus. Only the worst lines run so infrequently. Here, it's better than average.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by andrew61

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Next time someone plays music (or video or whatever) on a bus without earbuds, start chanting loudly, "LA-TA-TEE-TOO-TOO, LA-TA-TEE-TOO-TOO" over and over again. I've decided I'm going to do this from now on. If you can play music on the bus, then I can chant. What's fair is fair.

"What? My chanting bothers you? You don't like to see old white people enjoying themselves? Racist!"

I realize there are low-quality people in every big city, but here in Cleveland they seem to predominate. I really didn't get these problems in Chicago. I hate this city sometimes.

That would be great! I'm too shy though. I have thought of blasting some opera on my phone. I'm just starting to feel lucky I haven't been beaten up yet. I guess Clevelanders are known to be scrappy. Many are friendly and nice but there is an element here that is hard to take.

One of my favorite experiences was when I asked a young woman to stop smoking in the bus shelter. She said she wasn't smoking - her cigarette was lit but since she wasn't putting it to her mouth she insisted she wasn't smoking. Oh and there was the woman, who when I told her it was against the law to smoke in the shelter, insisted that I break the law every day too. I do think it would be much better experience here if I didn't have to deal with the buses.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by andrew61

Had another bus that never showed up yesterday. And I had to wait a full hour until the next one. My bus had broken down, apparently, and never made it out of the Westgate Transit Center. I tried to leave Lakewood at 7 pm, and didn't make it back to my home in Maple Heights until almost 10. I was livid.

I'm thinking RTA doesn't service its buses properly and that's why there are so many breakdowns.

I need to get back to Chicago even if it means living in a broom closet. In Chicago, 20 minutes is considered a long, long wait for a bus. Only the worst lines run so infrequently. Here, it's better than average.

Ugh...just be glad it wasn't the dead of winter. That could have been almost life threatening. Often there isn't any place to take shelter nearby.

Sounds like you'd be happier if/when you get back to Chicago - hope you make it soon!