A very enjoyable ride last night
Last night I rode the MAX from downtown to my destination in Zone 3. Now, I typically ride the bus these days due to the location of my work. But I was downtown in the evening and hopped on a MAX to get home.
Gotta say, I had a very enjoyable ride. Here are some of the things I had the pleasure to experience:
- Some kid, probably about 17, getting a call from someone he didn’t know, telling that individual that he’s going to “____ him up if he calls again” or, if he would like, come to his residence at any time (”I don’t care, it could be at 3 am!”) and he’ll kick his @ss. Then he proceeded to tell the individual that he doesn’t sell crack, he only sells pills and weed.
- Some guy who accidentally dropped his skateboard a couple of times. No biggie. Except for the fact that every time he did, he had to yell out the f word.
- Some girls behind me, probably about 13 / 15 years old, telling their friend that they used to, for fun, ride the MAX from one end of the line to the other. “Did you every get caught?” “Nope.”
Why is it seemingly socially acceptable to act rude and disrespectful on public transportation? Maybe I’m just getting old..
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Comments
Sadly enough the rude behavior is not just school kids. People seem to lack manors or good behavior anymore. I was riding the other night when someone brought on a plate of food, ate part of it and then left the rest when they got off. This person looked clean and well dressed. They were just lazy.
It isn’t just on the MAX. There was another case where these two girls 16/20 that were eating and when they were done just threw their garbage on the sidewalk. Like they were too good to have trash with them. Again, they were just lazy.
Oh, Christian, I am so disappointed on your behalf… When I saw the title of you post, I thought: “Oh, goodie, something good happened on the MAX!”
I am sorry to say that I understand your sarcasm. And I am sorry to have to admit that I hear it ALL THE TIME, even from inside my cab. It is shocking the things I hear people - especially the younger ones, say under 30 - talk about. And how loud they talk. They don’t have a conversation; they have a “screamasation” - which I assume is the way they always talk. There loud communications is annoying and very disturbing, to say the least. And sometimes (who am I kidding? “OFTEN”) the screaming is real, as in fighting. Lovely…
Something else that is happening more and more, is loud music. ARRGGHH…. I cannot stand the “music” they listen to. About a week ago I had had enough and opened the window in my door and told them they needed to turn it off or I would get help to get them off the train. They left when I opened my window one more time at the next platform; people right behind my cab thanked me.
Politeness and proper behavior is not “cool” - I think this is partly what we get for everything being OK in our society, and the crazy political correctness that so often is just plain crazy. Look what these kids and young people are being fed through their disrespectful music lyrics, TV and movies. And probably nobody at home to tell them what manners are.
Sorry, your post just reminded me of some of my pet peeves… Thanks for letting me vent…
Huh. I think I’ve met that particular Mr. Skateboarder before.
And Eva, next time I’m on your train I think I’ll have a boom box to blast my music. Just kidding! thanks for caring about the well being of all the passengers 
My favorite is when teenagers block the aisle (either by sitting on the steps to get to the higher level or by sitting with their knees in the aisle) and won’t let you pass to get to the empty seat that is calling your name. And then, when you say “Excuse me,” they roll their eyes and pretend they never heard you. So then, when you climb over their legs/bodies and accidentally touch them, they start screaming profanities at you for being so clumsy. Yup. True story. What is wrong with this world?!!!!
Jess, yesterday I had a group of late teens/early 20’s on my old Type 1 train car, right behind my cab, who were dropping he F-bomb every other word; they were also talking loudly about killing something (somebody? not sure). I finally had enough, and opened my cab door and asked them to please stop dropping the F-bomb; passengers nearby looked relieved when I did.
At Skidmore Fountain - the next stop - they got off the train, but not before the girl scream the F-word loudly next to my cab a few times.
What is wrong with this world???? I believe we are so “sensitive” that the word NO - love that word - is becoming a “dirty” word. Lack of discipline, lack of having been taught proper and polite behavior.
Arrgghh…
“My favorite is when teenagers block the aisle”
“yesterday I had a group of late teens/early 20’s…dropping he F-bomb every other word;”
“It boils down to two things - heat & summer time school kids running around rampant.”
“Some kid, probably about 17, getting a call from someone he didn’t know, telling that individual that he’s going to “____ him up if he calls again””
Well, being a teenager, I can officially say not all of them are like that.
What is funny, is this gets horrendously bad on certain bus routes too. It boils down to two things - heat & summer time school kids running around rampant. Probably why the shootings in NE PDX have skyrocketed in the last week or so.
Heat is NEVER very helpful in keeping people from being hostile. As for the rude behavior, that is school kids for ya.