TriMet Riding Etiquette – what to do with those baby strollers
Posted by Christian in Riding Etiquette on Jun 5th, 2008 | 16 commentsTriMet has a rule to fold up your baby stroller when boarding the MAX. Those who have boarded MAX with a baby stroller know that this request is a tough one. The crowding on the MAX, your stroller condition & amount of goods that you have with the stroller & other factors play to a decision that many make: to find room & park your baby stroller wherever there is space.
Another TriMet rule is – if you have your baby stroller and are by a priority seating area, you need to move for seniors and people with disabilities. Whether this happens or not, it limits the space to put a baby stroller on the MAX.
With these rules & restrictions, the overarching question here is: what do you do if you board a MAX train with a baby stroller?
Simply put, TriMet’s rule to have to fold your stroller is absurd. Think about it – you get on the train and within seconds it’s moving, making you unsteady. So now you’re supposed to unseat your child and fold up a stroller while the MAX quickly accelerates, which always seems to result in some folks losing their balance.
But it’s not like people follow this rule; I’ve never seen someone fold a stroller. And I’ve seen lots of strollers while riding.
I already wrote about Activistas already talking about this issue in the past. What do you think?
16 Responses to “ “TriMet Riding Etiquette – what to do with those baby strollers”
Leave a Reply
Portland Events
- 75+ Portland Weekend Event, Parties & Free Tickets | September 9-12
- Saturday: Largest Oktoberfest/Octoberfest in Portland @ Widmer Brothers Brewing | Over 4000 People
- Win Portland Tickets ($500+): Aladdin Theater, Rose City Rollers, Roseland, Helium Comedy Club & BarFly Bus & More
- Watch NFL Football: Minnesota Vikings vs. New Orelans Saints Online & in Portland
- Saturday: Rose City Rollers “Heroes Ball” @ Jupiter Hotel + Win Tickets ($35!)
Kinda offtopic, Just 30 minutes ago I was on the 12 riding downtown, and I sat next to a woman (that took up 1.5 seats, but that is even more offtopic,) as well as her 2 year-old next to her. The bus, as usual, was standing room only quickly after I sat down.
Her child started to make little child noises, as a dad I suppose I’m immune to being disturbed by noises, but I always try and imagine the non-child rearing public when kids make noise. This kid wasn’t disruptive.
All of a sudden the mother turns to the kid, and slaps her across the face. “You shut up.”
My blood was boiling. But realistically what could I do? I was sittingright next to her as she continually berated this child. I don’t understand why battery is illegal against most of the public, but for small children it is acceptable? How about on a public bus? I want to do something, but realistically, I could see myself getting caught up in this screaming match with a woman on a very crowded bus…
Anyway, to bring the story back on point, as she got off the bus downtown, she reached under her seat and there was her stroller. I was rather amazed that I had never noticed it and it was folded up and didn’t impact anybody’s ability to ride the bus…
Sorry for the long-winded post. I get these things out by writing about them…
Wow, that story is crazy. Yeah, I don’t know, I would have been PISSED OFF to see that… but I’m not sure I would have actually said something either.
Kick them off the max and make them wait for one that is less crowded. Just like we expect the bicyclist to do.
When possible, I fold the stroller before boarding the Max and shove it in the first available non-seat space. If my toddler has finally taken a nap in the stroller and waking her will just cause everyone to be uncomfortable, I wheel the stroller into priority seating or a bike spot. I’ve had seniors offer me their seat before (I politely declined). I’ve also had people (moms?) offer to carry the folded stroller on board for me, seeing as my arms are full with two kids.
Getting off a crowded Max with two kids and a stroller is by far more difficult than getting on.
Folding a stroller and waiting for the Max while the kid or kids run around sounds absurd. Just get rid of that stupid regulation. People that can manage will fold the thing and people who can’t should be able to leave their kid in it. Packing a baby in one arm, a folded stroller in the other, a diaper bag and purse in your teeth? Just sounds exceptionally stupid to me.
Honestly, the rule is absurd. telling a person to fold up a stroller to have them carry a child/infant onto the max puts the child/infant in danger, including the mother. As one is more opt to fall while tring to carry a child/infant and a stroller onto a max train. They should get the same options as bicyclist and handy cap people do. It safer for the child and parent.
Usually the people who complain about it are the ones who don’t have children and are self absorbed.
Also making one get off the bus or train because they have a stroller or child is discrimination. I understand they take up room. however so do wheel chairs and walkers. telling a mom to wait with an infant child in the rain (this is Oregon) would be like telling an elderly person or handy cap person to wait. because people that can walk and don’t have the extra equipment to get around take presidence. Sorry no dice thats discrimination and in no way should be allowed. If anything they should come first. People who don’t have children or wheel chairs extra should get off the bus if theres no room and make room for them.
As for the lady who slapped her child the bus driver should have reported it. I don’t believe in slapping a child in the face or head.
Ever heard of a baby sitter?
People wouldn’t care as much if so many parents didn’t use ever larger baby strollers. They are ridiculous. And why do so many parents seem to abhor the possibility of touching their children, i.e. carrying them, or letting them walk?
Childhood obesity is at epidemic levels!
Brother Neptune,
Get a life. If you hate children, become a monk.
This rule is **NOT** stupid.
Imagine this: the bus/MAX train is involved in some type of emergency. Passengers have to evacuate. And some stupid, arrogant, selfish parent has a huge stroller BLOCKING the emergency exit. You can’t see, the vehicle is filled with smoke.
Someone could die.
Now, maybe that’s one in a million chance. Maybe one in a billion. But accidents can and do happen (as we’ve seen recently in Boston and Chicago and in San Francisco). MAX windows do not break easily. Bus windows can be difficult to open (that is, if they do – not all of them do, especially on the newer busses). The “emergency exit” function (basically lift the window frame up, and push the entire window out) requires substantial strength to lift the weight of the window and frame.
And, by the way, I speak this as a parent of a now four year old; I’ve taken my son on busses/MAX with the stroller, and unless I was in a low-floor vehicle the stroller got folded up (on a low-floor vehicle, I’d park the stroller in either the bike space (preferable) or the ADA space (secondary).
If you’re riding the bus, you need to be considerate of others and be prepared for the trip. That means taking your stroller/child into consideration. If you can’t do it and fold up your stroller, consider a smaller stroller for bus/MAX use, or a baby sling or carrier, or something else. Frankly, if I have to evacuate the bus and your stroller is in my way, you better hope your baby isn’t in it because it WILL fly.
On a more realistic note, on a busy/crowded bus, do you (as the parent whose arrogant attitude towards other rider) want to be the person who prevented someone from getting off their bus/train at their stop, and making someone go to the next stop and backtrack – because they couldn’t get to the door because of your stroller? Maybe you, as the parent, wouldn’t mind being forced to run past your own stop, to the next stop a mile away, and have to ride another bus/train back because you couldn’t get off your bus/train.
i second shane’s (#3) comment. kick them off and make them wait just like they do to bicyclists.
PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE do not berate the operators on this! On the buses, please take your child OUT of the stroller after you board, REGARDLESS if is two block or twenty, sleeping or awake.
Now, I agree with Erik 200%; I would prefer your stroller be folded up and tucked under a seat, however I know most of you use it as a moving van or shopping cart. I don’t push that part too much UNLESS the bus gets real busy, but I inform you (and you should be aware) you may have to fold it, and I TOO will send it launching in an emergency.
IT IS NOT SAFE to leave the child in the stroller on the bus. I can see doing it on MAX.
THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES !!!!!!
Erik & pdxlrvoperator are absolutely correct. Planning ahead with a stroller isn’t that complicated, and the little umbrella strollers fold up quickly and easily for storage. The problem, as EE Borges notes, is with the increasingly-common SUV-style strollers that simply do not fold up and take up an enormous amount of room. Parents using these seem to be oblivious to how bulky they are, and how they inconvenience other people.
I watched this play out the morning of the Grand Floral Parade, as trains arrived at the Lloyd Center station obviously very crowded but, through the windows it was clear to see that most of the standing area was actually packed with these giant strollers — and other parents on the platform somehow thought they were going to be able to board with *their* giant strollers.
Inevitably, there will be conflicts among the passengers with bikes, with strollers and with mobility devices. Who should have the priority? Should it be someone traveling in a mobility device because that’s the only means of independent travel she has? Or should it be a parent who made the choice to use a four-foot stroller?
I am surprised by the seeming acidity directed at children and families in the city. I am a Mom who commutes by bus with my child. If we were not on the bus, we would be one more car on the road. I am all for respect for other riders – but it needs to go both ways folks.
citymom says: “I am suprised by the seeming acidity directed at children and families in the city”…
Ok, let me clarify a few things here. Erik H, Jeff F, and I (as most of the other posters so far) are NOT “bashing” kids and families as you claim. I’ve got some time reading Erik’s posts..he doesn’t bash anyone…well, not without solid facts. Quite the opposite.
WE ARE (or at least I am) saying however; that far too often SOME, NOT ALL, folks with strollers make a difficult safety situation even worse by the seemingly lack of regard for everyone else by using these ATV type strollers that resemble mini-u haul trucks and then have half of what they own in them:
1-making them impossible to fold up;
2-blocking the aisle (especially in busses) so that in an emergency, even one as “minor” as a quick stop people get hurt;
3-they block access so that it slows the flow of people getting in or out enough to where IT DOES have an impact on the schedule of the Bus/Max.
4-now, I have to divert my attention to what your stroller is doing (especially if you have refused to take your child out, which, on a bus I personally feel is POOR parenting AND laziness-sorry, my opinion)..not to what my equipment is doing, because you lack the respect of making the ride comfortable for your fellow passengers. MANY OTHER stroller parents can and do manage it (folding, even before boarding) just fine..so why do you have to buck the process and be special?
I know that it is challenging to have to haul your child, their things and your groceries/shopping too. BUT, put yourself in everyone else’s shoes, especially the Operator. You have the potential of making this a dangerous situation.
Now, I have had other Operators (and passengers) “preach” to me that they have gone 10-15 years without a problem..lucky them and congratulations. I have also heard “well the other drivers dont make me..” These are a LAME excuse for your child’s (and others) safety. First of all, you are not going to get 13 people to all do the same thing all of the time, let alone 1300 Bus Operators. Second, it’s a rule; so it doesn’t matter if they remind you or not, you should be doing it anyway..you’re the adult, right? Third, child safety, remember?
When driving busses, I once had a mother who SWORE she had hold of her stroller after I insisited she fold it. I begrudgingly gave in because I wanted to believe her. A short time later, an idiot from the left lane pulled in front of me and stopped suddenly, requiring me to use my brake harder than I would of liked. One lady holding her baby simply leaned over in her seat a little, no harm-no foul.
The lady with the stroller still open had it hop OVER her foot and cruise right into the farebox! Her eyes got huge! Fortunetly, I was not moving that fast, and again, this time-no harm, no foul (well, no harm). I looked back at her and dead in the eye and stearnly told her “THAT’S why you fold your stroller!” I never wavered from “policy” after that day.
Now, this is when I drove busses; but if you can’t get out of the way SAFELY on MAX (say, during rush hour or on a busy train) then yes, FOLD IT. I still think regardless that rather you fold it or not, the child comes out, Bus or Max, awake or asleep. Inconvienent or not. Alive better than dead or seriously hurt. It just takes once and “it won’t happen to me” is just B.S.
See, I don’t see this as bashing kids and familes. I see this as keeping you and your kids, and my other passengers safe, alive and injury free. And if I was still driving a bus, I would refuse to move it until you complied, thats how strongly I feel about it.
I hope this clears that up.
I have a solution for all you Moms with little ones that cannot yet walk: BABY SLINGS! or a baby backpack…
I do use a stroller with my son on occasion and I always fold it for the bus. I do take it, unfolded, on MAX if there is room, and there usually is because I’m usually only riding with my son on weekends. He’s 3 now and big enough to walk like a champ so we rarely use a stroller anymore.
And Moms, if you do need to go shopping and pick up a lot of bags, consider Zipcar for these times. Also try shopping online for groceries and such. Safeway.com has been nothing less than excellent for me so far.