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week of TTC (day two)

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-eight years and a million words

Today's driver actually said, "This is my streetcar!"

A fellow had entered the streetcar by the back door - a move that's acceptable by policy that is posted at every entrance to every street car on the Queen Street line. The street is so busy that the city encourages people to board the streetcar by any open door, as long as it's rush hour. As long as a rider can prove that they have a pass or a transfer ticket, they're good. And so it was with this fellow: he had a pass and was used to boarding by the back door.

But today's driver had other plans. She'd already scolded other people who boarded by the back door(s), and had also scolded a passenger who'd opened a rear door to allow other passengers to enter ("That's not your job, this is my streetcar!"). I'm really not sure what the problem was, but when this poor fellow boarded, she declared that she wasn't taking the streetcar any further until he'd waded his way to the front of the streetcar (which was, of course, packed) to wave his pass at her ("This is my streetcar, you'll come up here and show your pass.").

At that point I tried to get off, but she'd locked the doors.

This week of TTC is going to be long.