Metra BNSF line denied me passage with my bike today, even though the website clearly states:
For 2011, bicycles are permitted on all weekday trains arriving in Chicago after 9:30 A.M. and leaving Chicago before 3:00 P.M. and after 7:00 P.M., and on all weekend trains, with the following exceptions:
The conductor said it was because of "an event," and I'm assuming he was referring to the Jazz Festival.
I'm extra upset because:
-it was pouring rain
-the car was not crowded and i would have been fine in the empty stairwell
-it was 25 minutes late
Has this ever happened to anyone else (Metra just deciding to ban bikes without telling anyone)? I commute to the burbs for a new job and I was assuming the bike bans were over for another year...
Tags:
I forgot about the Lollapalooza blackout dates and tried to get on an outbound train. "No Bikes" Ok, can I lock it up? "No time."
It'd be nice if you at least gave me a couple seconds to lock it up so I can get where I need to on time.
Or maybe they could make announcements on the giant speakers that say "Blackout reminder, no bikes on train" Or if not a blackout "Bike capacity full" or something.
I concur a lot of conductors seem to give attitude about bikes on trains. One time there was a full car and maybe four or five bikes being shuffled around and the conductor made a remark "Yeah, bikes on trains is a great idea." I can understand the frustration but give me a break will ya?
That stinks! I've occasionally had problems like this. It happened to me last year during Jazz Fest. I hoped that the complaints they got from me and other people would have been enough to remedy the problem this year, but apparently some of the conductors still either aren't getting the message or the concept.
Send a complaint to Metra, including the date, run # (from the schedule) and other specifics. Let Active Trans know, too.
I forgot about the Lollapalooza blackout dates and tried to get on an outbound train. "No Bikes" Ok, can I lock it up? "No time."
It'd be nice if you at least gave me a couple seconds to lock it up so I can get where I need to on time.
Or maybe they could make announcements on the giant speakers that say "Blackout reminder, no bikes on train" Or if not a blackout "Bike capacity full" or something.
I concur a lot of conductors seem to give attitude about bikes on trains. One time there was a full car and maybe four or five bikes being shuffled around and the conductor made a remark "Yeah, bikes on trains is a great idea." I can understand the frustration but give me a break will ya?
I was denied a couple times. A couple years ago when the Air and Water Show took place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, it was the middle of the day on Friday. The front two cars were packed, but the rest of the train was empty. It was not a blackout day. The conductors didn't want to deal with me, and/or they were power-tripping. It felt like discrimination. I got back at Metra though. I bought a ten-ride pass instead of a monthly pass one month and because I knew the conductors pretty well, I never showed my ten-ride pass to them unless they asked. They just assumed I had my monthly pass. If I showed them my ten-ride, I made up an excuse of why I didn't have my monthly pass. I got a few free rides.
Note 1: Most of the time, the conductors were cool with me and even talked to me about my bike. It was one or two conductors that were probably using bravado to mask their insecurity and seem macho in front of other conductors or passengers.
Note 2: I saw more abuse and annoyances from sports fan riding in to the city for games. They were loud, rude, and littered their beer and beer cans at times. Sports game attendees were not given the same lack of respect as the bicyclist in my mind.
You make a hell of an assumption that the person was getting on down town. If you get on at a station, there is not "early". Only on time.
jen said:
Wow really you are upset because a conductor would not hold an entire train up so that you who obviously arrived at the last minute could lock your bike? Sounds a bit self centered. I mean if YOU really needed to get somewhere on time then maybe YOU should arrive early. Expecting a large transportation company to throw there entire schedule out the window for one passenger really? What is wrong with this generation?
MK said:
I forgot about the Lollapalooza blackout dates and tried to get on an outbound train. "No Bikes" Ok, can I lock it up? "No time."
It'd be nice if you at least gave me a couple seconds to lock it up so I can get where I need to on time.
Or maybe they could make announcements on the giant speakers that say "Blackout reminder, no bikes on train" Or if not a blackout "Bike capacity full" or something.
I concur a lot of conductors seem to give attitude about bikes on trains. One time there was a full car and maybe four or five bikes being shuffled around and the conductor made a remark "Yeah, bikes on trains is a great idea." I can understand the frustration but give me a break will ya?
Listen to all these Metra apologists. The conductor didn't want to deal with it, plain and simple.
The Metra policy is half-assed. Leaving it up to discretion is horrible. I don't see them leaving up to discretion if they take on those huge strollers?!? I've seen them stacked up to the ceiling.
This is what drives (no pun intended) people to get cars. I can put my bike on the back of my car and drive it whenever it pleases me. People will only depend on transportation alternatives, if they can _depend_ on them. Not hope that they are accommodating that day.
Wow really you are upset because a conductor would not hold an entire train up so that you who obviously arrived at the last minute could lock your bike? Sounds a bit self centered. I mean if YOU really needed to get somewhere on time then maybe YOU should arrive early. Expecting a large transportation company to throw there entire schedule out the window for one passenger really? What is wrong with this generation?
MK said:
I forgot about the Lollapalooza blackout dates and tried to get on an outbound train. "No Bikes" Ok, can I lock it up? "No time."
It'd be nice if you at least gave me a couple seconds to lock it up so I can get where I need to on time.
Or maybe they could make announcements on the giant speakers that say "Blackout reminder, no bikes on train" Or if not a blackout "Bike capacity full" or something.
I concur a lot of conductors seem to give attitude about bikes on trains. One time there was a full car and maybe four or five bikes being shuffled around and the conductor made a remark "Yeah, bikes on trains is a great idea." I can understand the frustration but give me a break will ya?
I do think they should have better signage at the stations and media attention during blackouts.
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