The Chainlink

NATO: Bicycles banned on Metra

"Passengers traveling May 19-21 will be allowed to carry only one bag not larger than 15-by-15 inches and four inches deep. No boxes, luggage, backpacks, bikes, food or liquid will be allowed. There also will be a ban on coffee.

Riders also cannot carry any tools, pipes, stakes, wood, weapons, pocket knives and pepper spray on the trains. Banned items cannot be stored at the stations and must be removed or thrown out, Metra said."


http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Metra-Security-Plan-NATO-Summi...

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Permalink Reply by Duppie on May 13, 2012 at 8:24pm

No, haven't had that experience yet. I have always been able to take my bike on the train when I needed to.

But I mainly use it to commute to and from work downtown. Conductors behavior in my experience varies from courteous to indifferent. I have not met a conductor yet that was rude or trying to screw with me.

James BlackHeron said:

Um, maybe from the crap service?

Have you never been jacked-with by a conductor with an attitude towards bikes and a penchant for interpreting the "rules" in such a way as to more efficiently and thoroughly screwing with you, the bicyclist who dares bring his/her bike on HIS train?

Yeah, me too...

Duppie said:

Where do you get the idea that Metra offers crap service?

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 13, 2012 at 8:27pm

I'm happy for you.  I hope it stays that way for you.

I wish I could say the same.

Duppie said:

No, haven't had that experience yet. I have always been able to take my bike on the train when I needed to.

But I mainly use it to commute to and from work downtown. Conductors behavior in my experience varies from courteous to indifferent. I have not met a conductor yet that was rude or trying to screw with me.

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on May 13, 2012 at 8:33pm

If you ride the same train fairly regularly, and get to know the conductors by chatting with them, you'll get much more leeway in everything, I've found.  Last week, the train doors slammed shut and the train got ready to leave my station just as I ran up to the top step of the platform.  I kept running, right up to the closed door and my man, George the Conductor, saw me and stalled the train a few more seconds, and reopened the doors long enough for me to pile in.  I've got no problems with Metra service.
 
James BlackHeron said:

Have you never been jacked-with by a conductor with an attitude towards bikes and a penchant for interpreting the "rules" in such a way as to more efficiently and thoroughly screwing with you, the bicyclist who dares bring his/her bike on HIS train?

Yeah, me too...

Duppie said:

Where do you get the idea that Metra offers crap service?

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on May 13, 2012 at 8:44pm

Actually haven't ridden the Metra regularly in years, but in my short time as CL member it seems like I've read a handful of complaints by people here in regards to attitude of the conductors and maybe some other things, too.  That's what I was speaking to, more or less, when using the word "crap".  

   

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on May 13, 2012 at 8:47pm

+1. Metra is almost always on time, clean, and the conductors overall have been pretty nice.  Some even help lift my bike on the train.

Not to say I haven't had rude ones as well, but a majority of the time when I take the metra the service is great.

Duppie said:

Where do you get the idea that Metra offers crap service?

As a sometimes Metra user, I prefer Metra over CTA trains anyday. Plenty of trains during the times I use it most, clean trains that depart on the scheduled times, and it does get me to where I want to go a lot faster than the CTA.

Zoetrope said:

It's clear by now that Metra offers a crap service with crap customer service, but will "boycotting" their trains during NATO prove to be a catalyst for future policy change?  No.  Metra is getting orders from Rahm, there's nothing you can do.  Also, because Metra get their orders from Rahm, the nice people at Metra will view your "boycott" as you making things convenient for them this week.  After NATO, Metra will continue to be crap when you all end your "boycott" and things go back to normal.  Just sayin...didn't want you guys to start thinking you were real anarchists and stuff.  

Permalink Reply by Ash L. on May 13, 2012 at 8:59pm

I've only had trouble on the Metra electric line with my bike and I think it was mostly attributed to other cyclists being rude to the conductor at the same time I got on with my bike so he just lumped me in with "those ruffian types". He did give both James and me shit about our bikes and wouldn't allow both of our bikes to be in the same car even though the limit for that car was 5 bikes and we were the only two there. He then charged me $9.75 for a $7 weekend pass. 

All my other experiences have been okay and just yesterday on the camping trip we loaded way more bikes into a single car than what was kosher and they didn't give us a hard time. 

Permalink Reply by Ride it like you stole it on May 13, 2012 at 9:07pm

As I always say.. You(not you, James, mostly the media)call them Anarchists. I call them citizens presenting their redress of grievances. And If you want to know who came looking for a riot, look who came dressed for one.

James BlackHeron said:

What's with the hate and blanket-approach labeling people as "bomb-throwing anarchists."

Anarchists (the real ones -not the punks who don't understand what the word means) are good folks.  I've never seen one throw a bomb. 

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on May 13, 2012 at 9:37pm

That level of restriction is so ridiculous and arbitrary that I don't see how anyone could conceivably ride Metra this week with any amount of comfort or sanity.  I guess using the word "boycott" struck me as silly, is all.  Because I've read various complaints about their service in the past here, I saw this "boycott" as CL members reaction towards Metra's generally unaccommodating attitudes towards cyclists, which finally reached a tipping point. 

I don't know what you mean about access points or anything security related.  Frankly, I haven't been paying attention because I don't ride public trans much and I plan to stay away from this mess anyway.

Good luck.   

Anne Alt said:

At this point, it's a lose-lose no matter what we do.  I have no desire to subject myself to that level of restriction, which limits the usefulness of those transit trips.  I generally have stuff to work on during the day.  

I can't carry what I need for a full day within the ridiculously small 15"x15"x4" limitation.  I suspect there are a whole lot of other people in that same boat.

CTA isn't slamming people with a lot of restrictions.  I suspect that basic logistics have a lot to do with that (too many access points to control).  In reality, that makes CTA's service the only viable option for at least some of our transit trips, in light of Metra's draconian restrictions.

Zoetrope said:

It's clear by now that Metra offers a crap service with crap customer service, but will "boycotting" their trains during NATO prove to be a catalyst for future policy change?  No.  Metra is getting orders from Rahm, there's nothing you can do.  Also, because Metra get their orders from Rahm, the nice people at Metra will view your "boycott" as you making things convenient for them this week.  After NATO, Metra will continue to be crap when you all end your "boycott" and things go back to normal.  Just sayin...didn't want you guys to start thinking you were real anarchists and stuff.  

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 13, 2012 at 9:41pm

I'm with James here. Anarchy is the absence of hierarchy, no more, no less. Some of us entertain a belief that humans could potentially attain more by moving beyond top-down leadership systems. We have no interest in destroying or tearing down. Just because the media mislabels the folks who want to frack chit up, and at times they mislabel themselves, doesn't mean the rest of us are forced to follow suit.

Ride your bicycle said:

As I always say.. You(not you, James, mostly the media)call them Anarchists. I call them citizens presenting their redress of grievances. And If you want to know who came looking for a riot, look who came dressed for one.

James BlackHeron said:

What's with the hate and blanket-approach labeling people as "bomb-throwing anarchists."

Anarchists (the real ones -not the punks who don't understand what the word means) are good folks.  I've never seen one throw a bomb. 

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on May 13, 2012 at 9:44pm

Agora, Anarchy, Action!

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 13, 2012 at 9:49pm

That, and I always get the sense that there's some amount of "profiling" going on in terms of how the conductors treat you (i.e. age, dress, gender, demeanor, whether you appear to be with a larger group, just out with your wife, etc.)  Most often my own personal experience is that the conductor has to make some sort of show so that I know I'm only being permitted to take my bike on because he's feeling charitable.  I've never been arbitrarily denied travel, but that may just be a function of the few times over the years I've taken a bike on Metra.

Back to Zeotrope's point-- overall, bike issues aside, I'd say Metra is by far the best run transit entity in Chicagoland, and it seems to approach European standards in terms of timeliness.

Thunder Snow said:

If you ride the same train fairly regularly, and get to know the conductors by chatting with them, you'll get much more leeway in everything, I've found.  Last week, the train doors slammed shut and the train got ready to leave my station just as I ran up to the top step of the platform.  I kept running, right up to the closed door and my man, George the Conductor, saw me and stalled the train a few more seconds, and reopened the doors long enough for me to pile in.  I've got no problems with Metra service.
 
James BlackHeron said:

Have you never been jacked-with by a conductor with an attitude towards bikes and a penchant for interpreting the "rules" in such a way as to more efficiently and thoroughly screwing with you, the bicyclist who dares bring his/her bike on HIS train?

Yeah, me too...

Duppie said:

Where do you get the idea that Metra offers crap service?



Permalink Reply by Ride it like you stole it on May 13, 2012 at 11:31pm



h' said:

I'm with James here. Anarchy is the absence of hierarchy, no more, no less. Some of us entertain a belief that humans could potentially attain more by moving beyond top-down leadership systems. We have no interest in destroying or tearing down. Just because the media mislabels the folks who want to frack chit up, and at times they mislabel themselves, doesn't mean the rest of us are forced to follow suit.

Ride your bicycle said:

As I always say.. You(not you, James, mostly the media)call them Anarchists. I call them citizens presenting their redress of grievances. And If you want to know who came looking for a riot, look who came dressed for one.

James BlackHeron said:

What's with the hate and blanket-approach labeling people as "bomb-throwing anarchists."

Anarchists (the real ones -not the punks who don't understand what the word means) are good folks.  I've never seen one throw a bomb. 

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