Tonya Tibbs wrote to "Going Public" about a bad train experience in the wake of the stroller incident on the Red Line. Her letter continues after the jump.
"I just read the article in this morning's RedEye, 'The Train Took My Baby,' and was very disturbed.
Last Wednesday I had a slightly similar experience, although nowhere near as severe. I was headed downtown from O'Hare with my fiance on the Blue Line. I had a medium-large-sized rolling suitcase with me.
When we arrived at our stop, Grand, my fiance got off of the train and I was right behind him. The door closed on my arm holding my suitcase and wouldn't open. ...
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CTA rider: Door closed on my bag
The train started to move and I screamed for my fiance. He turned
around and pulled the door open and my suitcase out. I was very
startled, but luckily had him with me.
I've never seen a door closing on a train that didn't bounce right back open if something was in the way. I've traveled on the Blue Line to and from O'Hare at least a hundred times and never had an experience like this.
I'm a young and perfectly healthy/fit person, yet I couldn't pull the doors open. I assumed the incident was a freak accident, and that maybe the [operator] wasn't paying attention. I didn't think to tell the CTA workers at the station.
After reading your article today, it makes me wonder if the CTA is falling behind with maintaining their trains and equipment. There is no excuse that would allow them to risk the lives of passengers.
I realize that the tone of the article makes it sound like the woman may have been trying to rush to a departing train. But I moved quickly to get off of my train and was seated in one of the closest spots to the door when it happened to me.
This is completely ridiculous and shouldn't be a concern for CTA riders."
I've never seen a door closing on a train that didn't bounce right back open if something was in the way. I've traveled on the Blue Line to and from O'Hare at least a hundred times and never had an experience like this.
I'm a young and perfectly healthy/fit person, yet I couldn't pull the doors open. I assumed the incident was a freak accident, and that maybe the [operator] wasn't paying attention. I didn't think to tell the CTA workers at the station.
After reading your article today, it makes me wonder if the CTA is falling behind with maintaining their trains and equipment. There is no excuse that would allow them to risk the lives of passengers.
I realize that the tone of the article makes it sound like the woman may have been trying to rush to a departing train. But I moved quickly to get off of my train and was seated in one of the closest spots to the door when it happened to me.
This is completely ridiculous and shouldn't be a concern for CTA riders."
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2 Comments
jezika172 said:
I had a similar situation happen to me once. I was running for the train and as the doors were closing I went to throw my arm and my bag into the door (thinking that it would STOP and the doors would then OPEN). But instead, my bag (definitely over one inch in width) got stuck in the doors and the train began moving. Only until someone on the platform saw and heard me screaming did he scream to the conductor to stop.
But the drivers of the CTA don't all check the doors before they leave the station, there's no regular rider who will argue that.
wooddroe said:
You the lady in the stroller story and a lot others who just under the dumb impression that even when the door is closing you just going to force your way in any way, well GOOD LUCK you got to keep your arm this time that give you another chance to try loosing it and try to sue CTA for your stupidity. When the doors are closing step back and wait for the next train or bus and live another day or keep your arm Say genius you sound unsafe and don't try to blame CTA IT'S YOU THAT NOT SAFE.
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