Going Public Archives

Ryan Kiefer wrote to "Going Public" about a change with the Chicago Card turnstiles. Anyone else noticing this at their station? His photo is below.

"This is the turnstiles at Midway. The Chicago Card-only lane used to be second to the right, just next to the handicapped turnstile. Now it's a regular Chicago+transit card lane."

Stephanie Rivera wrote to "Going Public" about two bad train experiences in the wake of the stroller incident on the Red Line.

"I have two counterexamples to the CTA's vociferous chants of 'the train can't move if the doors are open.'

No. 1 is similar to the stroller story. I was running to catch a train and got inside, but the door closed on my arm. Unfortunately that arm was holding several large shopping bags. I was able to wiggle my arm in as much as possible, but i spent the entire ride between two stations with my hand and bags outside the doors.

No. 2, one time in the Blue Line [subway] I was standing on a relatively empty train when all of a sudden, while the train was going full speed, the doors on my car opened. If it had been a full train, i have no doubt that several people would have fallen out. The train continued on to the station, where the conductor came back to my car and closed the door manually.

No one who's spent any amount of time riding the trains doubts this woman's story."

At the Jackson stop on the Blue Line on Tuesday around 9 p.m., "Going Public" spotted performer Anthony Berry, who has a penchant for Oldies. His picture is below.

Spot a street performer you'd like "GP" to spotlight? Send an e-mail to tswartz@tribune.com with details. Here's photos of other CTA performers.

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. ...

Li Wright wrote to the CTA and cced "Going Public" with the hope that the CTA will change its rules regarding strollers in the wake of the incident on the Red Line.

"Maybe, just maybe, CTA will look at its policy concerning baby strollers on the buses and trains.

I've seen near catastrophes because the mom (or dad) wouldn't fold the stroller and carry the baby. Babies are tough. They can take the warm embrace of a parent's arms, but time and again, I see these lazy women keep the baby in the stroller, push the stroller down the aisle or block the aisles in public transportation.

I've seen passengers almost trip and fall trying to get over the strollers, and some of these strollers are huge."

A McKinley Park rider wrote to the CTA and cced "Going Public" in the wake of the stroller incident on the Red Line.

"Red Line mystery?! More like CTA mistake! It disgusts me to read the denial from CTA representatives regarding the stroller incident on the Red Line.

They are practically suggesting that the mother's story is fabricated, as Mr. [Robert Kelly, president of the Amalgamated Transit Union's Local 308 that represents CTA train operators] stated he had 'a hard time believing it happened like that.'
 
I have first-hand experience with a train closing its doors on my backpack when I was in college and my husband had the doors close on his bag just a few months ago.

My husband is lucky that he didn't lose his hand since the bag was wrapped around his arm as the train drove away. These incidents are caused by careless drivers. I have observed many times when drivers push the 'close doors' button AFTER they are back in the train.

My husband works the night shift and he has seen this more with drivers on 'off' hours. Just because it's not rush hour doesn't mean you shouldn't be careful. Drivers need to keep their eyes on the doors until they are COMPLETELY closed, and then proceed, but unfortunately this is rarely the case. I think the CTA needs to retrain all of their drivers!"

Derek Miller wrote to "Going Public" with complaints about CTA and Metra. "GP" encourages customers who experience bad or good customer service to note the employee's badge number and contact the CTA. Contact information is here. Miller's letter continues after the jump.

"I am sure you get hundreds of these e-mails but I am appalled and outraged with the atrocities that I see happening with the CTA.

It utterly disgusts me not only how much money they make but also when you consider the plush benefits, how much these people are rewarded for substandard service.

I have been cursed out by a CTA bus driver once for shaking my head when the bus drove past the stop. I was so angry I stood in front of the bus and reported him on the spot. I reported him but figured that this incident would go unpunished due to the fact that they hid behind their unions. ...

Padraic Connelly wrote to "Going Public" with an idea for a more comfortable CTA commute. His letter continues after the jump.

"During rush periods and game days there's a pattern of behavior on the Loop trains, particularly in the subways. The crowds of commuters and tourists in those stations tend to congregate in the dead center of the platform or immediately by the bottoms of the stairs.

When a train shows up all the waiting passengers are bunched up and all trying to squeeze into just a few of the eight available cars.

I've learned in my eight years of riding the 'L' where each train stops and which cars are almost always sure to have available seats.

Even during rush hour, heading north on the Red Line I just wait at where the last couple of cars pull into the Lake stop and almost always find a seat. ...

A Lakeview rider wrote to "Going Public" to complain about CTA employees "standing around" when they should be working.

"I ride the CTA everyday, twice a day. This morning, at the Merchandise Mart during rush hour, there were 12 (I counted!) workers standing around.

One was fixing a power box, three were eating Egg McMuffins and the rest were doing NOTHING. What a joke. Where's supervision? Where's accountability?

No wonder a system is bankrupt when it pays 12 people to do the work of maybe two. And this, just two days after a train [allegedly] dragged a baby and stroller down the tracks. We shouldn't have to put up with a system like this. It is a complete disaster."