# My subway rants! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 12, 2013, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703 "2013-11-12T05:49:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![OurLordPeace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e8c25b/32.png) [@OurLordPeace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OurLordPeace)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/61 "2013-11-12T23:16:44Z")
> [@TashaKitty](#): > > Of course they don’t do it to piss people off, but it’s quite possible that they were never taught as children that releasing smelly farts in enclosed spaces is rude, and as adults they simply aren’t very considerate of how their bodily smells might affect other people. > > And as far as I’m concerned, if you can hold in your poops you can hold in your farts. Perhaps the people who find themselves unable to hold their farts in need to try a bit harder. Unless you’re either 90-years-old and incontinent **and/or somebody whose anal sphincter has been weakened by years of large anal insertions** , you should be able to hold your stink in. I think you make good points in general, but wouldn’t that sort of behavior just make it stronger? Isn’t it a pernicious myth, directed at those who receive anal sex, that they will end up with such problems? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/62 "2013-11-12T23:17:27Z")
Good point. I know two people who have been picked from their backpacks, and stopped one from happening on an escalator. Woman had no idea this dude was right behind her and unzipping her pack. ---
**Author:** ![TashaKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TashaKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TashaKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/63 "2013-11-12T23:27:23Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > After all these years, I don’t know why I’m still capable of surprise at the ability of people on this board to rationalize and defend every manner of bad behavior. > > Have fun marching in solidarity with the farters. May you always bring up the rear of the parade. Vinyl, I think I love you. ---
**Author:** ![TashaKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TashaKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TashaKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/64 "2013-11-12T23:33:31Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > San Francisco buses have the pass receiver (you don’t tap you just hold the pass next to it for a fraction of a second) on the left side, so those with passes can go on in on the left while those paying with cash can continue on the right. Why can’t your stupid subway system arrange things that way? Maybe your rant is mis-directed. > > And while we’re at it, OP, since we are already in the Pit I feel no compunction about telling you where to take your entitled princess self, and to express my glee that you are a full continent away from me. Please do not come here, ever. If you do, I will free to fart in your general direction. Thank you. Okay, seriously, the MBTA is not stupid. Boston had the first mass transit system in the US, so suck on that. Oh, and our homeless people don’t shit on the escalators and our sidewalks aren’t plastered in bird shit. ---
**Author:** ![TashaKitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d26b3c/32.png) [@TashaKitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TashaKitty)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/65 "2013-11-12T23:35:57Z")
> [@OurLordPeace](#): > > I think you make good points in general, but wouldn’t that sort of behavior just make it stronger? Isn’t it a pernicious myth, directed at those who receive anal sex, that they will end up with such problems? I don’t know, I’ve seen some pretty freaky pictures out there… ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/66 "2013-11-13T02:05:45Z")
> [@Jesse\_Pinkman](#): > > No, years on the MBTA wears on you. 20 years, man. Any day now I will become the crazy lady on the T. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/67 "2013-11-13T02:33:54Z")
> [@TashaKitty](#): > > Of course they don’t do it to piss people off, but it’s quite possible that they were never taught as children that releasing smelly farts in enclosed spaces is rude, and as adults they simply aren’t very considerate of how their bodily smells might affect other people. I don’t make a habit of farting in public (lest a stupid nitwit like you think otherwise). But I have accidentally had gas escape from my ass before. Even if I’m the only person in the world this has ever happened to, it is rude for YOU to call me rude over something I didn’t intend to do, that is relatively harmless, and that I already felt irrational embarrassed/shame over. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/68 "2013-11-13T02:43:49Z")
It’s been a few years now, but I used to ride the Tube in London daily on my way to work. And I did feel that it was full of inconsiderate fuckers who failed to understand that _I_ am the most important person on this metropolitan railway system. As examples: 1. Londoners seem quite considerate about farting, because I never noticed this as a problem. I suppose they saw me coming and thought “Wow! It’s Paul! I’d better not fart!” I left a trail of people doubled up with intestinal pain but hey, at least I didn’t have to smell something mildly unpleasant for a few moments. To be fair, the deep level lines on the Tube smell like ass anyway. 2. Some of them had children, and, as opposed to placing said children in a handy safe deposit box before entering the transit area, had the temerity to _take their kids with them_! Now, I know they really didn’t need to have those kids on my train at rush hour, because I could read their minds, so what were they playing at? I mean, any old idiot who’s never tried it can carry two writhing toddlers, a bag full of diapers and a folded-up stroller onto a subway train while surrounded by self-entitled commuters who think the entire system exists for _their_ benefit and theirs alone. 3. and 7) Bad food, farts, tobacco. Jesus fuck! Don’t you live in a city? Do you walk down the streets of Boston (is it?) thinking “Mmm, I love the smell of diesel fumesl! At least I’m not in the subway where I might have to smell a Big Mac!” ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/69 "2013-11-13T03:02:47Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > The babies are collapsible too? The babies are a very small part of the overall size of an SUV stroller. It appears that women use them so that they have someplace to put their coffee, purses, purchases, coats and kitchen sinks. People who use them in crowded situations are just rude. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/70 "2013-11-13T03:11:43Z")
The OP is not yelling **at** people on the T (do people really use “MBTA” now? Huh.); s/he is coming here to rant off steam about (for the most part) frankly inconsiderate people. If s/he were rushing up to people screaming “Stop farting! Stop farting”, I would agree that is unreasonable. But I still remember that person in the pink coat that would get on at Fields Corner and empty out half the car, even at rush hour, and that was about a quarter of a century ago. A bit of personal cleanliness is not a bad thing. My word, I got old. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/71 "2013-11-13T03:12:38Z")
This is another thing I’ve learned on the Dope - US Americans are (by-and-large) quite uptight about farting (I was going to say “anal” about it, but decided that fruit was hanging too low). You have to go into another room to fart, you can’t fart around other people, you can’t fart anywhere in public - I’d explode if I lived in the US! ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/72 "2013-11-13T03:19:16Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > The babies are a very small part of the overall size of an SUV stroller. It appears that women use them so that they have someplace to put their coffee, purses, purchases, coats and kitchen sinks. People who use them in crowded situations are just rude. So where should they place their babies and purchases? When I was in London, I found I could normally fit most of my purchases up my ass, but sadly it was just too much of a squeeze to insert the baby there as well. Hence the stroller. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/73 "2013-11-13T03:25:41Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > San Francisco buses have the pass receiver (you don’t tap you just hold the pass next to it for a fraction of a second) on the left side, so those with passes can go on in on the left while those paying with cash can continue on the right. Why can’t your stupid subway system arrange things that way? Maybe your rant is mis-directed. Allowing people to pay cash \*\*on \*\*the subway is, indeed, stupid. Is that actually how things work in Boston? ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/74 "2013-11-13T03:26:37Z")
I’m amazed that no one has mentioned my two pet peeves: 1. blocking the doors so passengers can’t get on or off the train quickly because the jerks are standing in the doorway 2. passengers on the platform will rush onto the train before letting passengers disembark I use the MBTA and I agree with most of the OP’s points. And yes, at above ground stops, if you’re paying in cash you should be the last person to board. You’re holding everyone up - why is it so hard to understand? ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/75 "2013-11-13T03:27:22Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > When I was in London, I found I could normally fit most of my purchases up my ass, but sadly it was just too much of a squeeze to insert the baby there as well. Hence the stroller. Babies must be really big in London. Here they fit just fine up the ass, nestled next to the groceries. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/76 "2013-11-13T03:32:17Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > So where should they place their babies and purchases? > > When I was in London, I found I could normally fit most of my purchases up my ass, but sadly it was just too much of a squeeze to insert the baby there as well. Hence the stroller. It’s called having consideration. If you are going to have so much stuff that it _requires_ the use of a four wheel vehicle that is four or more feet wide and tall, you should go the next step and use a car, not public transportation. Then you can use an umbrella stroller for the baby. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/77 "2013-11-13T03:43:45Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Babies must be really big in London. Here they fit just fine up the ass, nestled next to the groceries. I found that their shoulders were too wide. Otherwise, no problem - a week’s worth of groceries, a coffee and a load of babygrows could easily fit up there, but two very small toddlers? That caused a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Zago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecccb3/32.png) [@Zago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zago)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/78 "2013-11-13T03:45:10Z")
> [@Ruken](#): > > Allowing people to pay cash \*\*on \*\*the subway is, indeed, stupid. Is that actually how things work in Boston? In Boston it’s only on above ground stops on the Green Line (oldest ‘subway’ in America). Because the stops are above ground, and are literally on street corners, the MBTA has decided to accept cash as buying a ticket isn’t always convenient. Building full blown stations with turnstiles just isn’t practical in these areas. Thank God this is only on the Green Line and not until you get out of Boston proper. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/79 "2013-11-13T03:45:29Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > It’s called having consideration. If you are going to have so much stuff that it _requires_ the use of a four wheel vehicle that is four or more feet wide and tall, you should go the next step and use a car, not public transportation. Then you can use an umbrella stroller for the baby. Oh wait, I remember your schtick now. Took me a few moments. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703/80 "2013-11-13T03:48:25Z")
> [@PaulParkhead](#): > > Oh wait, I remember your schtick now. Took me a few moments. Like I am the only one in this thread to have complained about rude parents and SUV strollers? Nice try on finding an excuse for being inconsiderate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-subway-rants/673703.md?page=5)