We've all seen these donkeys, trekking across the tundra that is Union Station with the weight of the world on their backs.
Oh, I know the cool word is "backpack" but some of these backpacks are so large and filled with God knows what, that those who wear them take up as much space as if they had a small child hanging from their neck. I call them a backperson.
Many aren't mindful that they're swinging a body around behind them or that this backperson takes up more room on stairs and in elevators, or on the train.
Tonight I got knocked off balance by a backperson whose owner decided to come to a screeching halt while climbing up the stairs to Platform 12. Colliding with his backperson caused me to lose my footing and if I hadn't managed to snag the railing, I most certainly would have fallen to a concrete death.
Once I regained my footing, I climbed past the jerk and shouted a loud, "Excuse Me!" in his hear.
Well maybe you shouldn't be crowding him as you are walking behind. Leave room between yourself and his backpack so if he stops, you won't run into him. Let's be clear......you ran into him!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, you're so clever!
ReplyDeleteYes! In rush hour madness, I will be sure to leave 10 paces between myself and others with backpersons - always. Especially on stairs. I'll make sure to stop and give leeway to others in front of me, say about 3 to 4 steps, at all times.
I'll let you know how it works out.
Assholes that come to a stop in those tiny teamway stairwells deserve a kick in the arse. Worse are those who squeeze by you as they ru up the stairs with no excuse me. Anyone whose taken the narrow stairs know you're going up single file and if one person stops, others aren't going anywhere. The real thing to do is move to the side if you need to come to a screeching halt on the stairs.
ReplyDeletePeople with backpacks and large bags should take those off when standing on the train and put them between their feet.
Because of a car accident, I cannot carry my stuff in a normal shoulder bag, so I have a backpack and I am almost always considerate with it when I am wearing it.
ReplyDeleteWhat annoys me when I am wearing it, are those people who cannot seem to see the black straps against not black clothing and get upset when the squeeze around me and therefore get hit with the thing.
But, in regards to this post: its the people that stop right at the top of the stairs or escalator - because that is the door of the train they want - and huddle up so no one can get by. If the train is late, people are backed up DOWN the steps. Its a safety hazard.
I'll take a backpack over a rolling suitcase any day.
ReplyDeleteOh the rolling suitcases/briefcases make me insane! You're right about the backpacks, they're a pain too, but at least they're hitting you right in the face! How many times have you pulled a Dick Van Dyk over a rolling briefcase in rush hour because you're looking straight ahead and not in between your feet when some clown trips you up?
ReplyDeleteMy opinion on all the crap people haul around every day is this: if you're hauling so much crap back and forth every day to an OFFICE job, that you require a suitcase on wheels or a backpack the size of Mini Me, then you need to re-evaluate your life. Maybe it's time for a home office, or how bout you ask for a lock on a cabinet in your office so you don't have to cart everything back and forth daily? I dunno, just thinking out loud.....
Anon 12.29:
ReplyDeleteI have a backpack due to shoulder and back injuries. I carry my laptop home everyday because if there is GO Train issues in the morning, then I can turn around and work from home. I also carry my lunch in it. And with all those reuseable containers, that takes up a lot of space. In the summer, I carry an umbrella and flip slops for rain emergencies and in the winter, spare gloves/hat/scarf.
There are those that carry all of the above, plus books for school, supplies for other classes taken at lunch or after work.
What you need to remember is that not everything schlepped to and from home is work related every day. And I prefer dodging around one bag, opposed to someone who carries 5 different ones everyday.
Jen, you are carting around too much crap! Get a gribe, and lighten the load sister, no wonder you've got back and sholder issues, you're a gal, not a pack mule.
ReplyDeleteSo lunch and a laptop is too much? That is all I carry. And if GO could be more reliable, I would def. leave the computer at home.
ReplyDeleteBack and Shoulder issues is a result of being rear-ended 12 years ago. Will never get better, but will not get worse because of the evenly divided weight I carry.