Readership is still there but I'm not sure where to take this. All the action is on Twitter.
Before Twitter, this blog was my Twitter.
The most popular pet peeve and email topic from readers is foot riding. I could fill this blog with photos and photos of foot riding. In my opinion, the problem is worse than ever before. You only need to look at the condition of the fabric of your morning GO train to see how awful it is. Seven years ago I figured we could shame the problem away. It's just not happening.
The grossest thing I witnessed was Monday evening. I wasn't fast enough with my phone to get a photo as the Stouffville train pulled out of Union, but it was a woman, sitting sideways in a quad, with her bare feet on the window pane. The souls of her feet were black. I shudder to think if she washed them before bed.
9 comments:
I hope you keep this going, as a non-twitter user. I think it has been a really useful tool to let Metrolinx know about our frustrations and what was going well. Maybe that can still happen via twitter, truly don't know.
Is it just the absence of content that we're providing, (or the singular focus on foot riding), and that twitter users are providing so much more?
I hope you keep the blog going. I check it every day during the week. Some things can't be adequately said in only 140 characters.
It's tough because the Twitter channel is more engaging, immediate and entertaining. But, I have noticed that the blog is a totally different readership. It's primarily passengers, and transit enthusiasts, and people who work in the transit industry.
I also have come to learn that those who follow me on Twitter do not necessarily read the blog, and those who read the blog don't necessarily follow me on Twitter.
Posting and crafting stories is a part time job for any blogger. I spend more of my free time now cycling. Blogging from my phone while on the train is a pain in the butt. It's best done from a laptop which I don't want to start slogging around.
I think, if I continue to just update weekly, the blog survives... Don't be afraid to comment! We're all friends here.
I am not a Twitter user myself but I understand your feelings and frustrations. I hope you keep up the blog and I do enjoy reading it, I dont come here daily, but usually weekly.
I find Twitter to be a mess of mass messages. Keeping track of all the different threads is tiresome. Here, however, you provide concise, insightful, funny and timely updates of what's really going on. There are many of us who are annoyed with inconsiderate transit users, and you are our voice, our outlet. We would be much more miserable without you.
That’s just crazy talk, Cindy. The blog isn’t dying. I view it more as being on a summer hiatus of sorts. You have other priorities right now — that’s allowed. I still have stories in the queue for you, but I, too, have other priorities currently.
This Crazy Train isn’t Twitter, and Twitter ain’t This Crazy Train. You witnessing the woman on the Stouffville train, with her bare feet on the window pane, reminded me that I had tweeted photos of bare feet planted high on the front window of Route 12 double deckers. However, I have no idea how to find those posts *easily*. I use this blog as a source of reference material frequently. It’s easy to search for articles.
You are absolutely correct — crafting stories is a part time job. It takes time to do it right. It takes me a lot of time to get it right. But seeing the article posted gives a sense of accomplishment, even more so if it generates a flurry of comments. You’ve encouraged guest bloggers to contribute stories. Here’s my challenge to those who are sitting on the fence: write it, and we will read it.
In closing, allow me to say (demand?) this blog can’t go dormant at least until Burlington GO is completed — we have to cover that event! So, we’re good for a few years.
Oh for sure!!!
Please keep this blog going...I'm not a twitter user. I look forward to catching up with your blog during my train ride home. The EX starts in a few weeks and it never disappoints to provide for entertaining stories about unruly day trippers!
Please keep your blog going! I, like some of the others have mentioned above, am not a Twitter user. I love reading your posts and I sometimes will comment (I'm a little shy). I am a fellow Oshawa to Union rider and hope to meet you one day to tell you in person how much I admire you for your blog, your sense of humour, your hard work to a healthy lifestyle with all that cycling and your complete honesty about it and also to thank you for the many, MANY laughs you have given me over the years with your blog stories. I am always on the lookout for you on the train but sadly, I don't think we take the same ones. Not that I ever wish for major train delay but the next time there is one and you're waiting it out downtown in a restaurant, I'll do my best to be there....Leslie
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