Unusual Experiences

[artthouwill]

We all have heard or seen some tale of a pervert rubbing up against a woman or jerking himself off on the bus or train where this behavior is repulsive and unacceptable. But has anyone seen or experienced anything (as a driver, employee, or rider) that was actually met with your or someone else's approval? Not necessarily anything X-rated (there are cameras on CTA buses now).

Once I was on a CTA bus (pre-camera days). I was waiting for the bus at the 79th station late one Friday nite (12:30 - 1a.m,), and there was this woman I noticed. There was this guy trying very hard to hit on her. Finally the bus came and I hopped on through the back doors. I managed to get a seat and she managed to elude this guy for a couple of minutes. I sat in one of those seats that face each other (over the rear wheels). She stood over me. I took both of my feet and clasp them around one foot of hers then looked her dead in her eye. She smiled, then started sliding her foot out of the shoe and up and down my leg. This guy finally caught up to her and relentlessly continued to try to converse with her, but she never stopped rubbing on me. I won't say how I was feeling. This continued until the bus broke down. It was a 9600 series bus (yea it was a long time ago). I wonder if this happened on a bus now, would we be carted off to jail?

Once I went to rescue passengers on a Sears Pace subscription route that broke down in Lansing, but by the time I got there, the passengers had made their way to River Oaks on their own. On my way back to the garage, I pulled up to a red light and there was a young couple beside me in a car. They were playing around and he grabbed her breast, They kept on until she happened to look up and saw me with a very big grin on my face. She immediately got her man's attention and pointed to me. (He was driving). He leaned over and looked at me. I didn't hide my smile, and in fact, nodded at him. He smiled and nooded back, which earned him a hard punch in the shoulder from her.

[BusExpert32]

So.........how long will this topic last?

[sw4400]

We all have heard or seen some tale of a pervert rubbing up against a woman or jerking himself off on the bus or train where this behavior is repulsive and unacceptable. But has anyone seen or experienced anything (as a driver, employee, or rider) that was actually met with your or someone else's approval? Not necessarily anything X-rated (there are cameras on CTA buses now).

Once I was on a CTA bus (pre-camera days). I was waiting for the bus at the 79th station late one Friday nite (12:30 - 1a.m,), and there was this woman I noticed. There was this guy trying very hard to hit on her. Finally the bus came and I hopped on through the back doors. I managed to get a seat and she managed to elude this guy for a couple of minutes. I sat in one of those seats that face each other (over the rear wheels). She stood over me. I took both of my feet and clasp them around one foot of hers then looked her dead in her eye. She smiled, then started sliding her foot out of the shoe and up and down my leg. This guy finally caught up to her and relentlessly continued to try to converse with her, but she never stopped rubbing on me. I won't say how I was feeling. This continued until the bus broke down. It was a 9600 series bus (yea it was a long time ago). I wonder if this happened on a bus now, would we be carted off to jail?

Ummm.... ????? ...... ?????.....

I really don't know how to respond to this.... post....... Basically what you did on the bus was unacceptable. It's almost as bad as a employee of a Grocery Store "getting face" with a Salvation Army bell ringer behind the store while on the clock!!! As far as being carted off to jail, probably not unless you went further, but getting kicked off the bus, definately possible.

[artthouwill]

Ummm.... ????? ...... ?????.....

I really don't know how to respond to this.... post....... Basically what you did on the bus was unacceptable. It's almost as bad as a employee of a Grocery Store "getting face" with a Salvation Army bell ringer behind the store while on the clock!!! As far as being carted off to jail, probably not unless you went further, but getting kicked off the bus, definately possible.

In this instance, I was just a passenger, not an employee.

[artthouwill]

So.........how long will this topic last?

Not long i'm sure.

[Busjack]

The question is where is the line between frottage and sexual assault, if any.

The only thing I can describe is that I mentioned riding the old look propanes through Washington Park when the no bra look was in.

I believe they finally repaved that stretch about a year ago.

[BusHunter]

There's been alot of crazy things happen on the CTA. What happened here would not get you throwed off, that would be moreless the discretion of the driver. There's been alot of people kissing on the bus, as long as that doesn't move to a nudist level everything should be alright. Things change over time, a true sign of the times moment for me is when I saw two girls passionately kissing not just for two seconds if you get my drift. I almost had the feeling it may have been for my benefit, the girls seemed to be showing off. I have to admit, I was thinking Ooh God get me off this bus!! Would this happen in 1960, I don't know. But nowadays it occurs quite frequently, lots of gay couples kiss on the #36 and routes traveling around Wrigleyville's east side. I've actually got used to seeing this and have accepted it. It doesn't seem to hold that weird stigmata it used to. But things change, just the other day I was surprised to see a woman groping herself on free TV. The TV networks can stretch out what they can show to the edge, but can't go any further. Now if it was a man groping her, it would probably be banned. But the time is probably coming where it will go further, thanks to the rating system now put on TV shows you see in the upper left of the screen at the beginning of shows. Riders nowadays are more concerned about people acting appropiately. There was once this man who got up on a blue line train at Jefferson Pk. and just urinated right there in front of everyone. People were yelling and distraught after this, it was something of an upset. The operator called in a 10-25, the code for dirty and had the man arrested. I think he was as appalled as everyone else. But still there are a few nasty people out there where he left off, just the other day a man was urinating at Damen/Milwaukee on the platform as we rode by. He didn't even seem to cover himself. I thought I hope there's no little girls looking his way this guy is nasty. I just hope no one was walking under the platform at that time or they got an early shower. :huh:

[Guest]

Back in 2001, I came to the aid of a Pace (West) bus operator at South Blvd. half block east of the Ridgeland Green Line Sta. I was working the #86 Narragansett, as I came around the corner for the return trip I saw a Pace 2200 Ikarus working the #315, on the sidewalk, it had jumped the curb taking down a stop sign. I stopped alongside I saw the female operator slumped over the steering wheel. I got out, tried to get her attention but she didnt respond. So I jumped up the bumper and accessed the drivers window and opened the doors. The bus was still in drive so I quickly secured it. I tried to wake the driver, she was moving but was not responding, so I called Pace to tell them one of their drivers was down and unresponsive, they notified the Oak Pk. Fire Dept. I also called CTA control to notify them of the incident. Fire/paramedics arrived within minutes. After explaining to the fireman what I came up on, they quickly took over the incident and I resumed my bus route. I later called Oak Pk fire to find out about the bus operator they told me she had a seizure at the wheel. I was thankful this didnt happen at the Ridgeland stop where there were a crowd of people who couldve been seriously injured or worse.

[jajuan]

This one qualifies as just nasty. Once when I was riding a SB Americana on the 82 in the mid 90s (and before the cameras on the buses), there was a teenage kid who looks me right in the eye and starts groping himself, practically masturbating through his clothes right there on the bus. It was at the height of PM rush so the bus was quite crowded. Before I could try to get past the crush of people and to move to another seat, the kid gets up and gets off the bus at the Kimball Brown line station. I couldn't believe how blatant this kid was let alone how the other riders near him went about their business as if nothing out of the way happened.

[Buslover88]

Once I was on a CTA bus (pre-camera days). I was waiting for the bus at the 79th station late one Friday nite (12:30 - 1a.m,), and there was this woman I noticed. There was this guy trying very hard to hit on her. Finally the bus came and I hopped on through the back doors. I managed to get a seat and she managed to elude this guy for a couple of minutes. I sat in one of those seats that face each other (over the rear wheels). She stood over me. I took both of my feet and clasp them around one foot of hers then looked her dead in her eye. She smiled, then started sliding her foot out of the shoe and up and down my leg. This guy finally caught up to her and relentlessly continued to try to converse with her, but she never stopped rubbing on me. I won't say how I was feeling. This continued until the bus broke down. It was a 9600 series bus (yea it was a long time ago). I wonder if this happened on a bus now, would we be carted off to jail?

Wow ... just wow ....

Ummm.... ????? ...... ?????.....

I really don't know how to respond to this.... post....... Basically what you did on the bus was unacceptable. It's almost as bad as a employee of a Grocery Store "getting face" with a Salvation Army bell ringer behind the store while on the clock!!! As far as being carted off to jail, probably not unless you went further, but getting kicked off the bus, definately possible.

Agreed 100%, SW!

[Guest]

I remember one time when I worked the 80 Irving. I picked up the kids at Lake View HS. When I got to Narragansett the bus was pretty much empty except for two girls in the back. I look in my interior rear view mirror and I see the two girls liplocked! They were making out all the way to Harlem.

[BusHunter]

Then there's just the plain weird occurence. Once there was this Red Line train that had opened it's doors and a pigeon flew in the train car. So the train is traveling down the track with the pigeon and it's scared flapping it's wings and flying around the car. Some people just sat in the car like it was a normal ride. Weird. That's not all that goes for a ride on the "L". Once I was on a blue line car in the 1980's passing through the turn between Washington and Clark/lake. I had decided to pass through the cars to the next car which had some seats available. I then sat down. I was wearing a hat. These people across the aisle were looking at me funny, finally one of them said "Is that thing real?" pointing to my hat. I took my hat off and there was this bug about an inch or two long on the brim of my hat, it kind of resembled a grasshopper, but it wasn't green and it antenna were wiggling at me. I took my hat and took it to where the doorway was and flicked it off my hat and killed it. I went back to my seat looking at these people who had a sour look on there face. I couldn't help but laugh and thanked them for telling me.

[Busjack]

... Once I was on a blue line car in the 1980's passing through the turn between Washington and Clark/lake. I had decided to pass through the cars to the next car which had some seats available. I then sat down. I was wearing a hat. These people across the aisle were looking at me funny, finally one of them said "Is that thing real?" pointing to my hat. I took my hat off and there was this bug about an inch or two long on the brim of my hat, it kind of resembled a grasshopper, but it wasn't green and it antenna were wiggling at me. I took my hat and took it to where the doorway was and flicked it off my hat and killed it. I went back to my seat looking at these people who had a sour look on there face. I couldn't help but laugh and thanked them for telling me.

Proving that the CTA means it when it says not to cross between cars.:P

[BusHunter]

Proving that the CTA means it when it says not to cross between cars.

IIRC, it says now something of the effect "to stop for emergencies only" back in the 80's "it said it was hazardous but didn't stop you." so my butt is covered. :P

[Busjack]

IIRC, it says now something of the effect "to stop for emergencies only" back in the 80's "it said it was hazardous but didn't stop you." so my butt is covered.

Nonetheless, you proved that the CTA populates its subways with strange insecta (probably other arthropods down there, too), which make the warning self-enforcing.:o

[BusHunter]

Here's a very weird experience involving PACE. It involves 5750's garage so maybe he can elaborate on this, so anyway I was aboard this #606 about 2 or 3 years ago, and the forecast was for heavy rain. It rained so heavily the traffic was stacked up on the Elmhurst road exit ramp exiting the tollway. The traffic was bumper to bumper on Elmhurst from the tollway to Algonquin Rd. All the surrounding areas were flooded in the lower area residential areas along the east side of Elmhurst north of Oakton as well as the Algonquin/Elmhurst intersection. The bus driver decided to travel through, I thought oh no!! we're going to get stuck and I'm going to have to wade through this flood water which didn't excite me. But we made it through unscaved. (thank God) So the rest of the trip was pretty normal other than a little high water. So a few days later maybe one or two #2302 0r #2304 (I'm forgetting) rolls up to pick up passengers at River Rd/Rosemont blue line. We boarded. Upon boarding and sitting down I immediately smelled this smell of sewer gas or rotten eggs aboard the bus. It smelled like a stink bomb that kids sometimes pull for a prank usually in high school hallways in my experience. The smell was pretty bad it would take your breath away. All the hopper windows had been opened to try to allieviate this smell. We took off much to my anguish. When traveling the smell went away (thank god) and you could breath again. People were laughing at this smell with there shirts pulled over there nose like a bunch of banditos. I started wondering if they were getting high off this smell. I couldn't get off on the tollway, hopefully things would turn out OK. I made it to where I was going and wondered how could a bus be spewing this through there ventilation system? Then I thought of a few days ago, the flood. I speculate this bus was parked where the garage had flooded that night and somehow the flood water or backed up sewage water had penetrated the ventalation system and needed to be dried out or someone drove it through some real high water and it somehow penetrated the ventalation system, other than that I can't explain it. The bus has run fine since then with no problems. Wow!! I'll never forget that one!!

[sw4400]

I got one that equals this(not bus related, but odor related)

When we(Chicago) had the bad flooding rains a few years back(where even the sidewalks flooded!), I had to go to work, but it turns out my store was closing and remained closed for two hours. Reason was that water had backed up into the store, flooding the aisles and departments. It took us employees two hours to clean it up and re-open again.

[Guest]

Here's a very weird experience involving PACE. It involves 5750's garage so maybe he can elaborate on this, so anyway I was aboard this #606 about 2 or 3 years ago, and the forecast was for heavy rain. It rained so heavily the traffic was stacked up on the Elmhurst road exit ramp exiting the tollway. The traffic was bumper to bumper on Elmhurst from the tollway to Algonquin Rd. All the surrounding areas were flooded in the lower area residential areas along the east side of Elmhurst north of Oakton as well as the Algonquin/Elmhurst intersection. The bus driver decided to travel through, I thought oh no!! we're going to get stuck and I'm going to have to wade through this flood water which didn't excite me. But we made it through unscaved. (thank God) So the rest of the trip was pretty normal other than a little high water. So a few days later maybe one or two #2302 0r #2304 (I'm forgetting) rolls up to pick up passengers at River Rd/Rosemont blue line. We boarded. Upon boarding and sitting down I immediately smelled this smell of sewer gas or rotten eggs aboard the bus. It smelled like a stink bomb that kids sometimes pull for a prank usually in high school hallways in my experience. The smell was pretty bad it would take your breath away. All the hopper windows had been opened to try to allieviate this smell. We took off much to my anguish. When traveling the smell went away (thank god) and you could breath again. People were laughing at this smell with there shirts pulled over there nose like a bunch of banditos. I started wondering if they were getting high off this smell. I couldn't get off on the tollway, hopefully things would turn out OK. I made it to where I was going and wondered how could a bus be spewing this through there ventilation system? Then I thought of a few days ago, the flood. I speculate this bus was parked where the garage had flooded that night and somehow the flood water or backed up sewage water had penetrated the ventalation system and needed to be dried out or someone drove it through some real high water and it somehow penetrated the ventalation system, other than that I can't explain it. The bus has run fine since then with no problems. Wow!! I'll never forget that one!!

I rememeber that rainstorm, I was stuck on Arlington Hts Road NB on the 616 route. It didnt move for over two hours. I was really ticked off at why the traffic wasant moving. There was no where to turn around or detour.

[BusHunter]

I rememeber that rainstorm, I was stuck on Arlington Hts Road NB on the 616 route. It didnt move for over two hours. I was really ticked off at why the traffic wasant moving. There was no where to turn around or detour.

IIRC, the power that night was knocked out on Golf from Algonquin west, a big tree branch had fallen around Meijer's drive on Algonquin taking the power line with it. Pretty much all traffic lights were out up there as well as the power to the stores in the vicinity.

[BusHunter]

Nonetheless, you proved that the CTA populates its subways with strange insecta (probably other arthropods down there, too), which make the warning self-enforcing.

They better watch out for the rats, they get big in the subway. I saw one once about the size of a small rabbit or as big as a squirrel. That's the biggest I've ever seen. There must be good eats down there. BTW, once I saw this PACE Orion #6000 in service and the front doors didn't work. So the driver ran the bus in service and when he made a stop would open the back doors and tell everyone to enter there. Kind of weird, but it works I guess.

[sw4400]

I think this post fits here...

I was on the EB #80 bus yesterday on a NOVA(there's a reason why I mentioned the bus type, keep reading on...) coming back with a sewing machine a friend of mine had fixed and asked me to pick up. Anyhow, somewhere before the Kennedy, we pick up a 70-some yr. old man. I think nothing of it at the time. There's a young woman in the seat directly behind the driver(hence the NOVA reference) on her cell phone. Instead of saying "excuse me, can I sit there?", what does he do??? He grabs her coat and starts trying to pull her out of the seat. Another Senior Citizen gets up and tells him he can sit where she was, which is the folding seats right behind that set. He tells her "Mind your own business, you'll live longer!!!" Anyways, the woman leaves the seat, and grumpy Grandpa takes the seat he assulted the lady for, and also says "I'm entitled to this seat." to the lady who tried to offer up hers. FWIW, he got off at the Central Park McDonalds. I was tempted to yell out the doors at him "I hope you choke on a fry!" Now for a bit of what if...

-If I were the person in that seat and he tried pulling me out of the seat, I would've told the driver to stop the bus and call the police because he's assulting me. And if he tried using that cane of his on me, my friend probably would've needed a new sewing machine, and I'll leave it at that. If he asked politely, I would've given up the seat, but since he was being a prick about it, I would've told him "You got a Free Pass, sir. Free Seats are in the back by the engine, or just for you, the bike rack outside."

Chicagobus.org members, what would you have done if you were in the lady's shoes who was being yanked from her seat?

[ChicagoNova]

I think this post fits here...

I was on the EB #80 bus yesterday on a NOVA(there's a reason why I mentioned the bus type, keep reading on...) coming back with a sewing machine a friend of mine had fixed and asked me to pick up. Anyhow, somewhere before the Kennedy, we pick up a 70-some yr. old man. I think nothing of it at the time. There's a young woman in the seat directly behind the driver(hence the NOVA reference) on her cell phone. Instead of saying "excuse me, can I sit there?", what does he do??? He grabs her coat and starts trying to pull her out of the seat. Another Senior Citizen gets up and tells him he can sit where she was, which is the folding seats right behind that set. He tells her "Mind your own business, you'll live longer!!!" Anyways, the woman leaves the seat, and grumpy Grandpa takes the seat he assulted the lady for, and also says "I'm entitled to this seat." to the lady who tried to offer up hers. FWIW, he got off at the Central Park McDonalds. I was tempted to yell out the doors at him "I hope you choke on a fry!" Now for a bit of what if...

-If I were the person in that seat and he tried pulling me out of the seat, I would've told the driver to stop the bus and call the police because he's assulting me. And if he tried using that cane of his on me, my friend probably would've needed a new sewing machine, and I'll leave it at that. If he asked politely, I would've given up the seat, but since he was being a prick about it, I would've told him "You got a Free Pass, sir. Free Seats are in the back by the engine, or just for you, the bike rack outside."

Chicagobus.org members, what would you have done if you were in the lady's shoes who was being yanked from her seat?

I'd beat the crap out of him.

[Busjack]

Basically, this proves that we don't live in Toronto, where courtesy would have been shown by both sides. I assume that there are still "yield the seat to the elderly or handicapped" signs, but neither side gave a bleep about courtesy.

As far as charging someone with assault, there was something on the CTA Tattler on Wednesday and Thursday, about crime on the CTA and iPod theft, especially crime on the rise at bus stops. It seems like the numbers are racking up, but no indication was made there whether arrests are being made and prosecuted. Also, the attitude of at least one poster, which was repeated by the moderator, was that this was not a priority.

So, if the seniors riding for free (which I take is the gist of your comment) and others can't act in a civilized nature on the CTA, maybe the rest of us should abandon it. Especially given the concealed carry guys who posted after I did. Then, see if CTA can engineer a campaign to raise our taxes to support it again.

[Guest]

If I were in that lady's position, I wouldve pushed him away and tell him not to put his hands on me. If he wanted the seat he would have to ask politely. Now if it were a younger person, I wouldve knocked him to the floor!. But considering this is a senior citizen, you cant assault them regardless of their behavior, certainly you have the right to defend yourself. But also when you sit in the priority seats you have to be ready for a rude senior citizen who may take offense to someone not offering them the priority seatting. On the other hand there are rude passengers who will not offer priority seats to seniors or disabled. That really aggravated me when I saw that happen on my bus!. It rarely happens at Pace, but at CTA it was often. There are seniors who do feel a sense of entitlement, to a point that it goes over their head where they become extremely rude. Bottom line, no one should be putting their hands on anyone!

[Guest]

When I was an #80 Irving Park or a #56 Milwaukee operator, I used to pick up a middle aged female either at Jeff. Pk or at six corners. She would ride to Kostner and disembark. When she got on my bus there was always a confrontation with her. She would demand that I close my drivers window for no reason. I would tell her sorry, but that thats my window and it will stay open. She begins to argue with me and then she would pull out her little notepad and pen and proceed to copy down my badge and bus number. I wouldnt make a "big stink" about it and just keep it to myself and when I got to the garage I would let my transp. manager know what the confrontation was about then file an incident report. This went on for weeks until one evening she got on my bus at Jeff Pk. while working Milwaukee, once again she has a problem with me having the doors and my drivers side window open. We have a verbal confrontation, she threatens to report me again, at this point a FG Transportation Mgr. had arrived to investigate my more than five incident reports I made on this incident. I pointed her out to my mgr, the lady began verbally harrasing my mgr. while a couple regular pass. would step up and back up my story. I never saw the lady again after that incident.