Okay, I think the cart escalators in Greece must be different from here. The ones I've seen here basically grab the cart by one of the lower bars and bring it up or down - they're not people movers.

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Yeah, you get to go on the escalator with your cart? That's even more awesome.

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You don't hold onto the bar in a Muni train you're going to be on your ass the first time they slam on the brakes. It's not so optional with the public transit in SF.

That's the sort of situation I meant, when I said the thing about my life depending on it. I try not to use skin, though. In the best situations, I'm wearing gloves. When I'm not, but have long sleeves, I'll extend them. Ucky ucky humans.

Also? Received and backflung. I await your response, while I try to resist the urge to change my board name to Incidentally Cindy.

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As long as I can't smell it or step in a pile of it, I don't worry about gunk on public transit. I just wash my hands a lot.

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My favorite is when the visiting family brings their tot on wheels into the train car, slobbering one of those red white and blue rocket pops all over the place. I sidle up all conspiritorial and say, "That's a $50 fine you know. The sign says no food...that means you." The panic is a bit too fun to watch, I'm afraid to say. Where can they put it, they ask? "You notice there aren't any trash cans in here right? That's because you aren't supposed to bring anything in. I'm sure the station master will have something to say at the next stop.' One poor grandmother actually stuck a popsicle in her handbag to hide it. I tried to feel bad.

I don't know why I didn't think of this before. When I was visiting London, I got typically American-indignant about the amount of litter in the tube stations and asked my native friend why they didn't have trash bins in the tube stations. He told me they removed them in the 70s when the IRA was bombing London because they were a security risk. Too easy to leave a bomb sized parcel unnoticed until it was too late. Now they pay people to pick up the litter.

I daresay that the DC metro has similar rules for similar reasons and that the sole reason for the lack of trash receptacles isn't to discourage eating or drinking on the trains. But rather eating and drinking are discouraged because they can't have trash bins for security reasons and are just trying to cut down on unneccessary litter.

oof, my spelling sucks.

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My very first time in NYC, I went into a subway station, found an out of the way corner, studied the system for getting a subway token, confirmed with my map which train I wanted for the Staten Island Ferry, then proceeded to breeze through the system with smug aplomb.

Then found myself giving directions to a group of tourists who had left one of their party back at the last station because they couldn't decide if they should get on the train or not and the door closed in the person's face. The map is on the wall, people! It was (probably) not put up there by sadists who are trying to direct you to the white slavers and the hopheads--unless you mean to go there.

It's so easy to be an intelligent tourist. I weep for my kind.

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That's absolutely right, in fact, at one point all the trash bins were removed. Some are back now...on the platforms. I meant that there are no bins in the trains themselves.

I feel like I need to say that I'm not anti-kids at ALL. I love my tot friends...and their responsible, responsive parents...and goodness knows, I am a fan of creative strategies for getting by.

This particular story was focused on non-thinking, uncaring tourists. I've got no patience with folks marveling about the clean, safe, efficient public transit they aren't used to in their hometowns while trailing their rubbish through mine.

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Fabulous sunset happening right now.

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mac did not start asking about me until about 3. I, of course, am happy he started asking.

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I've got a gorgeous sunset too. Pretty, pretty pink clouds.

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