Change Fail

I've used the damn token machines - when they're a) actually at the station and b) working and have never gotten change in nickels before, but not Michelle. She writes...

Yesterday I was lucky enough to find an out-of-station token machine that was actually working. The sign told me that 10 dollars would buy me "6 tokens and change," so I slipped in the bill.

My change was in NICKELS.

(I shouldn't complain, right? I suppose it could be worse... But if SEPTA switches to pennies, I might totally lose it.)

That's 26 nickels in her hand.

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Rider Rant: 40 Girl

Everyone's had a SEPTA bus just drive right past them at the stop. Even though you're waving your hands frantically at them, the bus isn't full, there's no horde of hobgoblins and orcs chasing down the bus from the next block down. But how about almost all the time at the same stop? Rider 40 Girl writes...

I have lived here since 1996 and have so many Septa stories, I could write a book. But I will share with you my most recent complaint...

I (try to) catch the 40 eastbound bus on Chestnut Street and the corner of 23rd and Chestnut, but the drivers rarely stop there. Yes, it is an official stop, but if the line of traffic waiting to make a right hand turn is too long (for the Septa driver), s/he will get into the left lane and skip my stop entirely. This used to happen (back before they discontinued this stop) up at the corner of 29th and Chestnut, too, with the 40, the 9, the 42, and the 21.

I know that afternoon traffic is rough, but all they have to do is stop for me! Just stop and pick me up. I am waving my hands. I obviously need to get on the bus...why won't you stop?!?

Sigh, more to come, I'm sure...
The 40 girl.

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unFail: Phoning It In

So I was in Market East Station yesterday on line (do you say "on line" "in line" or "queuing" [like a dirty Brit]) and I looked over to the phone jack that started it all and noticed that, miraculously, there was no longer an empty phone jack there. UN_fail!

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No More Boston Impersonation

I got an email from CCD about my Where are we? Boston? post; they've unveiled a new transit sign for SEPTA stops. While I can't say I particularly like the sign, it's not a direct ripoff of Boston's T which is a step in the right direction.

I guess they're keeping it green to go with the SEPTA 'Go-Green' motif. But it just looks strange.

You can see the CCD's full report on transportation here: [.pdf]. The transit signs are on the last page. You can see all of the documents relating to their State of the City 2009 publication here.

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Squeezing In

Maybe you've seen this sight before from the back of a 21 bus westbound on Walnut St. Looks innocent enough eh? Well, if you look a little closer, you'll see that rider Hahri is literally stuck on the bus.

Here's the view out of the rear exit doors: just the riveting of a delivery truck.

And a closer look to the left: another delivery truck. Hahri writes:

On the 21 bus at 20th and Chestnut, bus driver tries to squeeze between two delivery trucks, we got in but didn't get out. For 10 mins we sat while we had to wait for the delivery guy to move his truck.

I have seen SEPTA bus drivers make some seemingly impossible squeezes in my day and I applaud them for the superhuman ability to do so, but I guess not every driver is blessed with those abilities. And when that happens, in traffic, on Walnut St, people get pissy.

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