Strangest Things You've seen in Coach
- Thread starter Meat Puppet
- Start date
Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:
- Status
If we were voting on funniest story on an Amtrak train this would be it!! I still can't stop smiling about Mr. Electrico.
Ozark Southern
Lead Service Attendant
You just haven't been on the super-secret basement cars. It's what happens when the penthouse car flips over.
C
Caryn
Guest
I was tempted to do something like that...one of the Amtrak staff (don't remember if it was the conductor or car attendant) walked by and asked her if she knew there was a bathroom behind her with a mirror. He was very polite about it, but she just shrugged and said she was fine. That was only a few minutes before they departed.
Mr. Harris is right here -- but not for the reasons he thinks. Chivalry is dead -- Why should a guy be responsible if a young woman chooses to get drunk and make a fool of herself ? I sympathize with her breaking up with the boyfriend, but her drinking herself silly is her problem, her responsibility.Unfortunately, Chilvalry is either dead or very sick in many people. The characters that got her drunk are the ones who should have been kicked off, preferably while the train was moving.This is really sad to me.
Wow nice. "Her responsibilty".
Your profile show you to be 42 years of age. It does not show with your posting.
I couldn't have said it better, Sorcha.This is really sad to me.
Unfortunately, predators of all stripes are always on the look out for any kind of opportunity.
I've only been on 12 LD trips, 11 in coach, in the past year and I've seen nothing so weird that it's even worth mentioning here.
Unless you count a drunk here and there but the Conductors always do a good job of taking care of those problems as discretely as possible so that the pax aren't disturbed.
There's always an *atmosphere* created by the passengers...
The worst being my trip on the CZ last week which I expected to be the best, then again, my trip was during the Super Moon.
The best being the train I expected the least from based on the snarky 'Chicken Bone Express' nickname I've seen here - both trips on the CONO were wonderful, crew and passengers.
Unless you count a drunk here and there but the Conductors always do a good job of taking care of those problems as discretely as possible so that the pax aren't disturbed.
There's always an *atmosphere* created by the passengers...
The worst being my trip on the CZ last week which I expected to be the best, then again, my trip was during the Super Moon.
The best being the train I expected the least from based on the snarky 'Chicken Bone Express' nickname I've seen here - both trips on the CONO were wonderful, crew and passengers.
Ditto for me too.I couldn't have said it better, Sorcha.This is really sad to me.
Unfortunately, predators of all stripes are always on the look out for any kind of opportunity.
Last edited by a moderator:
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
&
Let's not forget that the glorious age of chivalry was also full of socially accepted violence toward both women and children alike behind closed doors. I am not aware of any age in the history of humankind where women were anywhere near as protected from the abuse of others as they are now. Wish for whatever you want, but when it comes to the safety of women it certainly won't get better by going backward in time toward some revisionist dreamland that never existed.
frj1983
OBS Chief
I also have to say that this happened in Sleeper as well.
About 10 years ago I took the CNO from Chicago to New Orleans for Company Business. The morning after leaving Chicago, I got up early (about 5:00am) and took a shower, when finished with that, I had breakfast in the Diner and then came back to my room. At about 8:00am, the door to the sleeper across from me opened up, and a young, blonde, rather statuesque women walked into the hallway completely "buck naked" and proceeded to walk down the hall to the shower. Within seconds the Sleeper Attendant, who was a Woman stopped in front of my door and asked: "did I see what I just saw?" I said: "yup" and she hustled down the hall after this young woman saying: "I have to have a talk with her!"
About 10 minutes later the young woman returned to her room with a bedsheet wrapped around her and the Attendant in tow. Turns out she was from Sweden and while her english was good, she seemed to not understand what all the fuss was about.
About 10 years ago I took the CNO from Chicago to New Orleans for Company Business. The morning after leaving Chicago, I got up early (about 5:00am) and took a shower, when finished with that, I had breakfast in the Diner and then came back to my room. At about 8:00am, the door to the sleeper across from me opened up, and a young, blonde, rather statuesque women walked into the hallway completely "buck naked" and proceeded to walk down the hall to the shower. Within seconds the Sleeper Attendant, who was a Woman stopped in front of my door and asked: "did I see what I just saw?" I said: "yup" and she hustled down the hall after this young woman saying: "I have to have a talk with her!"
About 10 minutes later the young woman returned to her room with a bedsheet wrapped around her and the Attendant in tow. Turns out she was from Sweden and while her english was good, she seemed to not understand what all the fuss was about.
George Harris
Engineer
Removed my ersponse. Arguing with a fence post comes to mind.)
Last edited by a moderator:
Henry Kisor
Service Attendant
- Joined
- Sep 14, 2007
- Messages
- 199
What Texas Sunset said.
white rabbitt
Lead Service Attendant
in sweden nude is no big deal only in the usa do the prudes freak out over being naked
I should have answered this question sooner but I have been busy the past few days. Amtrak orders its kosher meals (at least on the east coast) from some restaurant/caterer in Miami. The meals come sealed and are designed to be reheated in a non-kosher appliance. The food will remain kosher as long as the seal and/or the wrapping is not broken.
As for the touching thing I agree with everything said. In general cross-gender touching is a big no no for Orthodox Jews (many make exceptions to non-sexual contact like handshakes) but that does not give you license to be rude. If the gentleman in question would have simply shifted his shoulder and looked and the woman uncomfortably I imagine the hand would be gone in seconds.
Sadly their is little correlation between piety and manners.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
You didn't just remove your response. You also replaced it with yet another random personal attack. Bravo Mr. Chivalry.
Here's your original response for those who missed it...
Leaving a truly abusive husband and suddenly being forced to cobble together a life on your own is not as easy as just walking out the door. Back when women didn't have many options in the labor market and weren't given much if any protection from their own husbands it was quite an ordeal with no clear path toward productive freedom. Not to mention that anyone sadistic enough to seriously abuse you in the first place is probably sick enough to come after you (or your friends and family) when you leave. Which is why we now have anti-stalking laws, minimum separation, state-initiated prosecutions, and witness protection. The term "chivalry" comes from the middle ages, back when women were treated more like chattel than anything else. Be careful what you wish for folks.
On the EB, eastbound, a young woman with a stuffed animal who spent the whole trip asleep on one of the seats in the lounge (with her blanket pulled over her head). The conductors looked sideways at her every time they walked by, but never woke her up or asked for her ticket (that I saw). We theorized that she was a stowaway, and thus avoided being caught, or that she stayed on long past the stop she had bought a ticket for.
TimePeace
Disillusioned.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2008
- Messages
- 1,166
Well, chivalry is an old word that evokes distant eras.
But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.
I was raised in the South (most of my family on both sides is from North Carolina) and we were taught to behave - and I still try my best - to be polite and respectful to one another (including strangers) whenever possible. I still hold doors open for women and older folks, kids, any anyone who looks like it might help (if they have arms full of luggage for example).
And I am always ready to help a smaller, less capable person hoist a heavy suitcase up to the overhead rack. Why not? It's easy for me. It is not so difficult nor inconvenient to be nice. It makes life a lot easier, less stressful, to just be nice, just be friendly (unless given reasons not to be).
So yeah. I would have been nice to that "goth" girl, same as to anyone else. And if she rejected basic niceness, I'd leave her alone. I mean this is all a no-brainer. Right?
But simple Good Manners, on the other hand, is much more current. That is what is seriously lacking nowadays, and not just in the younger folks. Lots of people are just plain mean-spirited and rude everywhere I go. Doesn't mean i have to be.
I was raised in the South (most of my family on both sides is from North Carolina) and we were taught to behave - and I still try my best - to be polite and respectful to one another (including strangers) whenever possible. I still hold doors open for women and older folks, kids, any anyone who looks like it might help (if they have arms full of luggage for example).
And I am always ready to help a smaller, less capable person hoist a heavy suitcase up to the overhead rack. Why not? It's easy for me. It is not so difficult nor inconvenient to be nice. It makes life a lot easier, less stressful, to just be nice, just be friendly (unless given reasons not to be).
So yeah. I would have been nice to that "goth" girl, same as to anyone else. And if she rejected basic niceness, I'd leave her alone. I mean this is all a no-brainer. Right?
Last edited by a moderator:
leemell
Conductor
If that is true, what do yo think would happen if the young lady did this on a train in the UK? Germany? Japan? Australasia? or anywhere in the Mid-East?
Semantics. Obviously, I wasn't talking about chivalry in the sense of fiefdoms and chattel. Come on... I'm sure you could have figured that out.
Check the first definition. THAT'S what I meant. Everyone else got my meaning.
chiv·al·rous
Adjective:
- (of a man or his behavior) Courteous and gallant, esp. toward women.
- Of or relating to the historical notion of chivalry.
Absolutely, Sorcha... That's what I meant too.In fact, I'm always especially chivalrous towards old men.Sorcha said:
Ack! I thought it was the same for women, chivalry, that is.
))
Last edited by a moderator:
Trainmans daughter
OBS Chief
^What he said!
It is sad when anyone--male or female--takes advantage of a weaker person--male or female. Every day, we have opportunities to help people or hurt people. I believe that most people, thank God, are like Sorcha, Joanie, and Maine Rider and will come to the aid of people in trouble. Unfortunately, there are some who are opportunists and have no problem using other people's weak moments to their advantage.
Now, these statements I agree with. My earlier statement was a reaction based upon a lifetime of living in an area with individuals who demanded chivalry when it was convenient, and "Equality" when that was convenient. I was also raised to treat others with respect, unless the individual did something inconsiderate to me. Then, that's different.
Devil's Advocate
⠀⠀⠀
Agree. Well said.
Chivalry sounds completely disconnected and out of place in 2012. Maybe it's time to drop these tired old cliches based on outdated concepts of innocence and strength. Today we have something even better than chivalry. Today we have a solution generations in the making. Today we have equal rights. The only problem with equal rights is that it also requires equal effort and equal responsibility to work correctly.
Last edited by a moderator:
TimePeace
Disillusioned.
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2008
- Messages
- 1,166
T.S., it's a pleasure to agree with you!
- Status
