Stand Clear of the Moving Doors Please

Seriously, what is wrong with people on trains? Why does everyone feel the need to rush the doors before they are even open? And why do people not move out of the way for those getting off the train? Why does public transportation bring out the very worst?

As I was leaving NYC yesterday, the call came over the speakers that our train was boarding. Within seconds, a crowd formed at the door to the stairs leading down to the tracks. The doors weren’t even opened! The station agent opening the doors had to fight back the crowd just to open the door. While I was waiting for him, there was a man behind me who was from one of the –istan countries. He was pushing and elbowing his way through the cluster of people. He was pushing into me so hard trying to pass me that I almost lost my balance and fell over. He finally got on the escalator, only to have his wife screaming his name out because they were separated. He muscled his way through the crowd and left his wife behind. All this for a vinyl covered seat on New Jersey Transit. Honestly, you would have thought it was first-come first-serve first class on Acela. Not a sub-coach ticket on NJT.