People Mover Transit Police Force Single Parents to Collapse Strollers

[Scottathew]

Hello all!

I work downtown and also use a daycare that's in the building I work at. The building I work at has a People Mover station. Tonight I boarded a people mover train with my 12 month old daughter and went to the auto show. To transport my daughter, her diaper bag, and another insulated bag for carrying food I was using a stroller.

We had a great time and really enjoyed the auto show. However, when we went to board the train at Cobo to return to my workplace I was told by a Transit Police officer that I had to collapse my stroller because the trains were "too crowded".

I explained to the officer in a respectful but bewildered tone that I was the sole parent. I had no one else with me but my 12 month old daughter. I explained to the officer that it was not possible for me to carry the things that my stroller contained:

- My daughter
- Her diaper bag
- Her insulated food container
- Her blanket [[too large to fit in diaper bag)
- Collapsed stroller

The officer did not care. I pointed out to the officer that no one else was even in line at the time and it's not like train crowding would even be an issue [[yes, seriously I was the only one in line at that time). He still did not care.

So I had to set my 12 month old daughter on the floor of the station, remove all my belongings and set those on the ground, collapse the stroller, and then ask for help from perfect strangers to get onto the train because it wasn't possible for me to carry everything.

Once on the train My stroller took up slightly less space, however the breaking mechanism doesn't work in the collapsed position so it was difficult to control from rolling around. However, instead of taking up one seat, I was taking up two seats, one for myself and another for my belongings.

Does anyone else think it's ridiculous for transit police to force single parents to collapse their strollers and attempt to carry their children, belongings, and collapsed stroller?

Does anyone have a contact in the transit department that I could voice my concern to? If so please email me the contact information: MaschAvenue@Gmail.com

Thanks!

[fryar]

It sounds like you were justifiably annoyed.

[DetroitPlanner]

It is understandable if the train is crowded. If not, whats the harm? Should we collapse wheelchairs too?

[gazhekwe]

Really. I have been on other public transit where strollers were not collapsed. Of course, none was SRO at the time. I have also been on transit forms where the official assisted single parents to collapse their stroller, which makes sense. Who wants to put their toddler down when a train might come along and the floor is probably filthy? I think you ran into an officious rather than an official, so report away.

[Scottathew]

It is understandable if the train is crowded. If not, whats the harm? Should we collapse wheelchairs too?

Yeah. I thought a little discretion could have been warranted. Perhaps if the train was more crowded and I had an umbrella stroller it might be a more reasonable request.

But I would think that single parents under any condition should be allowed to ride, regardless of crowding. Or perhaps collapsing the stroller should be a request but not a requirement.

Like you joked about, what next, wheel chairs too? Sorry Mr. Handicapped person, can you get a taxi with single mom because you take up too much space?

I've been to the subways of Boston and New York with a stroller and never had any issues like this. Sometimes we'd have to wait due to crowding and not being able to fit, but with a little patience from ourselves and those around us we were able to utilize mass transit.

It's bad enough that the People Mover goes in a small circle in only one direction and connects with no other forms of mass transit other than busses, but further restricting its usefulness by making it not viable for single parents with a stroller just doesn't make sense!

[English]

That stinks. Sorry you had trouble.

[1KielsonDrive]

Sounds like typical police response - idiotic. Why do we always get cops who's heads get jacked up about ten feet because they wield some power?

[401don]

Like most are saying, it's probably a power thing, but I wonder how much supervisors in service industries, transit included, are afraid to allow any employee to use discretion [[ i.e. common sense) nowadays and therefore they train them by telling them these are the rules that must be followed, absolutely no exceptions, etc. Is it a lawsuit mentality, paranoia about losing a job? On the other hand you have a bus driver receiving a lap dance so who the hell knows.

[p1acebo]

Sounds like he was bored and just wanted to be an ass.

[Hamtragedy]

Ironic, how in a town that is supposed to have no interest in Mass Transit, finds it's "auto spectacular" with 15 minute to half-an-hour waiting lines to catch a "little-tiny-train-to-nowhere."

Do you not suppose that these same folk would much rather catch this train back to their homes, rather than 3/4 of a mile to their cars, which they paid to park, and now have to sit in traffic?

Tell me that there is no demand for Mass Transportion in this region. Then look at that crowd that forms on the second level inside Cobo Hall, EVERY YEAR, trying to catch the people mover from the Auto Show.

[DetroitDad]

Ironic, how in a town that is supposed to have no interest in Mass Transit, finds it's "auto spectacular" with 15 minute to half-an-hour waiting lines to catch a "little-tiny-train-to-nowhere."

Do you not suppose that these same folk would much rather catch this train back to their homes, rather than 3/4 of a mile to their cars, which they paid to park, and now have to sit in traffic?

Tell me that there is no demand for Mass Transportion in this region. Then look at that crowd that forms on the second level inside Cobo Hall, EVERY YEAR, trying to catch the people mover from the Auto Show.

[Scottathew]

Ironic, how in a town that is supposed to have no interest in Mass Transit, finds it's "auto spectacular" with 15 minute to half-an-hour waiting lines to catch a "little-tiny-train-to-nowhere."

Do you not suppose that these same folk would much rather catch this train back to their homes, rather than 3/4 of a mile to their cars, which they paid to park, and now have to sit in traffic?

Tell me that there is no demand for Mass Transportion in this region. Then look at that crowd that forms on the second level inside Cobo Hall, EVERY YEAR, trying to catch the people mover from the Auto Show.

LOL, yup! People want mass transit, and not just people that live in Detroit, people like me that live in the Suburbs want it.

It would be great to have that light rail line going up to at least 8-Mile, if not further. I wouldn't mind parking out at the State Fairgrounds and catching a train downtown.

[Danny]

Stollers and superstrollers does take too much space in People Mover causing people not to have or share seats. The same situation happens in D-DOT and SMART busses.

Mothers are making more babies without fathers and its very terrible for the child not having a father figure to teach a son to became a man or girl to become a ambassador.

We are going to see more superstrollers in public busses until SMART D-DOT enforces the seating rules. It may happen to those who carring bags.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET


Because public transit is a birthright to regional cities for Neda's sake.

KA'TUN IS COMMING! in 22 months.

[detroitbred]

Wow...Danny, NASA is calling, they need another rocket scientist.

[Scottathew]

Mothers are making more babies without fathers and its very terrible for the child not having a father figure to teach a son to became a man or girl to become a ambassador.

We are going to see more superstrollers in public busses until SMART D-DOT enforces the seating rules. It may happen to those who carring bags.

While I understand your frustration, it doesn't apply to my situation. I was a father with my child, and I'm married. My wife just wasn't with me because I work downtown and use a daycare in the building, she works out in the 'burbs.

I feel that mass transit should be available to parents as well, and when you've got a young baby a stroller is the only way to be able to carry all the stuff you need to take care of your child.

[muskie1]

I agree that in you situation because the mover was empty there could have been a little bending of the rules. However alot of time some of the monster strollers are just obnoxious. My favorite is the idiots with them at Lowes or Homedepot blocking the aisles while people are trying to move heavy items

[Detroitnerd]

You know, if you're going to use mass transit, there are certain rules you have to abide by:

1) Please don't wear backpacks. If the car gets crowded, there's a good chance your backpack will mash into the face of the 4-foot-2 grandmother standing behind you. Turn your backpack around and wear it in front while you're riding. Less danger of being pickpocketed that way too!

2) If you're on the platform ready to board a crowded train, stand aside the doors. Wait for people to get off. Don't stand in front of the doors or try to shove your way in right away.

3) If you're sitting in a seat and you see somebody who is elderly, infirm, ill, pregnant or tired, stand up and give them your seat. You'll be thankful someday.

4) Please collapse your stroller, or consider wearing your baby in a sling. Especially if it's crowded. Please try to plan ahead so you can collapse your stroller if it gets especially crowded.

Now, that said, how about this enforcement issue? I've seen it differently done.

For instance, in New York [[10 years ago), it seemed that people would pretty much enforce these rules among each other. Somebody would politely tell you to do something, or the conductor would announce, "Please let the passengers off. Step lively." People would give up their seats for those who needed them graciously, or with a little prodding.

In San Francisco, there seemed to be more officiousness about it. Signs on seats that barked: "FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES PASSENGERS TO RESERVE THESE SEATS FOR THE ELDERLY OR INFIRM." I never liked that much.

And then in Detroit, during special events, they send police to enforce the rules. Now, the "rules" -- as sensible as they are -- may not seem that way when enforced by our finest. But they do make sense.

And there's another truth in this: The denser the city gets, the less able parents and guardians will be to push their MAMMOTH baby strollers everywhere, and the less able they'll be to carry two days' worth of supplies for them and their baby. Baby slings are kind of cool; maybe we'll see more of them.

[GOAT]

Give most people a small amount of authority and watch them lord it over everyone.

[DetroitPole]

How much is annual budget of the People Mover PD? How much of my tax dollars go so these dumbfucks can harass people on the tourist mover rather than having police on the beat in the neighborhood?

[muskie1]

You are right about the two day supply thing Detroitnerd. I can go up north camping for two weeks with less crap than fits in one of the monster strollers.

[Baselinepunk]

It's gonna take at least a month for Danny to get his foot out of his mouth. '

FLMAO!

[SWMAP]

I dunno - can you leave your stroller with all of Baby's daily supplies open on the bus? What about a subway car?
Think safety and convenience for all dictate that stroller folds up and occupies as little space as possible. I imagine that the Transit Police have a script and they have to abide by it. Can't have people going around pointing out exceptions made for some and not others or for some times and not others.

[tallboy66]

Funny how again they put the smack down when people come into the city but on a Tuesday afternoon in Feb. you could film a porno on the thing and no one would care or see. I mean the entire system is a 3 mile loop, with a number of stops being in largely empty areas. Cobo, Ren-Cen, Greektown then nothing.

And maybe if they had more than 2 car trains it wouldn't be crowded, that or they could widen the roads, build more parking structures after demolishing vacant office buildings.

[tallboy66]

These are good except for the back pack rule. Mass transit or other non car transport means you have to carry your stuff in a backpack, stroller, suitcase... but a "real" mass transit has space allotted for it.

[Scottathew]

Friday morning shortly after 9am I called the Detroit Transportation Corporation. I spoke with a woman and told her I wanted to speak to a supervisor about the incident [[FYI - I spoke in a very calm, polite, and non-confrontational manner). She said a supervisor wasn't in but inquired into why I was calling. I told her the story and she seemed concerned and as if she felt it was wrong. She said a supervisor would call me, that never happened during the course of the day. Perhaps I get a call next week.