Transfer Please

Earlier this week and then again this weekend, I finally got up the nerve to take public transit. This would be the first time doing so since having surgery, meaning it was the first time while on crutches. I've been hopping on and off subways and streetcars for over 8 years now but like so many things that once came naturally to me, it too is now a challenge or at the very least a new adventure for me.

There were several contributing factors that made me hesitant to try the subway in my current state. For starters, the sheer number of people I'd encounter and have to deal with. Everyone has somewhere to be and the majority of them, whether intentional or not, are vaguely aware of anything or anyone around them. I worry that someone may push/trip me or one of my crutches. The subway doors are something else that make me nervous. I fear the doors might close on me, it's not like I can run or hop to get out of the way. At the same time, I know I won't be trying to make any last minute attempts to get on before the doors close, I'll wait for the next train. A continuation from my previous post, I'm worried about the floors and stairs being slippery on rainy days. And speaking of stairs, the station closest to my house is not wheelchair accessible so it doesn't have an elevator. There is an escalator that goes up but unfortunately that is the only one. This means I have no choice but to take the staircase down to the subway, actually two staircases down. In addition to this taking a lot of energy on my part, I fear it's another opportunity for me to be pushed. My last hesitation has to do with streetcars. Stepping on and off the streetcar is far from a memorable experience. Therefore, it is no surprise I can't recall how high the first step is, nor can anyone else I asked. Buses have the ability to "kneel" so I have no doubt I can manage there, streetcars however do not and are much higher off the ground. I didn't want to be on my way somewhere only to get to a streetcar and not be able to get on, and if I managed that, get off.

My first subway ride was alone. As luck would have it, it was raining that day. Thankfully I was able to wipe of the ends of my crutches so they weren't wet and for the most part non of the floors were really wet either. I was extra cautious watching where I stepped and made it the entire trip without even the slightest slip. I did my best to avoid the large crowds, traveled between rush hours and waited off to the side after getting off the train letting the majority of people pass before I made my way to the escalator. The one issue I hadn't thought of in advance has to do with getting off the subway. I can't stand up before the train comes to a complete stop. At first this may not seem like a big deal because honestly, there's plenty of time and in the past I rarely got up before it stopped. The problem is I can't just stand up and walk out the door. I carefully get up while balancing on my left foot and have to get the crutches under each arm before I can move, this takes some time. Finally I can make my way to the door and hopefully there is no one blocking my path. I'm thinking I may have to try getting up while the train is stopped one station before where I'm getting off. Then I'll just hang on, and maybe hope for the best as it moves, and I'll be up and ready when the doors open at my stop.

I tried taking the streetcar this weekend but not on my own. Like I said, I didn't want to end up stranded. Something I had not considered, and most likely neither have you, there are two types of streetcar stops. Ones where you board the streetcar right from the road and others where there is a platform of sorts. Stops where the streetcar comes into a subway station or where there is a streetcar "lane" down the middle of a road all have platforms. They are only about the height of a curb, give or take a little, but this cuts the first step onto the streetcar in half. Fortunate for me, the route we took this weekend consisted only of the platform type stops. Although this does mean I still have no idea whether I can get on and off a streetcar from ground level. An adventure for another day I guess.