issue 03 / volume 41

   

O

» What to do about impatient passengers?

  
 

Mercedes Deutscher
Contributor

his summer was definitely

not the best for TransLink:
two SkyTrain breakdowns
in July extended passengers’
commutes by hours or left
them stuck in trains between
stations. After almost an hour
of being stuck in the trains,
some passengers took action
by opening the doors, prior to
staff assistance, and walking
along the tracks to the next
station. To increase safety of

was cut to the whole Expo and
Millennium Line, extending
the problem by hours.

A el

A third minor breakdown

: occurred on September 5,

: and after only 10 minutes of
: being stopped, passengers ona :
: train between Scott Road and
: Gateway Station forced the

: doors open and walked to the
: next station. The delays were
: extended by an hour.

There is one commonality

: among these three

: breakdowns: impatient
: passengers. So a solution needs :
: to be found to ensure fewer

: breakdowns on the SkyTrain.
: Short stops between stations,
: lasting 10-15 minutes, are not
those who left the trains, power } yncommon. Walking along the :
SkyTrain tracks is. So here are
: some things to consider during :
: the next short delay.

Consider the danger!

: According to CBC, the tracks
: that the SkyTrains run on
: are charged with 600 volts of

electricity. Those signs at the

: stations warning passengers

: about electrocution are not

: just there for decoration. When
: one chooses to exit the train

: outside a station, they put

: their life at risk. In order to

: avoid someone falling onto the
: tracks and being electrocuted,

SkyTrain operators are forced

: to shut off the power to the

: track. Not just a small area

: either; the entire track must

: be powered down. That leaves

passengers throughout the

whole system stranded.

If the risk of death isn’t

: enough to keep one from
: leaving the train, maybe money

=

: is. Anyone caught opening the
: doors and/or exiting the train
: outside of a station (unless

: advised to do so by TransLink
: officials or in the case of fire):
: risks receiving a $115 fine. Sadly,

: it appears the fine isn’t steep

: enough. Perhaps if the fine

: was raised to $500, impatient
: passengers wouldn't be so

: hasty.

Placing a bag ona seat

: during rush hour is bad, but

: opening the doors, exiting the
: train, and causing the system

: to stop for hours is worse. Was
: it so important to get home

: that it was worth delaying the

: commutes of thousands of

: fellow passengers?

It’s time for TransLink and
passengers to work together

opinions // 15

Those signs at the
stations warning
passengers about
electrocution are
not just there for
decoration.

: so that these delays stop

: happening. Be it an increase in
: fines for those who break the

: rules; be it reporting someone
: who is trying to illegally leave
: the train; or, at the very least,

: be it having the patience

: to wait a few extra minutes

: while at a short stop between

: stations, something needs to

: be done.

 

Competition 1n academia

» Can ambition breed success without hostility?

Margaret Matthews
Senior Columnist

here are some students

who have a competitive
spirit, who resent their peers
for getting better grades than
themselves. But a hostile
attitude towards a more
intelligent and successful
student does not get you
anywhere, and leaves much to
be desired in teamwork and
public relations skills. It also

peace of mind, and happiness.

A better strategy would

: be to befriend the students

: with better grades and see

: if you could glean some

: pointers. Get tips and ideas

: on what methods they use

: during studies. Find out how

: they do their research and

: assignments, and emulate their
: strategies by implementing

: those ideas into your work

: schedule. Studying skills are

: acquired through practice and

: taught at universities and other
: educational institutions. There
robs you of your self-confidence, is also the Learning Centre at
: Douglas, where peer-tutors

: assist those who need help with
: their studies.

I knew of a family living

: in Edmonton, with two sets of
: twins. The father had his own
: law firm, and he encouraged

: all his children to study law

: and become successful lawyers.
: The four boys were constantly
: bombarded at the dinner table
: with tales of their father’s

: winning cases, much to the

: satisfaction of his clients. In

: addition, in order to boost his
: own self-esteem, the father

: entered the political scene and
: was elected as a member of

: the legislative assembly. Thus

: were the seeds of academic

: achievement sown for his four
: sons, and their competitive

: spirit was directed not only to

: their peers, but also to each

: other. Sibling rivalry caused

: the family’s dynamics to suffer,
: which eventually turned into a
: dysfunctional family unit.

All four of the sons ended

: up being successful and

: prosperous. The downside of
: their competitiveness though
: was that they ended up at

: loggerheads with each other.
: Each one tried to outdo the

: others by rushing to the finish
: line, which fostered a spirit of
: aggression, pushiness, hostility,
: and envy. So much for ambition,
: motivation, and competition!

While ambition and

: motivation are positive factors

: to have in developing one’s

: potential, especially when it

: relates to professionalism and

: work ethics, there should bea

: healthy balance between being
: competitive and dissuading

: unhealthy attitudes of hostility
: to enter one’s mind, should one
: lose out to another.