The ironies of shoving your way through the door
I got into a train heading for Daly City and waited for the doors to close. Saw two people try to make opposite doors on the same car--saw one woman stop just prior to the door closing while the dude SHOVED his way (as in, not caught as the doors closing, but jammed himself in the gap) through a door.
I thought for a moment that if this meant this train was going to be taken out of service or the "Door Not Working" sticker would have to be slapped on, I was going to be reeeeeeeally mad considering it was Friday.
But no, as what happens often, guy gets himself in and into a seat, out of breath. The woman ran down but the TO went ahead and closed the doors as normal as she makes indignant arm flailing motions and facial expressions as the train rolled out.
It really sucks but I guess that's the way it works.
Best advice to give you,
Best advice to give you, outside of slugging that individual, if the door gets stuck open, try to pull the door(s) closed. You will be the hero of that car and the train will continue to stay in service. If not, then report the car number and door number(s) (above the doors) to the train operator via the intercom.
Does that really work? I'm
Does that really work? I'm not trying to be snarky, but I'd figure that even if I manage to close the doors (I'm not exactly big and strong), wouldn't that only get us to the next station and then potentially hold us up there considering the doors might not open again?
I have heard of TO's telling passengers to do this though. Thanks for the tip!
It really depends on how
It really depends on how stuck the doors really are. But, yes it could work and you could keep the train in service until a tech gets to it. The moment the doors don't close, there is a very good chance that train could go out of service, which no one wants.
I wouldn't call myself a hero
I wouldn't call myself a hero but i have helped close the doors a couple of times. Both times the doors got stuck because of some ahole who sneaked in by jamming the doors while it was closing. Some have total disregard for the common etiquettes.
A door often gets stuck when
A door often gets stuck when it is pushed off the track at the bottom.
There is a white nylon strip along the bottom of the door that rides in a groove in the threshhold plate. When someone hits the door, it can push the nylon strip out of the groove and then the motor cannot overcome the excess drag.
The door can often be popped back onto the track with nothing further required.
If a door can be pushed off the track easily, the nylon strip is out of adjustment.