mark1447 Posted January 21, 2009 Share #1 Posted January 21, 2009 Do you ever get attack by your peers because you are into Transit? I sometimes get attack by friends at skool and people i dunno there. I wear my Train Brooklyn to the Bronx like a few times at skool and people laughed at me cuz im wearing a train shirt.. Just like once when i was wearing the shirt these 2 girls who are younger then me, start going around me, saying hey train geek! (laughing) ... Like so what? I have interest in transit and computer science. I'm not gonna become a Basketball dude, biologist or something. I like what i like. Engineering! Computer Science! Technology! I also take subway shots and bus shots, people are like wtf? Why would some ahole take a picture of a bus or train, thats pathetic. Ya I remember i was nervous of doing this, but idc anymore... Cuz its my activity, enjoyment and pass time! and its fun! I even draw on my notebook R142s and students at skool are like.. why are you drawing a train for? Thats so stupid... Like What ever! This is why i dont consider my real friends, Friends. I prefer having virtual friends like you guys and people of my website as there more respectful and dont push me down for what I like. Hey i advert my sig of the at my computer website, everyone doesnt mind me into transit... Some even praise me. I know lots of transit guys off my site too lol.. Which i never knew before.. Don't let people push you down for what you like! It can cause problems in the future. You like chew chew trains , well keep liking it. You like computers go on, basketball, sports, science or what ever... Keep it up!! =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattTrain Posted January 21, 2009 Share #2 Posted January 21, 2009 I can totally relate to the situation that you are going through. My siblings don't mind much about me talking about tand blabbing about the subways and buses a lot, but back in my high school days when I'd talk about transit, my high school classmates would often pick mon me as well, at times calling me names like "transit fool" and "geek for nothing" That can be hurtful sometimes, and I can't understand why most people aren't into transit. In my opinion, if you ride something almost every day or every day, then you might as well learn about it. It really bothers me that people don't bother paying attention to what types of train cars or model buses they ride on. It's like you drive your car and you don't bother knowing what type of car you are driving in the first place. I used to make colored circles with letters and numbers to make these and so on, out of construction paper, back in my art class, and I did get an A+ for that project, so that was one positive of being a transit buff. I became a transit buff, because of maps, I was really into maps, not into train cars or buses. I started liking train cars about ten years ago, living across the street from the Brighton Line (Q6) turned and now . I'll never forget those days Thanks for sharing your story, I understand the situation, so that's why I wanted to share my mini-story here too. I like talking about transit with other people and I'm happy that I get to share it with others who are willing to listen and read what transit experience is like. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brighton Local Posted January 21, 2009 Share #3 Posted January 21, 2009 I was nicknamed 'Subway' In High School. I used to wear my '(D) Bronx to Brooklyn' Shirt, like there was no tomorrow. Nobody picked on me, I actually fit in and stood out at the same time. I would bring my photo album to school, and pass it around my classes for my classmates and teachers to look at. Like you guys, they never saw or witnessed somebody so into transit. However, students would ALWAYS question me on how to get somewhere, and also gave them alternative directions just in case of G.O.s. In Junior High, teachers would send other students to PULL ME OUT OF CLASS, because they needed directions! Zach was popular with transit, and people, would rather protect 'Subway' then pick on me. The girls wrote 'Zach's book of trains' on my photo album cover, but I didn't care. However, their was a point in my life, in which I caught myself so into JUST transit, and nothing else. It was pathetic and disgusting. Between June 2001 & Mid-2005, I was such a Transit fanatic, that nothing else was on my mind. By October 2005, I hung up my subway get up for the last time, and changed my whole attire, and attitude towards transit. I still love it, but will never enter the pathetic stage again, nor will anybody ever catch me wearing a subway shirt on a NYC Subway train again.... I realized, I had to impress ladies at the same time of being a transit fan. Wearing a or an Shirt wasn't going to help me. Today, my friends know how much I used to be into it, how much I still am Into it, but I don't and refuse to show my love for transit. Only a little bit can come out; until the TA Hires me of course, then its time to show the ladies whos the big man, conducting or operating their train B) Zach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasDART Posted January 21, 2009 Share #4 Posted January 21, 2009 Hey I can understand how you feel. Imagine me, I am in a town where you're nobody unless you have a car, and most until recently found our mass transit system a joke. I love things that move people from point to point B). I originally fell in love with Fire engines/trucks and commerical aircraft. I love hearing a Detroit Diesel roar on a fire engine as the driver try's to get all of it's horses going. That love quickly turned into love for buses. I would get a kick at school being on the school yard watching either which DART bus was coming by next, and either if it was a "Tilted windshield" (Flxible), "Flat face" (Neopolan AN440), "Stretched flat face" (Neopolan AN660 Arctic), or "Bullet" (Nova RTS-04/06), or when the fire engine would come by on an emergency call. When I heard that we got a rail service in Dallas I was thrilled. Luckily one of my other friends was into mass transit, so I quickly learned how our Light Rail System worked. Ever since then I have been extremely thrilled to hear about what service changes, additions, whatever that related to DART was going on. I was lucky enough to work for a sole proprietor printing company, where we were DART's exclusive print shop. So I would travel down to headquarters, primarily the planning and development division, and have seen what lies ahead for our transit system in our metroplex. I would love to work for DART even as a bus operator or train operator, ultimately I would prefer to work in Safety, as that is what my degree in college will be. I record and take pictures, and I do get many strange looks, and laughs. I do get nervous cause I can stick out like a sore thumb really quick, but, I tell them that I love it and I want to support the transit system that MY taxes and my parents taxes pay for. Hell it is my first amendment right to be able to film or take photos as long as it is harmful or distracting. The system that we have is simple and easy to use, and many are starting to see that. I want to railfan with you guys up there so bad, and I think that will happen in March and I am really excited. Doing this down here will make your nerves tough since nobody gets it but getting the chance to partake in this wonderful hobby in New York is like going to the Superbowl of rail systems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R1Toasty Posted January 21, 2009 Share #5 Posted January 21, 2009 Perhaps it's just that I'm not close to NYC, but my love of the subway has more or less always been met with curiosity. After a brief explanation the person will generally tell me that they think it's really cool I'm that into the subway. I don't really talk about it frequently, but I still have the same passion for it. Don't get me wrong, I can certainly fit in with a crowd of transit lovers when the situation permits, but I never really talk much about it with my friends. I certainly get a little nervous taking videos and pictures when I'm in the city, but that's really only because the authorities (be it a TO, transit cop, etc) aren't very nice if they don't know it's allowed (but I do have my printed out code of conduct with me for those situations). Oh well, I love my trains regardless of what others may think of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTbuscleaner55 Posted January 21, 2009 Share #6 Posted January 21, 2009 Yeah people'd pick on my for everything. well you know what, they don't know nothing except how to look like douche bags. I just graduated high school a landed a job at (NJT) pullin in around 26,000 a year. 98% of my class went on to college. I know that there isn't going to be enough high payin white collar work for all of em. Lesson is some of those people we go(went) to school with ain't worth crap and they are so full of them selfs it'll will take them a while to learn that Mr. Rodgers was wrong, You're not special. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1447 Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share #7 Posted January 21, 2009 wow at least im not the only one =|! I dunno why liking transit is so diffrent from others... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlushingExpress Posted January 21, 2009 Share #8 Posted January 21, 2009 this happens to me often Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Julio Posted January 21, 2009 Share #9 Posted January 21, 2009 I never get picked for being into trains. B) I'm that awesome B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metsfan Posted January 21, 2009 Share #10 Posted January 21, 2009 People are surprised sometimes that someone is into transit, but respect & sometimes admire all the knowledge i have to offer. - A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Julio Posted January 21, 2009 Share #11 Posted January 21, 2009 People are surprised sometimes that someone is into transit, but respect & sometimes admire all the knowledge i have to offer. - A Concur. @ all the guys that get picked on: honestly who cares what other people think, as long as you guys love doing what you do, it's all that matters. If you don't look out for your interests, who will? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shortline Bus Posted January 21, 2009 Share #12 Posted January 21, 2009 Guys especially our young man on these boards, "Be Yourself." To hell with the critics out there who disrespect you because you love transit. Again Be Youself and dont worry about what other people think. If all of you were living in Europe where mass transit is taking much more serious than in US, you have even more supporters right now.. Too bad (hopefully new President Obama will make it sexy again lol)for about a century now, our leaders in this country led by the automakers made it out mass transit was a dirty word. In fact many cities with LA being the best example now regert buiding up freeways and tearing down exsting trollies. If anything guys, i applaud all of you on these boards for trying to promote mass transit. We need people like you to make subway buses and light rail 'cool' to the public. All of you on these boards can come together to help with sterotype in this country that only losers use mass transit. At same time as long as the cars/small suv is enegry efficent, i dont think people using cars should be blamed either. I live upstate ny and would love to rely on mass transit alone. However for work i do and going to night school at Pace Univ makes a need for me to have a car. As both a railfan and car lover, i believe both can co exist. Sadly about 60-70% of infrastucture in this country makes it a must to own some sort of automobile. Again with a new President in oval office who was raised in Urban Big City enviorment, the first since FDR, he will keep his promise for increased funding in mass transit and force both the Detroit and Tokyo based automakers ie Toyota, GM, Ford, Honda, etc. to bulid even more 'green enviormental' friendly cars. In closing my friends, as I m sorry if i went off track but my point of rasing these issues is 'be yourself' and be proud you love mass transit.B) America's Business and Political leaders could take a page or two from many of the great ideas discussed here.B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FamousNYLover Posted January 21, 2009 Share #13 Posted January 21, 2009 I used to wear Subway Map T-shirts also, where passengers think nut. However, my Subway Map T-shirt was stolen at our laundrymat while it was in drier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forest Glen Posted January 21, 2009 Share #14 Posted January 21, 2009 When I was in elementary school it was a bit awkward. While the other kids played basketball I looked at maps. As I got older and more well rounded, I started playing baseball and basketball as well (I suck at both). I'm obviously still a railfan, but only those close to me know that. In high school only a few of my favorite professors knew about me liking trains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasDART Posted January 21, 2009 Share #15 Posted January 21, 2009 In fact many cities with LA being the best example now regret building up freeways and tearing down existing trolleys. Add Dallas to that list. We had a wonderful system down here. And guys, at least you have something in print about photography and how it is allowed. Cause down here railfanning is not really a big thing, so they never even put photography rules in the code of conduct book! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentton316 Posted January 21, 2009 Share #16 Posted January 21, 2009 yeah, i'm just like the rest of you. i've been into the subways ever since i was little. i lived in the bx and loved the express. went to school and always took the . even when the r110a was running, i was in love with them. i'm truly in love with the subway, and idc who knows!!!!!!!!! r142a for life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trainfan22 Posted January 21, 2009 Share #17 Posted January 21, 2009 Nope, I don't get picked on for liking transit. Don't really talk about it in school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTR Admiralty Posted January 21, 2009 Share #18 Posted January 21, 2009 I used to be the "train geek", the "subway nerd", "transit man"... I don't get these names now, because I don't show my love of transit explicitly to my friends. My girl calls me weird when I talk about trains to her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P32ACDM 714 Posted January 21, 2009 Share #19 Posted January 21, 2009 My friends joke around with my liking of Amtrak, but I also helped them in that sense when one of my friend's family was going to Florida for vacation. However, they wanted to drive, mind you this is in the summer when gasoline prices were higher then heaven. I hooked them up with some Silver Meteor tickets, and they take the rails anywhere across the country now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32 3348 Posted January 22, 2009 Share #20 Posted January 22, 2009 Back in 7th grade (first year at my new school) I rediscovered my old interest in the subway since I actually used it five days a week. Eventually quite a few people in my grade got to know me as the mta nerd, subway freak, mta guru, train obsessor, etc. That was bad enough, but what's worse is that twelve and thirteen year olds act so stuck up that they basically one-up themsevles when putting you down. Not to mention the bad jokes...if I ever hear someone tell me to go **** off to subway porn I will slit their throat and shove them off a cliff...sorry, had to be said... Then I shut my mouth (not like I ever opened it much either) because I found out that I'm not gonna last to senior year like this. Two years since then it's worked wonders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maserati7200 Posted January 22, 2009 Share #21 Posted January 22, 2009 If I told people I know I liked trains they might think its strange but I doubt I would actually get picked on. I've never found any reason to tell anyone, so I didn't. I railfan, I enjoy it. I commute home to Brooklyn from Manhattan everyday and I enjoy it (in the morning I'm sleeping on the train lol). And if I do talk to some of my friends about trains, I make myself look ignorant on the subject. To my friends who live in Queens I'll say "hey, when I was going home from school today I saw the new trains (which are R160's, but I don't say R160), it was pretty cool". And they would have at least some interest and say "yeah i rode it today it as pretty cool". Convos like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DOB2RTO Posted January 26, 2009 Share #22 Posted January 26, 2009 This is just sad to read. Actually I'm lying, it's quite funny. You all have to realize that alot of the folks our age and under (for those under 30 on here), are into that hip hop wear, or just dress casual. So when they see some of you wearing transit jackets, or walking around with a camera snapping pics of trains and buses, it comes across to most as weird, geeky, or awkward. I have been laughed at for my DOB2RTO plates on my car, by my co-workers. I don't care. They ask why would you get that, then immediately ask are you a buff, I say no, I'm just proud of what I have done going from the DOB, to RTO. I was a B/O now T/O. Then they say oh damn, that's actually creative. I think those plates also have kept me from getting parking tickets in the city too.... Don't worry about what others think. The notorious leader of the Transit Geek Squad, has a girlfriend. This should inspire you all, and not make any of you who might secretly feel awkward, different, or no one will understand your hobby, feel that way. For those of you males who get circled by females calling you names, just tell them this geek has enough train to fill their tunnels. Then look at them and say maybe not, only a tractor trailer can their giant battered bruised tunnels....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RokuSix Posted January 26, 2009 Share #23 Posted January 26, 2009 Most of my friends are fascinated by it. I've been told frequently that it's "cute." Maybe it's because I'm a female, I don't know. But it's a hobby...at least you're not sitting in someone's basement, turning out horrible amateur rap music as a hobby. Be proud of who you are, and laugh when they come crying to you, asking for directions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Y2Julio Posted January 26, 2009 Share #24 Posted January 26, 2009 For those of you males who get circled by females calling you names, just tell them this geek has enough train to fill their tunnels. Then look at them and say maybe not, only a tractor trailer can their giant battered bruised tunnels.......LMFAOOOO Good one man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UlmerPark B6 Posted January 26, 2009 Share #25 Posted January 26, 2009 I've never gotten picked on, people just like sometimes ask me why I like it, I just say, "I like transit, as if you were to love American Idol". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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