Posted June 23, 2008 at 2:15 p.m.

This morning while waiting at the 35th Street Red Line stop, I looked down and marveled at a mass transit mess.  It's not that I've never seen litter on the tracks before, but this amalgamation of items suggested just plain slobby behavior from riders.

There were plastic bottles.  (New recycling plan?)  There was a Sox cap.  (Disgruntled fan from the Crosstown Classic, I'm guessing.)  And most ridiculous of all: a Harold's chicken bag.  I took some photos with my BlackBerry...you can make out the telltale green label, though I didn't want to fall onto the tracks trying to get more detail.

Now, we know that litter can be a factor in small track fires, so what's up with all this trashy conduct?  Do you see some rubbish on the rails?  E-mail me a phot and I'll post it. 

Let's shame these CTA riders into finding a trash can or recycling bin.

You're surprised by litter on the tracks? Try going to the Taste of Chicago late on a Saturday afternoon and prepare to immerse yourself in ankle deep discarded napkins, cardboard containers, beer cups etc. There must be 1000 trash containers but people could not be inconvenienced to use one. I hate to tell you, but the little dirty secret about Chicago is that there are lot's of people who don't care and practice slobby behavior on a daily basis. Welcome to Chicago..........

"And most ridiculous of all: a Harold's chicken bag."

Now, what would you rather have? A Harold's chicken bag on the tracks, or chicken bones all over the floor of the train. Be happy they tossed it on the tracks instead of leaving a mess on the train.

"GOING PUBLIC" SAYS: Hmm, it doesn't seem to be a great idea to have paper on a track in case there's a fire. You're right, not too keen on chicken bones on the train floor either.

Try to inhale a wif of urine on the el or bus for that matter. UUGH!

"Try to inhale a wif of urine on the el or bus for that matter. UUGH!"

Yeah, and people make a big stink over the smell of White Castle sliders. I'd rather have a bus or el smelling like White Castle, Checkers, McDonalds, or Harold's Chicken then have it smell like urine, vomit, or crap.

Here's a better idea:

How about NO food litter, or litter at all for that matter, on or around any stations.

I'm sorry, but I don't think those are acceptable choices: "A harold's chicken bag on the tracks or chicken bones on the train."

NEITHER.

Be considerate of others and of your surroundings.

You (hopefully) wouldn't throw food debris or litter on your living room floor, so don't do it on CTA.

I LIKE TO KNOW WHY IS IT THAT I CAN GET TO WORK
IN TWENTY FIVE MINUTES EVERY MORNING, AND IT
TAKES ME OVER AN HOUR TO GET HOME. IT REALLY
DON'T MAKE SENSE, IF I CAN GET TO WORK IN
TWENTY FIVE MINUTES I SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET
HOME IN TWENTY FIVE MINUTES. I TAKE THE 47TH
STREET BUS GOING EAST TO LAKE PARK AND I WAIT
30 MINUTES FOR THE BUS ALMOST EVERYDAY. AND
BY THE WAY I'M ONLY AT 47TH AND LAWNDALE.I GET
OFF ON WESTERN AVENUE AND RIDE WESTERN TO 62ND
AND WESTERN, AND THAT IS NOT AN HOUR AND
FIFTEEN MINUTE COMMUTE. AND BY THE WAY THE
BUSES NEVER HAVE AIR ON THEM, AND THAT'S BAD
BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE LATER MODEL BUSES THE
WINDOWS CANNOT BE OPENED.IF YOU PEOPLE LOOK
INTO SOME OF THE SMALL PROBLEMS THAT CTA IS
HAVING, AND GET SOME OF THEM DONE, YOUR BIG
PROBLEMS MAY NOT SEEM THAT BAD AND MAYBE THE
PEOPLE WILL START SAYING AND WRITING GOOD
THINGS ABOUT THE CTA. AND ALSO MY WORK HOURS
ARE 8:30AM TO 5:00PM
THANKS MS.D

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