Posted July 7 at 1:00 p.m.

What's up public transit peeps?  "Going Public" is back in the building.  I missed you all, and appreciate your patience (and posts) in my absence.

I am still digging through my inbox.  You know how that goes after an extended out-of-office stint.  But among the first things I pulled up was an e-mail that struck my interest.  Some self-described "Left Coasters" have created a manners-based site for mass transit, and they offer some tips even we seasoned CTA-ers could use.

The most recent MuniManners post, as of today anyway, great advice about how to handle bags/baggage on trains.  After getting my toes rolled over and watching rampant seat-blocking, I can give a big amen to that. 

I also enjoyed another bit asking riders not to sleep during their commute.  They're right, nobody wants to be buried under your dead weight while you make like the bus or rail version of Rip Van Winkle.

Check out their site, and then let's make our own list of the most important mass transit manners.  I want to start by asking riders to exit out of the back.  I know it's hard, and you feel you may miss your stop, but it's ri-damn-diculous to come from the back to the front and block boarding riders.

Posted June 4, 3:50 p.m.

Mass transit manners.  Always a point of debate on the CTA.  Some say it's every rider for him or herself, while others stress civility is important.  I am of the latter camp.  But one rider took a transit etiquette issue to the next level.  Yes, we're talking Dear Abby.

The rider, Amanda Krauss, wrote to ask Abby what she thinks of men taking seats from women, particularly pregnant ones.  In her response, it seems Abby was of the opinion that manners count, but the long and short of it is that women might need to practice some CTA chivalry:

"With more people using public transportation because of increased fuel prices, seats are at a premium," Abby wrote in the response. "One would hope that the commuters would practice good manners, but if a man didn't offer a pregnant woman his seat during the commute, I would offer her mine rather than force her to stand on swollen feet and ankles."

That's what I do, actually, and I know we've gotten into this before, but is chivarly on the CTA officially dead?