If you're wondering why this post was sent to you on a banana leaf, it's because I'm now in the Philippines! So expect a tropical/dev country slant for the next while.
This is obvious, but it's weird to me why this isn't implemented. I'm sure it's quite ubiquitous as well.
So I ride the Manila light rail system to work. I'm letting you in on this secret, because it isn't a secret. Everyone and their dog rides it as well. It's a great way to avoid Manila traffic - well automotive traffic, not human traffic, I'm not talking about the nasties that sell human beings, ok, you're right I'm not even talking...CROWDS ok? I'm just talking about crowds. Big crowds. Thank heaven I'm a head above most because I wouldn't be able to breath kind of crowds. And so we play this game. Tons (literally) of people wait on the platform. The train approaches and everyone guesstimates where a door will end up and muscles in front of one. The door opens and everyone pushes. Except here there is some civility, if someone is trying to get off, everyone yells "may bababa!" and then those pushing to get on wait a second for the person to get off and then start pushing on again. And then once inside the door, they stop where they are. There's usually ample room in the train between doors, but no one moves into that space. Why should they? They don't want to fight the crowd again to get off. And if they move it removes the illusion that the train is full and more people will try to get on, thus packing "their" train even tighter. So they get on, plant their feet and tell everyone behind them "wait for the next one". This drives my German friend crazy.
So here we go, you ready? Make two signs "enter only" and "exit only" put one on the outside and one on the inside alternating every door. On these trains, the crowd rules. That is the force. The only way to win is to use that force for good instead of evil. You can't leave the train from the same door you enter. The crowd won't let you. If you don't leave the train from the same door you enter, you're forced to move in to the middle space. If you try and exit through an enter door, the crowd will say "punta kayo sa exit!" and will not stop pushing. Of course there will be people using the wrong doors, but not when there's a whole crowd requiring them otherwise. And when there's no crowd it doesn't matter.
My finger-in-the-air calculations report that this will save 30-60 seconds at each stop and will accommodate 10-20% more people on the train. That's money in Manila's pocket and minutes off everyone's commute.
UPDATE: Even better to call the signs "enter priority" and "exit priority" that way no one's a rule-breaker for going in the wrong way.
UPDATE2: Color code the signs for red (you don't have priority) and blue/green (you do have priority). For example one door will have a red sign on the inside and a green on the outside that say "enter priority". The next door will have a green sign on the inside and a red sign on the outside that say "exit priority".
UPDATE3: Do you want to know what LRTA management said about this idea? Okay, here you go.
This is obvious, but it's weird to me why this isn't implemented. I'm sure it's quite ubiquitous as well.
So I ride the Manila light rail system to work. I'm letting you in on this secret, because it isn't a secret. Everyone and their dog rides it as well. It's a great way to avoid Manila traffic - well automotive traffic, not human traffic, I'm not talking about the nasties that sell human beings, ok, you're right I'm not even talking...CROWDS ok? I'm just talking about crowds. Big crowds. Thank heaven I'm a head above most because I wouldn't be able to breath kind of crowds. And so we play this game. Tons (literally) of people wait on the platform. The train approaches and everyone guesstimates where a door will end up and muscles in front of one. The door opens and everyone pushes. Except here there is some civility, if someone is trying to get off, everyone yells "may bababa!" and then those pushing to get on wait a second for the person to get off and then start pushing on again. And then once inside the door, they stop where they are. There's usually ample room in the train between doors, but no one moves into that space. Why should they? They don't want to fight the crowd again to get off. And if they move it removes the illusion that the train is full and more people will try to get on, thus packing "their" train even tighter. So they get on, plant their feet and tell everyone behind them "wait for the next one". This drives my German friend crazy.
So here we go, you ready? Make two signs "enter only" and "exit only" put one on the outside and one on the inside alternating every door. On these trains, the crowd rules. That is the force. The only way to win is to use that force for good instead of evil. You can't leave the train from the same door you enter. The crowd won't let you. If you don't leave the train from the same door you enter, you're forced to move in to the middle space. If you try and exit through an enter door, the crowd will say "punta kayo sa exit!" and will not stop pushing. Of course there will be people using the wrong doors, but not when there's a whole crowd requiring them otherwise. And when there's no crowd it doesn't matter.
My finger-in-the-air calculations report that this will save 30-60 seconds at each stop and will accommodate 10-20% more people on the train. That's money in Manila's pocket and minutes off everyone's commute.
UPDATE: Even better to call the signs "enter priority" and "exit priority" that way no one's a rule-breaker for going in the wrong way.
UPDATE2: Color code the signs for red (you don't have priority) and blue/green (you do have priority). For example one door will have a red sign on the inside and a green on the outside that say "enter priority". The next door will have a green sign on the inside and a red sign on the outside that say "exit priority".
UPDATE3: Do you want to know what LRTA management said about this idea? Okay, here you go.
Alternately designating train doors for ecit and entry would be a very effective crowd management system. However, its application in Line-1 system would not be feasible taking into account the following limitations and constraints:
- During morning peak the bulk of loading passenger is on the sounthbound direction, usually starting from Roosevelt up to Doroteo Jose station. Commuters disembarking on the said stations are minimal to affect the flow of boarding passengers. Majority of passenger exiting usually starts at Carriedo and the succeeding south line stations. Same with afternoon peak were influx of commuters are on the northbound direction starting at Baclaran up to Central Terminal. Designating doors and platform spaces exclusively for exiting passengers would not be practical on peak stations where loading is heavy while unloading is minimal.
- Due to space limitation concern, every available platform area has to be utilized to accommodate the large volume of passengers on peak stations. Take note that the platform design of the old line (Baclaran to Monumento station) is narrow as compared with the new stations at the North Extension Project (Balintawak & Roosevelt station).
- LRTA had already studied and simulated i the past a similar scheme wherein a particular train doors were assigned for entry and exit. Unfortunately, a lot of passengers complained because they experienced discomfort boarding and disembarking. The movement inside the train is restrained due to high gongestion rate while many passengers were blocking the passageway.
- During peak hours, level of comfort is almost nil inside the train and load factor is almost at 100%.
- Line 1 has 3 types of trains with 3 different configurations. The 2nd and 3rd generation trains have an almost similar configuration in length and in door numbers. However, the fleet of 1st generation trains has two different configurations; the 2-car and 3-car train. In effect, designation of entry and exit brackets will not provide an accurate reference due to the variations in door numbers, door locations and train length thus, further confusion will arise.
- All commercial train stops at every station for a minimum of 30 seconds. If there is a single line for entering and exiting, dwell time would not be enough and can cause delays on the departure and arrival schedules. Therefore, longer travel time will be experienced.
Meantime, we are implementing the following temporary actions to mitigate the situation:
- SKIP TRAINS are dispatched in both directions (northbound and southbound)
- Sliders are assigned at end terminals to facilitate immediate maneuvering of trains.
- Queuing in designated PLATFORM TRAIN DOOR ACCESS BRACKETS is implemented for a more orderly and systematic passenger loading and unloading process.
- CROWD CONTROL is initiated to insure safety in stations/terminals.
- Provide SHUNTING TRAINS and additional train trips even during off-peak period.
- Safety Reminders are constantly announced thru train radio and station P/A system.
Significant improvement on the current quality of service is expected once the rehabilitation of rolling stocks and facilities has been completed because there shall be an automatic increase in the system's capacity and sped of the train.
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