this post was submitted on 04 Jun 2024
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Mildly Interesting

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I had never seen one of these before today. They're great. Way better than reaching for a single pole in a crowded car and wrapping your hand around some stranger's fingers. And If you have the whole thing to yourself you can hook your arm through it.

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[–] [email protected] 69 points 5 months ago (5 children)

Well now how am I supposed to enjoy the sensation of someone else's sweaty hand sliding down the pole to slowly touch mine while they remain oblivious of the entire situation?

[–] [email protected] 41 points 5 months ago

We're not oblivious ;)

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

On the other hand you can solidly grope all the bums because you have such a firm grip on the pole.

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[–] [email protected] 52 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Yeah, they’re pretty common on newer train cars.

Also, obligatory San Francisco BART picture.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 5 months ago

In the métro in Lyon the bar are similar too:

https://live.staticflickr.com/5727/21802701793_13ec053362_b.jpg

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[–] [email protected] 38 points 5 months ago (4 children)

Cool idea, but hooking your arm through it looks like a great way to break said arm if you stop fast.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 5 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 43 points 5 months ago (7 children)

I feel like the comment above is from someone who almost never rides commuter rail.

These trains have been designed for people to stand, walk around, and sit unbuckled. They simply don’t stop that quickly.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

I ride Atlanta's MARTA for my daily commute. There's a few stops that will spill inexperienced riders to the floor they're so fast.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (3 children)

There's a lot of inertia when stopping on the airport trams I've been on with these. It could very possibly break a weak arm if one were stuck inside two metal bars.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Trains like this don’t decelerate that quickly when you pull the emergency break. If they did, you’d have injuries from standing, not being buckled, not having headrests, etc.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (1 children)

I'm not sure it'd be worse than hooking your arm through a single pole. Presumably in that scenario you're trying to stay put, right? If you're getting shoved hard enough to break your arm by being yanked off the pole you're getting shoved hard enough to crack your skull against one as well.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago

Realistically, the only way a commenter train is going to change direction or decelerate that violently is if something derails it or slams into it.

Trains like this don’t slow down very quickly, even if you pull the emergency break. That’s why people are allowed to stand, walk, etc.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

People are allowed to stand and walk around on these things. They’re not cars. They almost never come to a violent stop. Even the emergency brake takes like 15 to 20 seconds to bring one of these things to a stop.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (3 children)

You say this, but I see unexpected tourists fall from stopping all the time in metro systems all around the world 😂

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (1 children)

lol. True dat. They don’t know that you have a wide stance, perpendicular to the train’s direction. You have to ride that bitch like a skateboard.

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Okay I have a crazy radical idea that is going to disrupt the entire pole industry:

4-sided poles.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Now bodies touch each other instead of just hands.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

I like how you think...

[–] [email protected] 30 points 5 months ago

Don't put your arm through it. Just don't. OSHA does not approve putting your arm between metal bars on anything moving.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 5 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 21 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I think it's Denver. I could be wrong though.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Denver was my guess too. I vaguely remember these when I visit my home town.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Definitely Denver. The train is approaching

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

Toot te toot tey too

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 5 months ago (3 children)
[–] [email protected] 17 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

I also took a pic of these a few weeks ago but because the train was eerily quiet

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 5 months ago

They're common all over Europe.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Where I'm they're very common.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

A fellow Denizen of Tripostia?

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

That clitic broke my brain.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (1 children)

These are pretty common where i live. You will be thankful to find a spot to hold on to on rush hour though.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago (5 children)

Here's the thing, though, I know I've seen them, but I couldn't tell you where to save my life. This is gonna be killing me forever now.

Definitely not Atlanta. Never been there.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago

Denver's trams

[–] [email protected] 9 points 5 months ago (1 children)

OP said Seattle, but I've also seen them at Denver

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago

I just saw that the OP said Seattle airport and that's plausible for me. I'm going to choose to think that was it and save myself the mental agony.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago
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[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Neat, I like it.

Looks kinda expensive to fabricate (relative to a plain pole), though. I'd probably value-engineer it out if I were designing the train car, TBH.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (3 children)

what, nobody is going to mention that this is a stripper pole for my overweight mother?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 5 months ago (2 children)

We weren't going to say anything out of politeness but now that you said it I'm comfortable telling we call her money bags because in the right light the dollar sign tattoos on her ass makes it look like she just robbed a bank.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (5 children)

Yeah I can see how that's better than the old style. Which airport if you don't mind me asking?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago

Seattle, on the tram between the main airport and the north satellite gates.

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

Also Dulles

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago

Don't you dare touch my hand!

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