Life as a sardine

Every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday I am able to experience a phenomena that probably most will not in their lifetimes. On these days I must be at class by 9:00 am, meaning I need to leave my house around 7:30, peek time for commuters. I am so lucky to be able to, three times per week, be literally shoved into a car full of people, my body up against some random stranger's, no room to move or even hold onto a railing for balance. The first time I experienced this, this last Tuesday, as I saw my train pull up full to the brim with people, I got scared and didn't even get on! Instead I took the next train, coming about three minutes later, and just as filled with people as the last. It was really awful the first few times- the cars are very hot and you are mere centimeters from your new neighbor's face.

However, a few things did also impress me. In order to keep the peace and to keep everyone sane on the potential train ride from hell, everyone is completely silent. It amazed me the fact that I was standing in the center of a train car filled with anywhere from 100-150 people, and it was so quiet I could probably hear a pin drop. This is very intentional, as if people were engaging in conversation or talking on their phones, it might be too much to handle. Also, everyone gets a free-card when it comes to physical contact. Whether you need to shove your way on or off the train, or if you simply fall into your neighbor due to a sudden jolt by the train, no one gets angry for being run into. Also, when the train does lurch in a dramatic way, there is no outcry amongst the passengers, rather everyone keeps very calm and adjusts as best they can.

The subway during rush-hour is to me a really phenomenal display of human self-control at its finest. In this way, a very very uncomfortable and potentially uncivil experience is turned into just another part of one's day to day routine, complete with its own unique etiquette and set of rules. Who would have thought that life as a sardine could be so honorable?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0A9-oUoMug
This link is more extreme than what I have experienced thus far, but it wouldn't surprise me to perhaps someday see this for myself.