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"Scentsibility" in Transit


Mark Walton

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The Calgary Herald had a story recently about a woman who was barred from one bus, and told to ride at the back of another, because her perfume was making the driver sick. I tried to find it on the Herald web site, but couldn't. She's the one who's PO'd at Calgary Transit; she thinks the whole thing is ridiculous: "I pay $70 for my monthly pass". Well, so do other people, some of whom are sensitive to perfume. Where I work, I'm a union steward, and I'm having to deal with just that kind of case right now.

EDIT: The story has been on CTV News @ 11 tonight; the woman has twice been kicked off route 137 buses. She was going on about being publicly humiliated, and her civil rights being violated. The perfume was identified as Very Irrésistible, by Givenchy.

Edited by Mark Walton
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I can appreciate that. I also am 'scent-sitive' to certain perfumes and colognes. I can usually cope, but in a case like this, one appreciates the GMC New Look Style where the windows open as they should, so one can properly open a window and stick one's face into the opening for fresh air. The D40LF style with the windows that open at the top make it impossible to do this. I wish that style of window had never been invented. What's more important, design a window so people can breathe fresh air if required, or so stupid people can't stick their arms out ?

The driver should just have opened his driver side window to the maximum open position and all driver vents. Perhaps he could also have explained to the woman that she should move to the rear of the bus for this reason.

He may want to carry a surgical mask or something similar (in addition to opening his windows) as a temporary measure when someone 'smelly' rides on the bus. It probably doesn't happen too often.

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I had saw a little snippet in text form about this story on CP 24 a week ago but this afternoon the story aired at noon. I'm surprised at the number snippets I am starting to see from Calgary though. The lady claims she rides Route 137 and was asked to leave the bus due to the scent being too strong. She wears a perfume called Irresistable by Givenchy and the news reporter asked the public to comment on the scent and only one said it was a little strong. The clerk they interviewed actually recommended natural scents. Nevertheless the City is investigating. Bus 7843 was shown in the clip opreating on Route 137. Do CT Ops. have the authority to ask someone to leave due to an offensive odour and if so is this a policy or was this done simply on the Op's discretion?

Upon looking for the story I came across another interesting piece and was not aware that CT was cancelling school runs due to the ATU work to rule campaign:

There will be more bus cancellations at Calgary high schools on Wednesday because of the transit union's work to rule campaign.

Mayor Dave Bronconnier says the city is doing the best it can with a difficult situation.

He says the job action by transit workers is finally being felt and says 92 per cent of the school routes are still operating.

The city and transit union will meet Wednesday for a new round of talks.

The union wasnt a pay increase of 15 per cent over 30 months. The city is offering 10 per cent over 36 months.

Calgary Transit says parents need to be aware of cancellations and delays at both public and Catholic schools.

The following schools and routes will be affected on Wednesday morning:

Central Memorial

734 - all service cancelled

Diefenbaker

737 - one out of two cancelled

Crescent

743 - all service cancelled

747 - one out of two cancelled

748 - all service cancelled

Fowler

759 - one out of three cancelled

Scarlett

760 - all service cancelled

762 - one out of two cancelled

Henry Wise Wood

780 - one out of two cancelled

Queen Elizabeth

791 - one out of two cancelled

792 - one out of two cancelled

St. Francis

814 - all service cancelled

828 - all service cancelled

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Canceling school runs what a great idea...

Way to push away a large handful of future potential customers. Because guess why high school students take the bus, because most don't have a car, so they have no other choice. So you screw them over now by taking away their service and you increase the liklihood that many will never take transit again once they have access to a car. Real smart! :blink:

Yes it may be affecting the lowest number of people, but routes that are needed are being removed, what sense does that make. It would be a far smarter choice to cut runs off of other routes such as the 1, 3, 64, 301 etc. Yea your going to pass up some more people and inconvience more customers by taking out school runs. But the customers you are taking those runs away from are far more loyal to transit then the average high school student. Adult commuters on downtown routes are much more likely to continue taking transit after the dispute is settled, high school students far less likely (once they get a car).

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The Calgary Herald had a story recently about a woman who was barred from one bus, and told to ride at the back of another, because her perfume was making the driver sick. I tried to find it on the Herald web site, but couldn't. She's the one who's PO'd at Calgary Transit; she thinks the whole thing is ridiculous: "I pay $70 for my monthly pass". Well, so do other people, some of whom are sensitive to perfume. Where I work, I'm a union steward, and I'm having to deal with just that kind of case right now.

EDIT: The story has been on CTV News @ 11 tonight; the woman has twice been kicked off route 137 buses. She was going on about being publicly humiliated, and her civil rights being violated. The perfume was identified as Very Irrésistible, by Givenchy.

Sometimes ejecting the passenger for smelling like a skunk is a double-edged sword. The woman who wore the perfume almost made her fellow riders sick as well, but it could backfire at anyone who's used to the smell.

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Sometimes ejecting the passenger for smelling like a skunk is a double-edged sword. The woman who wore the perfume almost made her fellow riders sick as well, but it could backfire at anyone who's used to the smell.

My impression of the woman, from everything I've heard and read of this case so far, is that she's totally self-centered, and showing no consideration at all for others.

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Yes it may be affecting the lowest number of people, but routes that are needed are being removed, what sense does that make. It would be a far smarter choice to cut runs off of other routes such as the 1, 3, 64, 301 etc. Yea your going to pass up some more people and inconvience more customers by taking out school runs. But the customers you are taking those runs away from are far more loyal to transit then the average high school student. Adult commuters on downtown routes are much more likely to continue taking transit after the dispute is settled, high school students far less likely (once they get a car).

I have seen some pretty empty 3 route busesin the morning on the way downtown. They could esealy cut a few of those and i don't think any one would know.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 13 years later...

Welcome the board. 

I like to direct you to this: https://cptdb.ca/topic/17809-forum-guidelines/

Your post is certainly in contradiction of this point, especially given that you dredged up a thread which is literally over a decade old in order to contribute nothing further to the thread.

  • Ensure your posts contribute to the discussion in a relevant and respectful manner. Posts that don't may be removed.

Thank you, and remember: Think twice. Post once.

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On 11/20/2020 at 11:41 AM, M. Parsons said:

Your post is certainly in contradiction of this point, especially given that you dredged up a thread which is literally over a decade old in order to contribute nothing further to the thread.

I do have something to contribute though - considering the public urination, smoking, body odor and other "scents" plaguing some CTrain stations and larger bus shelters (like the ones at Southland, Chinook, Brentwood etc), along with some trains - in regards to scents, has CT ever considered the use of aerosol sprays, or some sort of incense-burning device, inside closed spaces to at least cover up the scents of the offending odors? Or very least, something like the old Winnipeg Transit "Busology" advertisements? Not that it prevents it 110%, but people would tend to notice and try to mitigate the issue with more visual notices, as opposed to what I've noticed is CT's emphasis on WordArt & generic stock photos, to try and get messages across. 

odourousunbearableous.jpg

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6 hours ago, armorand said:

the use of aerosol sprays, or some sort of incense-burning device, inside closed spaces

Although this seems liker a good idea, people with lung conditions (asthma, copd etc) may not be able to tolerate this. As much as I dislike foul odors, I can put up with those better than air filled with the dangerous compounds of artificial scents.

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