Ask anyone who uses the metro (subway) service from the STM on a regular basis for over a couple of décades and they will tell you that it isn't all just pleasantries good expériences. In fact, ask almost anyone who has used the metro on a daily basis for the past 20 or so years and they can probably tell you horror stories you would come to expect, such as the increasing amount of delays and halts since 2014, the over-packed métros during the ever-growing rush hours, the long waits between trains (did you know that a 10-15 minute wait between métros before 07h30 is actually considered normal?), the lack of cleanlyness (due to metro users who have no respect for public transit), and so on and so forth.
However we also must realize that we Montrealers (as Quebecois) love to complain. We complain about gas prices, traffic jams, the weather, the tazes, etc. We are seemingly a nation of people who just love to complain at every opportunity even if we are not prompted nor stimulated to do so. In fact, most people in a public place will strike up a conversation with strangers by simply starting to complain about something. So of course it is no surprise that the STM (Societé de Transport de Montréal) is a great source for Montrealers to complain. Yes, perhaps the STM did win some awards years ago as one of Canada's "best" public transit systems in operation, and yes, maybe their new post 2010 reduxed propaganda slogans seem to offer a better, kindly, gentler public service, but the fact remains that they are the only service offering public transit across the centralized Montréal island, and in such have total corporate control over thousands of in-and-out-city commuter's only semi-viable transportation option. So it is no surprise that like any corporation with a monopoly on the service they offer, the STM can basically impose anything they wish reguardless of how it affects the users of their system, casual or regulars alike.
As a bus and metro user for the past 35+ years now, I have seen many, many changes that the STM have done, from their actual namesake (anyone else remember the STCUM?) to the types of buses used, as well as changes in sound and noise levels on their vehicles, and changes to their routes and "highly flexible" schedules. Most changes offer a better, kinder, gentler experience for their users on paper and propaganda, but usually these come with another type of "pricetag" in the long haul, one which makes a decreasing amount of users remember a time when the services were actually a more pleasant experience. Now with constant metro entrances/exits closed down for rénovations, changes in bus stops and routes due to traffic jams and city construction, the STM are placing a more pro-active stance on their public image and propaganda.
However most of these little nit-pickings could be easily acceptable if it wasn't for the STM's biggest blunder so far since their 50+ of existance. The "new" AZUR metro, which are now almost unavoidable on the orange and green lines. If at first glance these AZUR métros seem more homely and futuristically sanitized, they are in fact an attack on the human senses, designed for the new ADD and ADHD générations of Wireless cellphone/smart phones / tablets addicts. Their lighting is too bright, the station announcements are too loud, there are less seats, and the smell/smell enhancers. So read on if you would like to know more about how the AZUR métros are prooving to be not just a nuissance and unpleasant experience for the metro users, but are also, to a certain degree and from a certain point of view, somewhat harmful for your health!
First off, the lighting. At first, people seem to think that the overly-bright LED or LCD (or whatever these halogen-like lights are called) are a welcome change, making the AZUR métros much brighter. In fact, I recall reading a comment on a Facebook account how the first time one person took the AZUR metro, he flet like he was in a "Blade Runner"(*) scene ("Blade Runner is a 1982 science-fiction film by Ridley Scott, often reguarded as a classic in the genre). Maybe the fact people feel at "ease" Under these LED/LCD lights is because most people are now addicted to such lighting screens: most home TVs are no longer plasma, instead using the same technology as computer/laptop and smartphone/tablet screens. It is also a well documented fact that the light projected from these LCD-LED screens prevent the body's natural production of melatonine, a compound necessary in a regenerative sleep cycle. It is no Wonder that people suggest you stop using computers and tablets and non-plasma TV before going to sleep because of the effect of these screens. The AZUR métros are completelly equipped with the same lower-grade LED-LCD lights, which in turn also contribute to depleting and preventing the body`s naturally occuring melatonine production. In essence, AZUR métros can actually help to contribute to your sleep disorders! It comes as no surprise as part of this flawed design was done in order to prevent people from sleeping in the metro. But when the only light available in the métros help to contribute to your fragmented sleep and insomnia, it makes you Wonder why the small driver compartment in front (and back) of the AZUR métros are not equipped with the same lights, nor are they shining at the same level of intensity. Bref, AZUR métros are way too bright.
Secondly, the noise. Yes, at first the AZUR métros appear to be much more quiet on the inside than previous metro trains, and this is absolutely true. However the noise the AZUR métros generate on the outside is much louder than older métros. But the point here is actually those automated metro station announcements. If the AZUR métros are quieter on the inside, then why are the station anouncements' volume so loud? Again, this is probably another design blunder made in response to the ADD/ADHD générations who are so locked in to their own little (not so) private Wireless social media worlds, that the metro designers thought it "best" to make absolutely certain that the automated station announcements were so loud that no maximum level headphone would ever fully drown out the dreadful loudness of the pre-recorded voice on the speakers, which seem to be everywhere in these AZUR métros, about 3 to 4 feet away from one another. Also, this could be designed to tie-in with how the STM doesn`t want anyone sleeping in the métros, and how could they? With the sheer aggressive loudness of these station announcements, no one could ever doze off for more than a minute at a time! To add insult to injury, part of the STM's modern propaganda is to remind people to turn their own electronic devices' volumes down, as no one enjoys to have other peoples' music music imposed upon them. The sheer hypocricy in this is staggering as they themselves (the STM) obviously have no respect for their paying users by having the volume of the station anouncements so loud. Even all their other announcements (such as when the service is halted or slowed down for example) is at a slightly lower level, which means that there is a possibility to turn the volume down, but the STM has yet to do so, prefering to leave the volume so high that it is almost painful and very aggresive, especially when you are stuck doing a 30-45 minute run Inside the metro. Yes, I could also make a small point to also mention that the general automated announcements made inside the metro stations themselves have also increased in volume and frequency over the years, but that would be taking the attention away from the real problem at hand which is the unbearable loudness of the AZUR metro`s automated station announcements. With all the marvel modern technology at their disposal, I can not believe they are unable to decrease this volume by a few incréments to make public transit a less dreadful experience. But then again, this design flaw may be part of their un-mentioned true agenda.
Thirdly, the AZUR metro smell, and how smells are left "stuck" within the open-space design of the métros. This third portion may be a question of personal tastes and may be open for debate, but let us not forget how some people, even if a small part of the population, are actually allergic to synthetic smells, such as perfumes for example. One problem with the AZUR metro open-car design is that smells are not avoidable. In old metro trains, if you were affected by someone's overly strong perfume smell, you could move away and even change metro cars at the next stop, but with the new AZUR design, easily avoiding this is more difficult than ever. Take under consideration that I myself as a hard working contributor to modern society, I start work very early in the mornings and thus take the metro very early in the mornings. With this in mind, I usually ride with people "fresh" out of their morning routines, which means that close to 100% of women and about 30-40% of men are also smelling quite "ripe" with the freshly applied perfumes and whatnot. The open AZUR metro designs makes much more difficult to avoid being bombarded with these offensive synthetic smells, and avoiding being anywhere near such a strong percentage of perfume-fresh-wearing people is also of increasing difficulty. Again it is quite puzzling that such a marvel of modern technology such as the AZY métros are not equipped with a better air filtration system, at least to disspate such offensive smells with more efficiency. Also, maybe this is just a very early morning situation, but I also noticed that the AZUR métros themselves give off a smell. It can only bedescribed as a bottled-up dusty gravel-road like odor which is too common and regular to be coming from any other source. Unless of course we are talking of "the same" person always in the same AZUR metro every single morning for the past 2 or so years, who would happen to wear a perfurme meant to emulate those dusty non-asphalt gravel roads in the humidity-hot summertime. But I digress. Again, I find it quite bizarre that these modern AZUR métros are not equipped to dealing with proper air filtration and smell dispersement, and I also need to admit that in this case I fail to see how this design blunder falls within the STM agenda.
I could continue to nitpick about other design flaws of the AZUR métros, obviously made to make the paying users less comfortable during their obligatory public transits, but these would proove only as personnal rantings. For example, it is useless to point out how there are less seats in these AZUR métros than their previous counterparts (save for some on the green live which seem to suffer a similar fate as their AZUR counterparts) and while there is more space for people to squeeze into each other standing up, the handle bars locations were obviously not designed for shorter people nor for those trying to be as out of the way as possible, which in turn adds to the uncomfortable nature of these communial travels. Maybe the spacing between handle bars was a deliberate ploy from the STM to force people to move out of the way regularly during their transit to allow other users to move about, enter and exit. Also not worth mentioning is how these new AZUR seating arrangements seem tighter and more cramped than before as though trying to compress as many people with as little hand-helg bagage as possible, as well as how there is no more arm rest spaces. Also not to mentioned for fear of selfish nit picking is how uneven the actual ride in the AZUR métros are: un-even moving forward, often a "rocking back and forth" motion is felt, and the rather harsh stops which require one to hang on firmly to anything in order to avoid being thrown a few meters away to the ground. Are these marvels of modern technology so unadaptable that AZUR metro drivers are unable to provide a smooth ride? And what about the increase of slowed-down service? Are these technologically Advanced AZUR metro so performance-prone that they stop for longer periods at every station?
In conclusion, while the new AZUR métros may at first glance appear to be a safer, more enjoyable public transit commuting experience, the incredible loudlness of their LED-LCD lights and automated station announcements can only be described as an assault on the senses, and the STM's refusale to address these issues is a clear indicator that they have no concern whatsoever about the health and comfort of their paying customers. Wether the design of these AZUR métros was done purpously or by flawed blunder, it is quite unmistakeable that the STM never had such designs tested nor approaved by the users, and have no empathy towards how these imposed design flaws may have as side effects on those who actually use these services.
AZUR métros: an assault on the senses
- Too Bright
- Too Loud
