It sounds like two weeks ago an inspection of the trains resulted in some necessary repairs of quite a lot of cars (something like sixteen!). As a result, the trains were shorter, with fewer bike slots, and with the weather getting nice, more cyclists. I was bumped from a train for the first time in my year commuting. Thank goodness my year is ending, and I only have this one last trip up to turn in my final. I suspect the summer will be pretty brutal.

As it was, myself, and a few of the other guys who were bumped from this train hopped on our bikes, and rode down one station to where the next Baby Bullet train was due to stop shortly. However, unbeknownst to us, there are unwritten rules at this station. I was with another rider looking halfway down the platform for a second bike car (just in case). When we realized there was not we did what we always do at our regular stop, and bolted for the front train. There we were informed to get to the back of the VERY long line, never mind that we were actually AT the station first, second and third. One gentleman who had been standing there vouched for that, and the cranky guy who told me to get to the end said "fine, but you explain it to everyone who gets bumped". I said "we've already BEEN bumped" and got on the train. Once in the car I did get some dirty looks, and loud comments about how the rules should be posted somewhere, to which I should have said "yes, that would actually be helpful", but I did not. However, noone lynched me.

This did confirm to me, though, why the second bike cars are not being used to their full capacity - everyone is scared to lose their place in line to look for it!