Taking the T Means No Tailgating

The only person who loves public transit more than us is Mike Dukakis. One of the reasons we moved to the city was to have easy T access, eliminating the need to own a costly car.

But there are times when a car is a necessity. Making an IKEA run without a vehicle is not wise. It’s tricky to get to the outlets in Wrentham or North Conway without a ride. But perhaps the most unnatural time to use public transportation is when heading to Gillette for a Patriots game.

The MBTA announced this morning that NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett has recorded an announcement encouraging football fans to take the commuter rail from either South Station or Providence to the stadium for home games.

It’s a nice thought. But how is the public transit user supposed to tailgate? Coolers and beer aren’t allowed in the stadium, so we’re pretty sure management won’t allow our favorite portable folding chair and mini-grill past the gates either. Since riders can’t leave their belongings on the train, they’ve either got to make friends with fans that drove, or forsake the tailgating.

Taking the train to see the Celtics, Bruins, or Red Sox is fine. But as football-loving Americans, we just can’t imagine heading into the stadium without a belly full of beer and sausages—even if Andre Tippett says it’s a good idea.