TUx says:
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The STM is terrible at user interfaces. Their website is atrocious, and they turned telbus from an efficient tool into a telephone menu nightmare. (I haven’t tried their new texting service yet, I hope it’s better)
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Their text messaging service is quite cool! Works (almost) every time)

((The STM app for iPod Touch/iPhone is a joke too. It’s fine for iPhones which have an always-on net connection, but if you have an iPod Touch it’s useless. Why they wouldn’t allow the schedules to be cached on a device for use offline boggles the mind.
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The STM mobile app is NOT made by the STM. It's made by an independent develop per named Ian Cloutier
There is an iPhone app that has ALL bus/metro/train lines in the greater Montreal area (STM, RTL, STL, CITs) it's called MTL mobile by Guillaume Campagna. That app uses no data (except for occasional updates which you can postpone until you're on wifi) and is perfect for an iPod Touch or iPhone with no data plan.

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Another example that comes to mind, when using OPUS at a turnstile, the turnstile is unlocked as soon as the green light lights up. When you use a ticket the green light lights up right away, but the turnstile doesn’t unlock until you pull the ticket out. Inconsistent!
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Not inconsistent, it's Smart! It allows users to take their ticket back and avoid the up to $500 fine for not having a valid ticket.

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Of course, we riders of public transit aren’t blameless either. When the motion detector for opening the rear doors on buses was introduced, there was signage clearly explaining how it worked, but buses were full of idiots standing there motionless wondering why the door didn’t open. The STM then changed the signage so that rather than explaining the mechanism, the doors just have a big image of a hand and the signs say to “push here”. This is easier for people who don’t bother to read signs to understand, but results in other stupidity
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Yeah, like people waving at the door on a Classic (older buses with steps) thinking the door will magically open!!!!

Alex

Oh, I crack myself up.

Another example that comes to mind, when using OPUS at a turnstile, the turnstile is unlocked as soon as the green light lights up. When you use a ticket the green light lights up right away, but the turnstile doesn’t unlock until you pull the ticket out. Inconsistent!

This is by design. By forcing you to remove your ticket before unlocking the turnstile, this insure that you do not forget it there, and now, since it has to be surrendered on demand by fare inspectors, that feature could very well save you a costly ticket.

My bus had stopped and I was at the rear doors trying to disembark. The driver apparently forgot to flick whatever switch he needed to to allow the rear doors to open, so I was standing there waving my hand under the motion detector to no effect. A person behind me angrily pushed past me and started banging on the door’s rubber flaps, seeming to think that I didn’t know how to operate the door. The bus driver noticed the guy and did his thing, allowing the door to open. As I stepped out behind the guy he gave me a dirty look, like I’d wasted his precious seconds with my stupidity.

That was a conspiracy by the driver and a friend of his to make you look stupid… :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
What I find funny is people waving their hand at the front door of the bus…

I'm just saying...

Of course, we riders of public transit aren't blameless either. When the motion detector for opening the rear doors on buses was introduced, there was signage clearly explaining how it worked, but buses were full of idiots standing there motionless wondering why the door didn't open. The STM then changed the signage so that rather than explaining the mechanism, the doors just have a big image of a hand and the signs say to "push here". This is easier for people who don't bother to read signs to understand, but results in other stupidity, to wit:

My bus had stopped and I was at the rear doors trying to disembark. The driver apparently forgot to flick whatever switch he needed to to allow the rear doors to open, so I was standing there waving my hand under the motion detector to no effect. A person behind me angrily pushed past me and started banging on the door's rubber flaps, seeming to think that I didn't know how to operate the door. The bus driver noticed the guy and did his thing, allowing the door to open. As I stepped out behind the guy he gave me a dirty look, like I'd wasted his precious seconds with my stupidity.

2 lessons for all this I guess, signs need to be clear, but people also need to actually read them.

I can't stand seeing a family of 8 taking an elevator when the escalator is next to it. Oh well!

If the Cartier elevator is any indication, I'd go with the latter. Using it saves you about a minute and a half compared to the normal route. The result: during rush hour, it's usually so packed that there's a line-up for it. Let's just say I wouldn't like to be the one trying to get in with a wheelchair.