metro

“It was very upsetting to be taken hostage by metro, with no questions asked.”

By Prince Of Petworth

metro
Photo by PoPville flickr user James Jackson

“Dear PoPville,

I reported this to WMATA earlier today. Were any other readers on this train?

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing about my very unsettling experience on the Red Line metro on April 13, 2016. I am very disappointed by the train driver/operator/conductor and would appreciate his/her response to my inquiry below.

QUESTION: Why did the train operator not make an announcement on the train to ensure that all passengers were ABLE to disembark at Silver Spring prior to heading straight for Brookland with no interim stops? It was very upsetting to be taken hostage by metro today, with no questions asked. (more…)

Metro Hires new Chief Safety Officer – Patrick Lavin

By Prince Of Petworth

metro
Photo by PoPville flickr user Ken Yu

From WMATA:

“Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Paul J. Wiedefeld today announced that Patrick Lavin has been hired as Metro’s new Chief Safety Officer. Mr. Lavin comes to Metro from New York City Transit (NYCT), where he is second in command of the agency’s Office of System Safety. His first day at Metro will be Monday, May 9. (more…)

“I want to get word out of what happened so no one else makes the mistake of thinking of going to metro as a safe haven like I did.”

By Prince Of Petworth

petworthe metro

“Dear PoPville,

I was walking home from the grocery store and crossing Randolph when a blue Altima made a full at full speed almost hitting into me. I put my hand on the car out of instinct when you are about to be hit. They were so pissed I touched there car. They went into the Wendy’s turned around and chased me down with their car. There were 5 people in the car. I ran towards the metro because I saw police there earlier. No police were outside so I ran into the station.

2 of the girls jumped out of the car and ran down into the metro station after me. I was banging on the booth asking for help. The metro attendant took his time and called the police. He did not offer me refuge in the booth. Instead only let me on the other side of the turnstiles where the girls then took a full box of bus schedules that was left on the floor and slammed it against my head. The other metro lady found this funny and laughed. The metro janitor also laughed saying should I clean this up or is this evidence. The metro police came 15 to 20 mins after being called followed by the dc police.

I had a partial license plate, car type and color. Both the girls were caught on camera. They said “I Guess we can request footage” No one asked me one if I was okay. Metros safety push is a joke. I have never felt more unsafe. I want to get word out of what happened so no one else makes the mistake of thinking of going to metro as a safe haven like I did. Assault to them seems to be funny.”

“they might shut down entire rail lines for as long as six months for maintenance”

By Prince Of Petworth

metro mess

UPDATE from WMATA:

“In response to questions I have seen from many of you, I want to let you know that I am working on a long-range maintenance plan for the rail system to ensure safe and reliable service. The plan is in development now, and I expect to have it ready in 4-6 weeks. I want to reassure you that, while I am keeping options open on how to proceed, no decisions have been made. Moreover, any service change in the plan that could affect your commute will receive ample notice to customers, businesses, stakeholders and the region as a whole.

You have my commitment that I will keep you informed once the plan is ready. In the meantime, I will advise you if there are any steps that must be taken on a priority basis to keep the rail system running safely and reliably.

Sincerely,

Paul J. Wiedefeld
Metro General Manager/CEO”

Thanks to all who sent links to this depressing story from the Post:

“Metro’s top officials warned Wednesday that the transit system is in such need of repair that they might shut down entire rail lines for as long as six months for maintenance, potentially snarling thousands of daily commutes and worsening congestion in the already traffic-clogged region.”

Jack Evans has been tweeting on the subject:

“If we don’t act now to fix #WMATA infrastructure & finances, we won’t have a system to fix in 10 yrs. #metrosummit”

“Where can u see orig. 40y.o. #WMATA car? Smithsonian? No need. We have 2 fix decades of mis-mgmt/under-investment.”

So about those bike lanes…

Shooting inside the Deanwood Metro Saturday

By Prince Of Petworth

map
via google maps

From Metro Transit Police just before 5pm on Saturday:

“Deanwood Station temp closed for shooting investigation. @DCPoliceDept has the lead on this case & all info will come from MPD.”

Alan Henney reported:

“u/d on DEANWOOD METRO SHOOTING- Victim is a 15/16yr-old male in cardiac arrest (probably fatal), shot x2 in chest while on station platform.”

UPDATE from MPD:

“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch announced that an arrest has been made in the homicide that occurred at the Deanwood Metro Station in the 4700 block of Minnesota Avenue, Northeast, on Saturday, March 26, 2016.

At approximately 3:57 pm, members of the Sixth District responded to a call for a shooting. Upon arrival, they located a juvenile male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The victim has been identified as 15-year-old Davonte Washington, of Northeast, DC.

On Monday March, 28, 2016, pursuant to a DC Superior Court arrest warrant, members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested 17-year-old Maurice Bellamy, of Southeast, DC. He is being charged as an adult with Second Degree Murder While Armed.”

“No train service btwn Rosslyn & Ballston due to fire department activity outside Clarendon”

By Prince Of Petworth

6132261928_d75c93b86c_z
Photo by PoPville flickr user KingoftheHill.

Update:

“Trains service being restored, with single tracking, between Rosslyn & Ballston. Station personnel notifying customers. 11:19a #wmata”

From WMATA:

“Orange/Silver Line: No train service btwn Rosslyn & Ballston due to fire department activity outside Clarendon. Bus service available.”

“#wmata personnel & FD continuing investigation at Clarendon. Train service remains suspended between Rosslyn-Ballston, shuttles avail 10:37a”

Columbia Heights East Side Metro Entrance Closing for 9 Months on April 18th

By Prince Of Petworth

ch metro closing

From WMATA:

“On April 18, Metro will begin installing two new entrance escalators on the east side of Columbia Heights Station, marking the final phase of a major capital project to replace all seven of the station’s escalators. To date, five of the station’s escalators have been replaced with safer, more reliable units.

In order to expedite the process and reduce the impact to customers, Metro will temporarily close the east side entrance, located on the northeast corner of 14th and Irving streets NW, during the nine-month project. This will allow Metro’s contractor, KONE, to replace the two adjacent escalators at the same time, reducing the project duration by about half.”

“Do you give up your seat for pregnant women on the metro?”

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user random lady

I don’t understand how the universe works but for some reason, reader questions tend to arrive in themes. Yesterday’s touched on a controversial post delivery topic but I think today’s should be more straightforward. A reader wonders:

“I’m 36 weeks (and very visibly) pregnant, but have only had a seat offered to me once. I take the metro everyday and luckily have a short commute, so it’s not that big of a problem, but I imagine other women might feel differently. Not sure if people simply don’t notice, or don’t want to notice in fear of offending her, or don’t think it’s necessary to offer up their seat.”

Or maybe not straightforward at all – my wife also mentioned she was almost never given a seat on metro when in the late stages of pregnancy. Is this a courtesy that no longer applies today? I remember my grandma laying in to me when I must’ve been like 8 years old for not getting up for a pregnant woman. Are those days long gone or are we just too focused on our phones to notice someone could use a seat more than us? Sometimes I think we’d be in a better place if a few of our grandparents did some public service announcements…

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