I know gas prices aren’t as astronomical as they once were but is a Hummer taxi cab really cost efficient? I was shocked to see this guy on 18th Street in Adams Morgan. I’m serious, how does this guy make money with gas, a presumably higher insurance etc?
Photo by PoPville flickr user quigley_brown
“Dear PoP,
I want to relate a rather disturbing incident that occurred yesterday evening on the platform at the Union Station Metro. I was waiting for a train when I noticed four teenagers horsing around on the platform. They were pushing and shoving one another, laughing, yelling… generally acting like teenagers. There was a man leaning up against the railing under the escalators also waiting for the train while listening to his iPod. The teens moved closer to him until they were right next to him, two on either side. One of the teens pulled the man’s headphones out of his ears. At first, he thought they were just joking with him and he smiled. Then, another of the teens started pulling on his headphone cord to get his iPod out of his pocket. He pulled back and tried to move away, but the teens surrounded him and continued to try and pull his iPod out of his pocket.
I had been watching this unfold in front of me, and at this point I moved towards the teens and yelled, “hey,” at them. With their attention now on me, the man was able to pull his iPod back and get away from the teens. The four then started to move towards me and one of them said, “hey what?” At this point, another came up behind me and knocked my hat off of my head while another picked it up and ran a few feet away. I said, “what the fuck?” and stood my ground, staring at them.
At this point, the train pulled into the station, and we all got on—me, the iPod man (who mumbled, “thanks,” to me as he passed), and the four kids. I stood in the middle of the car while the teens took seats at the far end. They passed my hat around and laughed, making comments about it and me. I think they expected me to try to get it back, but, instead, I just pulled another hat out of my bag, put it on, and stood smiling at them. I never broke their gaze and they stared back at me. Eventually, they all stood up and walked down the aisle to stand across from me. They continued to stare at me and make comments about the hat, as if daring me to make a move for it. I figured this is what they wanted, so I didn’t say anything.
Finally, when they realized that I wasn’t going to play their game, one of them walked up to me and handed me my hat back. Then they got off at the next station. Now, I was willing to chalk up most of their behavior to just teens being teens. Until they tried to steal the man’s iPod. Here’s the disturbing part, though: not a single person spoke up while all of this was going on. The platform at Union Station was fairly full and I know I wasn’t the only one who saw what they were doing.
And, when we all got on the train, there were plenty of people around to see what was happening. No one said anything to me or to the kids. In fact, I could see some people actively ignoring what was going on. I’m no hero, but I think if I hadn’t said something to those kids, they would have stolen that man’s iPod right there in front of everyone. And, I wonder if I had tried to get my hat back and things had escalated between me and the teens, if anyone would have stepped in to help. All in all, I was pretty disgusted by the whole encounter, both with the behavior of the teenagers and my fellow Metro riders.
What would you have done? Should I expect people to intervene if I’m being robbed and/or harassed in plain sight? Or, is it every man for himself in this city?”
This is a terrible situation that sadly we’ve discussed and heard about far too frequently. I think you have to do with what you are comfortable with doing. Like many things we discuss, one’s action will vary from person to person. I think the best thing to do when possible is to alert an authority, whether a WMATA employee or a member of law enforcement if possible. I wouldn’t hesitate to use the intercoms in each train car. Sadly, one can’t rely on other people to intervene. Some people will for sure, but I’d say they are in the minority. If people don’t intervene directly I’d like to at least think they’d also do what they can to alert the authorities. One also has to be careful in these situations because it is not known whether or not someone has a weapon. What do you guys think are the responsibilities of fellow metro riders in situations like these?
Photo by PoPville Flickr user Rukasu1
From DC Gov’t:
“Metro Bus reports they will resume very limited bus service in D.C.
The lines that will run include 70, 90, S, L, V8, 30, X2, 80s, 50, A6, A2, W6, W8, and W2. No service will resume yet in VA or MD.
Buses will run slower and with less frequency than usual.
Metro Rail will continue running underground only, and
Metro Access will be closed today.”
and for airport info:
“In response to one inquiry: National Airport is scheduled to open at noon.
Flights are enroute to National.
Check the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority website for more information about National and Dulles: http://www.mwaa.com”
Ed. Note: www.mwaa.com is running very slowly at the moment…
Photo by PoPville flickr user Aziz .
“Dear PoP,
There are a number of things that I find irritating in this city and in general, but there is one that is infuriating to me: when people sit on the outer side of a two-seat metrotrain seat. The seats are built with arm rails so it’s not an easy thing to squeeze in between a person and the arm rail. I’ve found that it’s an equal opportunity offense- people of all ages, races and gender do it, some while reading, others while texting or playing some game and others who are just sitting and staring into space. I totally respect and endorse the metro “code” of general quiet and lack of eye-contact, but this makes me want to throw a fit, or a punch. I will get on a train and there will be at least three open seats in a car rendered essentially unusable by a person taking up two seats, with their possessions, sprawling posture, or unwillingness to move over. The worst is when you actually do try to sit down and you are treated like a criminal for disrupting their two seat luxury box. Today after nearly elbowing my seatmate in the face, did they finally deign to give me my 50% of the space. I CANNOT stand this as it is rude and discourteous. Can anyone explain why there is any rational reason for people to show a total lack of respect to others?”
Sometimes a good rant is necessary for mental health purposes. The problem won’t get solved but it’s nice to let off some steam. I did the same thing when I saw some guy clipping his fingernails on the metro…
Photo by PoPville Flickr user cacophony76
From metro:
Metro Transit Police are investigating a preliminary report of an individual who was pushed into the side of a Red Line train. The train was stopped and servicing the platform at the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metrorail station at about 3:35 p.m. today (Nov. 30) at the time of the incident. The train was headed in the direction of Shady Grove.
The preliminary investigation indicates that two young men were involved in an altercation and one individual pushed the other into the side of the last car of a six-car train. The young man fell to the platform and was aided by local emergency medical first responders. The individual, a minor, was transported to a nearby hospital.
The incident train was held at the scene of the accident for 45 minutes. Customers on the Red Line experienced delays as a result of the incident. Red Line trains were taking turns sharing one track (single-tracking) between Farragut North and Judiciary Square Metrorail station while the train was being held at the scene.
Photo by PoPville Flickr user cacophony76
From a WMATA press release:
A six-car train struck the rear of a parked train inside Metrorail’s West Falls Church Rail Yard today (Nov. 29) at 4:27 a.m. Three employees sustained minor, non life-threatening injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. No customers were on board the trains.
As train number 902 was pulling into the rail yard it struck the last car of a six-car train that was parked in the yard. Two employees were on board the parked train cleaning it to prepare it for service when it was hit. The parked train had no identification number assigned to it because it was not in service. Trains are assigned an identification number when they are about to go into service.
Train number 902 was comprised of rail car numbers 5056, 5057, 1171, 1170, 3223 and 3222. The parked train was comprised of rail car numbers 5138, 5139, 1107, 1106, 3216 and 3217. The lead car (5056) of train 902 made contact with the rear car (3217) of the parked train.
Metro officials are conducting an investigation into the incident to determine why the accident took place.
Photo by PoPville Flickr user Rukasu1
“Dear PoP,
I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that there have apparently been a rash of robberies on the metro recently. I was just on the Yellow/Green line from L’Enfant at the Convention Center stop and was playing on my iPhone (not listening to music) when a kid snatched it from my hand and ran off the train. I’m not sure about this, but I think he was with a group of guys (based only on the fact that when I yelled “stop that guy” they just looked at me as he ran by). I had left my bag on the train so I couldn’t run after him, but did get the opportunity to call him a few choice names.
Anyway, I wanted to let you know because the station manager said that this has been happening a lot lately; as I was giving my report to the transit police another report came in about someone else who had their watch stolen in the same manner.”
Please be careful. I seem to recall these incident increase during the holiday season.
photo by Grant
“Dear PoP,
Question for the group, why do DC cabs’ fare lights read “CALL 911 TAXI”? It pretty much says you could call 911 and get a cab, right? This makes no sense, but either does the fact that DC cabs don’t use their fare lights…”.
I think that’s actually supposed to be a safety feature for the cab drivers. If the part that says Call 911 is lit up it means that the driver is in distress and/or in the process of being robbed and that if you see it lit up you should call 911. I’d be interested to know if this has ever been used successfully or even at all.
DDOTDC sends word via twitter and on Facebook:
“The District’s first 3 modern streetcars have left the Czech Republic and begun their journey to DC. These photos show them being loaded onto flatbed trucks in Ostrava and then arriving at the port in Hamburg, Germany. They are expected to arrive by ship in our area in mid-December.”
Very cool! You can see all three planned phases here. Phase 3 is also below.
From Alert DC:
“Department of Defense will be conducting authorized fly over in the National Capitol Region for a Falcon Virgo Exercise (weather permitting). The exercise is scheduled for Wednesday (11/18/09) between 12:00 Mid Night to 2:00 AM.”