Buses Behaving Badly: Incident at 14th and Irving

I was walking to the gym in Columbia Heights at 6:30 a.m. when I witnessed an out-of-service DC Metrobus honking at a cyclist in the bike lane heading northbound on 14th Street. When they got to the intersection with Irving and were stopped by a red light, the bus driver opened his door, stood on the step of the bus and started yelling at the cyclist.

Having been the target of aggressive Metrobus drivers while commuting my way around the city on bike, I decided to see if I could help. The cyclist was asking why the bus driver was honking at him when he didn't need to pull over to the curb (no passengers -- out of service) and could have easily moved to the other north bound lane. The bus driver responded by yelling at the guy. I interjected, "Hey man, can't you be respectful?"

He answered my question at once. "Fuck you" he said. My fault -- I hadn't realized we were dealing with one of DC Metro's ambassadors for public safety awareness.

The light changed and he charged off with his anger management issues back behind the wheel of a multi-ton bus the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority has deemed him fit to drive. I snapped the picture as he drove away.

Bus 6500, northbound, 14th street on 8.25.10 at 6:30 a.m. Jim Graham, do you care?

Metro Considers Shortening Yellow Line, Closing Earlier on Weekends

To save money, Metro is considering ending service on the Yellow line to Fort Totten and closing at midnight on the weekends and other changes, according to Midcity.

I can see the Yellow line "shrinking," but their suggestion to close Metro early on weekends is surely a bluff to get local governments to up Metro's funding. Metro now closes at 3 on the weekends and I can't imagine any local government wanting all those drunks on the road and heading back to the suburbs after the bars close.

Of course, Metro might be able to save money if they'd stop wrecking their trains, running over track workers and plowing their buses into joggers and other pedestrians.

But that might be too much to ask.

DC Metro

I don't ride Metro regularly. Today I did.

I was somewhat amused and alarmed that as we were leaving the Archives station the driver announced that the next stop was Archives. And as we pulled into L'Enfant station the driver repeated his mistake by announcing that we were arriving at Archives.

If Metrorail train operators don't know where they are I doubt they're really paying attention to driving the train.

Irony Alert

Signs posted on major highways into DC:

"July 4th Events Downtown. Avoid Delays. Take Metro."

DC Nationals -- What DC Metro Late Fees?

If you're a group like, oh Susan G. Komen for the [breast cancer] Cure have to reimburse Metro if their events require it to open early or close later than normal, to the tune of $27,000 per hour.

But if your a major league baseball team named the Nationals don't worry -- the DC City Council has decided that the city -- i.e., taxpayers -- will pay the fees!

What budget shortfalls? What understaffed police force? What economic downturn? What axle busting streets?

And last Monday, when Metro stayed open past it's normal midnight closing to accommodate a late-ending game, how many thousands of people did we save from having to endure, oh, I don't know, arranging alternate transportation?

16.

The city paid $27,000 to give 16 people a train ride.

That's what I love about the DC City Council. They care so much. As long as you're major league baseball bent on raping and pillaging the District of Columbia. It seems Mayor Fenty and the Council are to the Nationals what Vichy France was to the Nazis.

So if you're a cash-strapped non-profit trying to find a cure for cancer and need some free help from the city, dress up your cause in something the Council will find socially redeemable Tell 'em you're not walking for a cure, tell 'em you're walking for Major League Baseball. Apparently that will open doors and the city coffers.

Play ball!

Look What I Missed

Apparently they had a "no pants day" on DC's Metro system while I've been toiling away out here in Sin City. Sorry I missed it.

Then again, judging by this, not so much.

DC Metrobus Good Will Campaign

I was pedaling down Pennsylvania Ave. this evening on my way to a meeting on Capitol Hill, when, pulling up to a stop light a DC Metro bus pulled up beside me. I heard the bus driver open her window and say, "hey" to me.

I freaked. I mean, I've been pretty critical of DC Metro Bus drivers in this space. I mean, they've run over people on Pennsylvania Ave. So I thought, "Oh shit, I'm dead."

No. She said, "hey, I like your legs" (honestly, I'm not making this up). Blushing, I said, "Thanks, it's the biking." She said, "I like having you in front of me."

I couldn't think of what to say in response to that and thankfully the light changed green.

I mean, I know the Metro system is running a goodwill campaign and all to make up for running over people, but seriously, this is a bit much, dontcha think?

DC Metro Cutting 220 Jobs

Ok -- is this ridiciulous or am I just being insensitive? I feel for anyone who loses their job, but this struck me as outrageous:

Layoffs approaching this size are unusual at Metro, and managers will receive training on how to tell employees they are losing their jobs. The agency also plans to offer stress counseling to laid-off employees and guidance on how to find new jobs, officials said.

Assistance to find a new job, fine. But STRESS COUNSELLING? This is partially funded by my tax dollars. Where's my tax-payer supported stress counselling when I lose a $90,000 contract? And, Metro has managers who lack the knowledge of how to fire people? They need special training? Aren't those skills a "manager" is supposed to have?

I can think of better uses for tax money for education programs for DC Metro employees. Like how not to kill people with your buses.

Buses Behaving Badly Part Two

More from the WaPo on DC's ambassador's of death (a.k.a Metro bus drivers):

...a reporter rode some of Metrobus's busiest routes for a day and observed drivers speeding, running red lights, talking on cellphones and engaging in many other unsafe practices that some bus riders and pedestrians call typical.

Count me as one of those pedestrians who call such practices typical.

The story made me think of a close call I had with a car being driven by a uniformed Metro police officer. I was riding home, pedalling north on 14th street one afternoon, and there's a block under construction where the construction fence protrudes into the bike lane. I moved over to the left, edging into the car lane. I few seconds later I was jolted as something hard struck my elbow. It was from the car's passenger-side mirror striking me because the driver either didn't see me or didn't move over a few inches to avoid hitting me.

We both stopped, and he was cursing at me. He got out of his car -- in his Metro uniform -- and came over and looked at his mirror. He did not once look at me or ask if I was okay. Seeing that his car was undamaged he got back in and sped off. "Don't worry, I'm fine," I called after him.

This was a DC Metro police officer, in uniform, striking a bicyclist and not giving one ounce of concern, except for his car. What does that tell you about the culture of safety among DC Metro employees?

Buses Behaving Badly

In less than a week three people in DC have been struck and killed by DC metrobuses.

Why?

Because DC Metro bus drivers drive dangerously. They aggressively cut other motorists (and bicyclists) off. They run lights. They drive too fast on narrow streets. They block lanes when discharging passengers when they could easily pull all the way to the curb. They block intersections.

As someone who bikes daily on DC's city streets, I've often thought if I'm ever in an accident it will likely involve a pedestrian who steps out between two parked cars to cross in the middle of a street or a metrobus.

Oh, and from the news story about the latest accident:

Lt. John Kutniewski, who oversees the police department's major crash unit, could not say immediately whether the parking lanes on Congress Street had been completely cleared of ice and snow and said the investigation is continuing.

The streets are not clear of snow and ice and have not been for a week, making narrow streets narrower. DC Mayor Fenty's failure to get the streets cleared have made commuting much more dangerous.

Life in the Nation's Capitol -- Cont.

A DC metro subway station was closed this morning after Alexandria police spotted "suspicious" packages at a nearby bus stop. According to the Post:

The packages remained undisturbed for two hours after being discovered because Alexandria police do not have a bomb squad and "apparently they couldn't get a hold of anybody from Metro until after 5 a.m.," Bartlett said.

Hello? I thought communication between multiple branches of law enforcement and various city government departments was "streamlined" and "improved" after 9/11. With all the focus the DC Metro system gives to "suspicious packages" you'd think there'd be somebody to call after hours. You can't set foot in the Metro system without seeing or hearing announcements and warnings about "suspicious packages." Like this one I heard yesterday over the Metro's intercom system:

"If you see someone leaving a bag or or a backpack, approach them and say, 'excuse me, is that your package?'"

I'm not making that up (in fact, the person making the announcement had the "I can't believe I'm saying this" tone in his voice). Perhaps the Alexandria police were following the Metro's instructions and spent two hours walking around the station looking for someone to ask, "is that your package?"