Blind people can't see you ripping them off

The old why.i.hate.dc rule proves true again: when in Washington, be sure not to put yourself in a position where you need help from public servants.

This holds true for handicapped people who want to ride the Metro. Obviously there have been amusingly infuriating instances in the past. But I needed a drink after reading this story, part three in the Post's four-part WMATA ass-kicking.

For Scott Hobbs, who has a nerve disorder, a more reliable system could have made all the difference.

Hobbs, 37, loved his job as a campus chaplain at Gallaudet University in Northeast Washington. "I am a minister. It is my calling," he said. But his disorder left him unable to walk in 1999, and he had to rely on MetroAccess to get to work. His ride was late so often, he was forced to quit in 2003, said Hobbs, who is a plaintiff in the suit against Metro.

The worst part was waiting for his ride home from the university, which could be hours late or not come at all, Hobbs said. Because he is also deaf, he would have to wheel himself back into his office and contact his wife, who would call to inquire about his tardy ride. "I would start praying that I would get home somehow," he said.

Oh man... so sad.

You've got to really be the suck to rip-off a blind person. Who DOES THAT? Oh, well, we do it here, of course.

This is such a bizarre community we've created for ourselves. There's a thick layer of apathy over the entire city that's impossible to break through. Trying to get people to care about their jobs or about other people is like... well, slagging through a swamp filled with tsetse flies. Even the people who are supposed to be watching out for abuses like this don't care:

LogistiCare's contract with Metro contained a loophole: When drivers failed to show up, the trips weren't recorded as late and didn't count against the company when performance bonuses were awarded. Although Metro could have regularly spot-checked LogistiCare's numbers, agency officials said they failed to do so.

Of course. And now, on top of failing to take steps to curb the abuses, Metro faces a lawsuit from its handicapped customers for being unreliable, which will result in further financial damage. Which we, hooray, get to pay for.

I wish people would care about things. It doesn't even have to be all the time; just on occasion, to surprise me once in a while.