Is there nothing better than arriving at the Dupont Circle Metro stop on a Monday morning and finding that both of the "up" escalators are out of service? I know last time I complained about an escalator outage I was accused of being out of shape. So, I'd like to point out to you that there were quite a few commuters who were so tired out by the Trail of Tears to 19th Street that they had to take a couple of breathers. I know because I was caught behind one and couldn't squirm my way into the passing lane.
I understand that bad things happen and that elevator outages are to be expected. The Metro has always had elevator and escalator outages. I guess it's part of its charm. To expect anything less would be a pipe dream. That being said, the Metro failed its many commuters by having the escalator going down into the station in fine working condition. Here are some observations:
1. The number of people arriving at the 19th Street Dupont Metro stop greatly outnumbers the number of people departing. 19th Street is nothing but office buildings. It's home to two gigantic law firms (Steptoe & Johnson and Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld) and various other soulless corporate stuff. It's where people work, not where people live. So the working escalator should be the one that benefits the most people. The escalator should have been going up.
2. Walking downstairs is easier than walking upstairs. Duh. The Dupont escalator has a lot of stairs. Anyone who is even a little bit out of shape is going to get tired. It turns out there a lot of out of shape office workers. Anyone who is past their physical prime is going to get tired. There are a lot of people over the age of 50 working in law firms. People walking downstairs don't get as tired. This is the most super-obvious thing I have ever written; it tickles me that Metro still couldn't get it right.
3. Metro deserves bonus points for not telling anyone about the escalators until after they get past the gate. So if you happen to have an artificial hip and need a working escalator, you're shit out of luck unless you pay another $1.35 and a whole lot more in opportunity and inconvenience costs.
This better be a temporary problem. Getting caught behind elderly women who almost collapse from exhaustion is not the best way to start my workday.
8.07.2006
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The salary for Metro elevator technicians starts in the 70s....
ReplyDeleteFor the time being, they have a bit of job security.
Metro is staffed by a bunch of kaka-poopoo heads.
ReplyDelete--Krystal Koons
I agree that the up escalator should be the one running, but I do find a major flaw with your argument. There are a lot of us who live in that area and use Dupont South as our Metro station of choice. Many residents also work in the area, so we don't have to bother with the Metro as a part of our daily commute - but saying it's not a residential area isn't really a valid argument.
ReplyDeleteOf course there are some people who live close to the Dupont South stop. But they're probably outnumbered 20 to 1 by people who are in the area just for work.
ReplyDeleteOh, man.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky enough to be able to go through the "free" gate on my way to the other set of escalators, but what really grinds my gears is the response I got from the WMATA employee whos job seems to be to make sure people put their newspapers in the newspaper bin...
"they work 365 days a year"
Obviously not, asshat. No notice, no announcements. They can't even tell me -why- the escalator is broken.
These union employees are almost enough to turn me republican...almost.
The newspaper guy grinds my gears. All he does is talk on his cell phone and occasionalyl gawk at attractive women.
ReplyDeleteUnion = Awesome by the way. UFCW 328 for life!
the up escalators at dupont were out??? jesus-titty fucking-christ metro sucks!!!!
ReplyDeleteas for the escalator traffic patterns, i've seen a similar set-ups at the metro at cleveland park where i board. Cleveland Park is 90% residential, yet they operate more up escalators in the morning when the majority people want to go down. they really don't give a damn about riders.
The same goes for the long, long escalators that you use to descend. When they're not moving I get pretty dizzy and am convinced I'm going to tumble down like a sack of bricks!
ReplyDeleteSomeone is posting under my name. Heed not his words. He is a turdface.
ReplyDeleteWow. Fake Krystal/Pimp Daddy = Lame.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Metro actually prefers to keep the down escalator in service. I've seen a couple of items about how descending a broken escalator, with the long drop between steps, is slightly hazardous. Injuries can occur. Injuries = lawsuits. Of course, the day some law firm partner drops dead of a massive heart attack while ascending one of the longest gotdamm escalators in the world is the day they change that alleged policy.
ReplyDelete"Wow. Fake Krystal/Pimp Daddy = Lame. "
ReplyDeleteIndeed. How lamo do you need to be? Lamer than lame. Turdneck.
I am who I say I am...who else can one be?
ReplyDeleteWho "fixes" the Metro escalators? Over paid, likely corrupt union guys. I've used the Metro in Moscow many times--and yet somehow they get their old, wooden, creaky escalators to work.
ReplyDeletedupont south is my metro stop, though i certainly agree that the one working escalator should have been going up.
ReplyDeletei always walk on the escalators unless i've just done cardio at the gym, then i am too exhausted to walk up. i do a lot of cardio and running and i STILL get wiped out by the time i get to the top.
Rusty - attractive chicks/ lame blog + no car = super lame
ReplyDeleteLame blog and no car....fine. But where do the attractive chicks come into play?
ReplyDeleteMove out of DC! I lived there for five miserable, exhausting years and finally managed to escape its death grip. For your own mental health!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI used to get off at Dupont S.--when working, it would average about 75 steps to walk up, and just over 100 to walk down. When they weren't working--I lost count because I was too exhausted. Over 100 for sure.
ReplyDeleteLame blog and no car....fine. But where do the attractive chicks come into play?
ReplyDeleteApparently, not at your house. :)
Someone did have and/or die of a heart attack while climbing up the stairs of a broken escalator several years ago. A lawsuit was filed, and no resolution was ever announced.
ReplyDeleteHey Rusty, ride a fricking bike or something. Everybody knows the metro sucks (I say 'the metro' because metro buses, in my experience, are a million times more reliable). It's your own damn fault for thinking that maybe you'll get off the train and be able to be a lazy-ass and stand in plance while stairs magically lift you above ground.
ReplyDeletemetro sucks. i commute from vienna to rosslyn every day and its always packed, people lean against the friggin rails so you cant hold on, it smells, there is no air circulation.
ReplyDelete