No, you're the worst!

So I've returned from the Big Apple and will definitely blog about it here soon, but in the meantime, I read this article in the Washington Post today that seems appropriate for my recent trip and my new love of public transit visits to other cities!

I do think above all, DC has one of the cleanest public transit systems in the country and it's not as bad as people think it is in terms of delays, track issues, etc.. Even with all my complaining, I still ride it and support its improvement and upkeep! 

Overall, the DC Metro definitely has more challenges than other cities do in working with two different states, the Federal government and all the jurisdictions it reaches in its 117-mile radial span. Funding, maintenance, emergencies, infrastructure, and expansion planning all can be put to a halt by one of the governing bodies, no matter how good of an idea it truly is. Ugh -- politics!

A travelin' (wo)man...

I was thinking this morning that I've traveled a lot in my life and in recent years have found myself wanting to take public or mass transit when visiting other cities and countries, if nothing else, to see how their systems compare to my beloved DC. 

So I cataloged all the US cities and international cities where I've utilized their public or mass transit systems. First note to mention: I say 'mass transit' in addition to 'public' because a lot of time overseas their transit is actually privatized, at least in Europe, and that's a whole 'nother discussion for a different post (andwhyIthinktheUSisbehindontransit, coughcough).

I also would like to define what I consider to be "mass or public transit". This is city/county buses, commuter/regional rail, subways, trolleys and light rails. This does NOT include passenger rail (i.e. Amtrak), planes, ferries, or taxicabs. 

So without any further ado, here is my ever-growing list that I would like to continue to enhance! (ordered by proximity to where I call "home")

Washington, DC (obvi) and surrounding jurisdictions (MoCo, NoVa, etc.)
Baltimore, Maryland
New York, New York
Columbus, Ohio
Boston, Massachusetts 
Chicago, Illinois
San Francisco, California 
Seattle, Washington

London, England
Paris, France (twice!)
Pisa, Italy
Rome, Italy
Athens, Greece

Sadly, I've been to plenty more cities than this, but either due to circumstance, stupidity or age, we didn't utilize the public transit systems in those places, walked, drove, or cabbed A LOT, or I just don't remember it. Here's to hoping that changes and I can teach my future children about the importance of it someday and cities continue to improve their transit so that tourists feel compelled to use it! 

Bad Luck Friday (and Thursday)

So, WMATA/Metro is on my list. Thanks to a 12 minute wait, ON THE TRAIN at Judiciary Square (across from my work, where I catch the Metro each day) last night, I missed my 5:40 MARC train out of Union Station (as did a lot of other people). The next one wasn't until 6:20, overcrowded and getting me home at 7:15pm, when I usually leave work at 10 until 5pm. Gah. 

My annoyance at last night's issues.

Then this morning, you lovely public transit system, I arrive at a crowded Metro platform at Union Station once I got off the MARC train, to find it filled with people, anxiously awaiting a train on the Shady Grove bound side...the direction I want to go. 

My thoughts exactly, Liz Lemon.

A train pulls up and is stuffed to the gills with people. Your ever so communicative train operator says "Please do not try and get on this train if there is no room. There is a train directly behind this one. I repeat, there is a train directly behind this one." So, I wait. With bated breath. 

Pardon my French, train conductor, but directly behind you, my rear-end?! I stood for another 15 minutes to wait for that train, supposedly coming directly behind you. Blarg. 

Preach, Amy.

The platform continues to fill with people and FINALLY a miraculous sight appears: an utterly empty Metro train. We all rejoice and I still made it to work by 8:45am (with a stop off at CVS to buy Valentine candy for my wonderful co-workers). 

Thankfully my mood improved after that and even though I missed two opportunities this week to use my monthly MARC train ticket to ride Metro for free, it's finally Friday, albeit the 13th, and Valentine's Day tomorrow. Who doesn't love spreading a bit of love around on a globally concluded unlucky day of the year?! Happy V-Day, y'all!

I plan to.

Ebola say what?

Ok, add me into the millions of Americans who are scared of Ebola now. 

The man on the train next to me sneezed this morning. My mind immediately went to EBOLA EBOLA EBOLA!

Now, I'm a rational human and know I won't catch Ebola from this guy or the next one walking down the street, but if there is a downside of taking public transit (oh, I know there are many, but the good outweighs the bad IMHO), communal sharing of germs might top my list. 

Anyway, onto the next thing. Whatever that may be. Spanish influenza, anyone?

Totes, FLOTUS.

Happy Car-Free Day!

I had grand plans to blog this weekend on various, funny topics including my Weekend Warrior Woes on the Metro (coming soon) and starting my multi-part blog series on the "Cast of Characters" on the train each day. Even without uttering a word to many of these people, I keep seeing the same commuters and really feel like I know them or at least have begun to create personalities for them in my head. Stay tuned...

So, anyway, today is Car-Free-Day in the DC area and I can  state that even though I'm not doing it completely car-free today, I do do it enough throughout the year that I feel like I'm owed a pass on the actual day, OK? And, when I do use my car, I'm maybe driving 15 miles a day, TOTAL, with it (to and from the station and home, plus a few errands in between), so I still feel like I'm doing my part. 

Either way, I'm a true believer now in commuting via public transit (hence the blog), and do think every American should, at some point, commute for an entire week (or at least a full day) using nothing but public transit. I know it's harder out in the suburbs and even more so in rural areas, but it's not impossible. And I truly think more people would understand the plight of many others when they do so -- running errands via a bus, having to wait for transit, when it's running late, in all kinds of weather, and actually realizing how inexpensive (relatively) it is compared to gas prices, mileage and upkeep on a vehicle. 

So, on that note...enjoy and HAPPY CAR-FREE MONDAY! 

Grumpy cat gets a learner's permit.

Holding Court

So, I've realized there are people who ride the train who like the center of attention (even in the morning, grr) and almost "hold court" on a regular basis. Today I came up with this concept and now I shall aptly call them "Judges". They are usually loud and boisterous personalities. Sometimes they are nice. Sometimes they are not. Sometimes they have fun conversations I want to join in on -- wahoo, TV and movies! 

Many times what they are speaking of is really dumb and I want to correct them. Often times, since we live and work in and around our Nation's Capital, it is political conversation (which I will NOT let this blog become), but I find it funny -- both ironically and "haha" -- they are usually conservatively waxing about being taxed too much, yet here they are riding a relatively inexpensive form of public transit. Hmmm.

Anyway, these are interesting people to behold and I'm sure I'll have more specifics, but from here on out, they shall be referred to as the Judges. ::Gavel slam::