Wacko Rider+Angry Driver=Screwed Passengers

This is from “Greg” in DC. It certainly provides some insight into some of the various passengers bus drivers have to deal with and how they handle the situation sometimes.

I take the Metro once a week from Glover Park to the Foggy Bottom Metro station (31, 32, 36 buses) and then out to Pentagon City on the Blue Line.
On Friday, I caught the 31 at 25th & Penn. NW to go home at around 3:10 p.m. I had my headphones on, and we were chugging along just fine with no problems other than the usual smell of feet when all of a sudden, the bus driver pulled over abruptly after the Penn St/M St. bridge.
He got up and walked toward the back of the bus --I still had headphones in at this point--so I thought there was a handicapped person heading for the back door that I couldn't see. As I watched, the driver seemed to be discussing something with another passenger. I took off my headphones, and it became apparent to me I was witnessing a racially charged argument.
I had my headphones in for part of the discussion, so I missed what exactly started the argument, but it was very heated. Both the bus driver and passenger in question were African American.

Passenger: Why don't you go back and serve the white man, like you 'sposed to?
Bus Driver: Shut the f*** up.
Passenger: I'm not going to listen to you, slave.
Driver: You have to get off this bus, or I'm calling the man.
Passenger: You would, black slave.
Driver: That's f****** it, I can’t take this sh**.
Passenger: You crazy n****, you a slave.

The driver then announced the bus wouldn't move until the cops came. There was, of course, a mass exodus from the bus.
We stayed stopped for about five minutes--I guess the driver decided he wasn’t going to wait for the police--and the passenger got off a few stops later.

Other news:
Silver lining in last night's Red Line delays (WaPo)
Orange Line could blow this weekend. (WMATA)

Photo: daquellamanera