Last Friday, when the Red Line had one of its epic fails, passengers on one train were treated to the extended, maxi-single club mix version of one driver's dentist drill "banter." Ms. Gibson, an operator who's apparently infamous for her salt-in-the-wound demeanor, was in prime form Friday. Just what you want, right? Read on.The following is from John, a Red Line rider caught up in Friday's fun.
Ms. Gibson's usual sarcastic scoldings were really on a roll between Union Station, where I got on, and Farragut North, where the crowds thinned out. I've been on the train several times previously when Ms. Gibson's rude announcements have provoked a group chuckle and lots of rolling eyes, but Friday morning she was really wound up. We all were since Metro was single tracking, which meant delays, crowded trains and general suckitude. But on a day like Friday when you're really not in the mood to shrug it off, her bitter repartee felt more like a dentist drill that just keeps boring in.
No leaning on doors! No ignoring the chimes! No treating the platform and train like a playground, whatever that means. Pay attention to her announcements! No overloading the train!
Warning after warning after warning.
God make it stop!
It was all made worse because of the extra air time she had due to the delays. Basically, she kept threatening to offload the train if we pushed her too far.
I got off at Dupont Circle, and since the train had to wait there for a few, I had a chance to walk up to the front and ask her why she was angry and copping that attitude. This, by the way, is how I learned her name.
She did talk to me, but maintained she was not being rude, angry or bossy.
Whatever.
When you're on a train that's not working the way it is supposed to, the last thing you want to do is be threatened by the driver to make your already sucky situation even suckier. Yes, that's a word.
At the very least, she could have been polite and made her chides a little gentler. After all, it was Metro's fault the whole morning was totally sucked.
We wonder here if bethanyshondark was on the same train after these tweets:
"The driver this AM was awful, yelling into the microphone for a 50 min ride that should've taken 10 (switch malfunction)
"Wow, DC metro just impressed me a little bit. I made a complaint online about the operator this AM, & they called & will be "retraining" her"
If anyone out there would be willing to record Ms. Gibson, we'd be eternally grateful.
Photo: Passive Aggressive Notes
Oh yeah, I was on that train. After 10 minutes of sitting at Union Station and endless promises of "momentarily" my wife and I got off and walked to Capitol South instead. From what I read on Twitter the train continued to sit there for about that long anyway.
ReplyDeleteI too was on this train. Ugh, she seriously made the already-painful experience that much more painful.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet it's a real joy to hear her tell you how there is no need to overload this train because there are 20 trains right behind it. Has anyone ever heard this announcement and not wanted to scream "I've already waited! I want on this f****** train!"
ReplyDeleteLast night was awful. A train brokedown at around 6:15pm in Van Ness Station and we left Cleveland Park only to sit in a dark tunnel between the two. No way to get off. And YOU KNOW they're not sending any help! The conductor kept saying "we'll move momentarily" which you know means "forever." Then, once my anxiety level was at 1,000, she finally used the double track and went into the station using the free track. Sure enough, when we got out, there was the broken train. No metro folks in sight. [Then the alerts kept saying the breakdown was at AU/Tenley. Yeah, right.] All she had to say was "we're going to single track," and we could have relaxed. Thanks for another crap-a** ride metro! I am buying a scooter.
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