Unsuck DC Metro: Rider Hall of Shame: Graffiti Fail

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Rider Hall of Shame: Graffiti Fail

Via Anna:

Saw this gem of an individual on the Blue Line headed toward Franconia from Capitol South at around 2 p.m. yesterday. He didn't seem to car there was a train full of people. I tried but couldn't get a shot of his face before I had to get off the train.

The top line said "Riverdale" and "Michigan Park." Under that it said "Hellpark for..." and then some word with a W and something else (the other shot I got showed more but was blurry). He later wrote "53rd" on top. I was definitely hoping it would at least be something a little more clever.

See the full Hall of Shame

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How much will it cost to maintain and operate Silver Line (Examiner)
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MoCo proposes rapid bus system (Examiner)

Comments (29)

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0 Vote up Vote down

@TheMichaelBK · 708 weeks ago

Um, how the hell do people just stand by and watch this happen?

5 replies · active 708 weeks ago

+25 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 708 weeks ago

As if he'd give a damn if someone said something to him about his vandalism. He clearly doesn't care about others property so he probably wouldn’t give a damn either if someone said something to him about it.

-9 Vote up Vote down

basilcronus · 708 weeks ago

Perhaps the passengers reflect on their deep hatred of metro, how expensive it is, how much it sucks and think..... "Fuck Metro!"

-4 Vote up Vote down

F'n JD · 708 weeks ago

Agreed. The poster should have walked up and started beating the living crap out of him, as should every other rider in the car.

Mob justice works people, it's time to start using it. When the rule of law fails, the people enforce their own laws.

+11 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 708 weeks ago

Ummm, yeah, I'm not risking a confrontation with someone who clearly doesn't care about the law to prevent some inoffensive (and probably incomprehensible) handwriting from adorning a metro wall.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 708 weeks ago

What if he's armed with more than a marker? What if he's high as a violence-ready kite? He sure looks a whole lot younger (and probably faster and stronger) than me. Knew I shoulda studied karate as a kid! ;-)

+27 Vote up Vote down

dcn8v · 708 weeks ago

I understand not saying something to the individual, for fear of having that Sharpie jammed into a bodily orifice in reply, but this would be one of those times that riders should have called the Metro Police to report the incident.

Graffiti isn't what I'd call a huge problem on Metro- for now. As riders, let's help keep it that way. C'mon- take a little initiative and make the call (after you use your phone to get a photo for ID purposes). They don't need to divert any funds to graffiti cleanup that might otherwise have gone to escalator repairs.

Just program the number Metro Transit Police number in your cell. 202-962-2121

5 replies · active 707 weeks ago

+13 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 708 weeks ago

Right with the phone number. Also agreed, not worth confronting a kid who may have a weapon (other than a sharpie) and an accomplice nearby over graffitti - it can be cleaned. Send these pics to [rlang@wmata.com].

+1 Vote up Vote down

F'n JD · 708 weeks ago

We need a collective "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore" moment.

See Hobo with a Shotgun for a good start.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 708 weeks ago

And for those of us who don't have a cell phone or get reception while riding? Or experience Station Managers who don't care?

0 Vote up Vote down

RGG · 708 weeks ago

Last time I checked, there are intercoms at the end of the cars that contact the train operator. I suggest you move to the adjoining car FIRST to avoid a confrontation with the miscreant and use the call box in _that_ car. Just be sure you have the correct car number to relay to the operator. The operator can relay the info to his control center and they'll contact police. But who doesn't have a cell phone in the 21st century? J/K....!

Someone should have sprayed him with "409!"

0 Vote up Vote down

Michael · 707 weeks ago

I think even with the intercoms we all know that the train operators won't care at all. Metro police doesn't care. It's all just apathetic employees. So therefore the riders stop caring. It's a shame, but it's true.

+2 Vote up Vote down

iolaire 71p · 708 weeks ago

What’s missing is a statement regarding what the train operator or station manager said when Anna reported this to them?

And yes at some point the cheesy statement “if you see something you should say something” is true.

+25 Vote up Vote down

Anna · 708 weeks ago

I sent the picture to Transit Police. Unfortunately, I was running late for a work appointment and had to run to catch the Green line at L'Enfant. I figured it would be too late to track him down once I got off the metro. I'll definitely program the number into my phone though. Not sure why I didn't think of that before. I didn't confront him, because I'm a scrawny white girl and the kid had at least three other friends with him in that car. I might be a wuss, but DC kids scare me. At least I did more than most people on that train.

3 replies · active 707 weeks ago

+8 Vote up Vote down

shiktravels 0p · 708 weeks ago

I've confronted kids on the metro before - and it was kind of scary, even as a not as scrawny as I used to be brown girl.

+13 Vote up Vote down

efroh · 708 weeks ago

Don't let people give you a hard time. As another solo female traveler, I wouldn't have confronted him either. You don't know how he's going to react.

+1 Vote up Vote down

NoMagicToItActually · 707 weeks ago

Bernhard Goetz showed us the way on December 22, 1984. I love what he did.

+10 Vote up Vote down

Nathan · 708 weeks ago

My toddler has learned to not write on walls. This much older child has clearly not learned this lesson. Maybe he needs his diaper changed. I blame him and his public housing parent(s) who are living in, well, my property (as a taxpayer).

+7 Vote up Vote down

Dezlboy · 708 weeks ago

Next time use the red intercom button to tell the train operator. If cars post their car number on the inside (?) then authorities (HA!) could meet the culprit at the next station.

1 reply · active 708 weeks ago

+6 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 708 weeks ago

So you can get ignored and the vandal will target you? Despite what metro may seem to believe those things are not a good idea for reporting a crime in the same car.

If you are going to try it move to another car.

+4 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 708 weeks ago

All valid reporting ideas. Fox 5 would love this one too. This dummy just let the police know his nieghborhood / hangout with the Sharpie tags. Have at it, DCPD/MPTD.

+27 Vote up Vote down

Red Liner · 708 weeks ago

A year ago I was on a red line train and this kid of about 15 was throwing a quarter against the window and catching it on the return. Everyone was ignoring him, but after about five times I told him to knock it off. He turned at me with a "what did you say" look, closed his eyes, tossed his head back at his group of friends, and they were in my face in two seconds. I'm 5'10", 220, and I'm a powerlifter. I was overwhelmed, wanted to knock them out from my face, but I didn't want to be the first to initiate contact, even though they were surrounding me. I stood my ground and just kept telling them they were in the wrong, they were disrespecting everyone on that train, and they needed to pretend they had a little class. As long as I didn't buy into replying to their "cracker" and "what you gonna do now, white boy" arguments, didn't let them feed of their ignorance by replying to it, I seemed to confuse or at least not let the mob mentality heighten, and they got off at the next stop. They did throw the quarter at me and when I yelled thanks and picked it up two of them jumped and kicked the window.

I learned two things. 1. Don't look away or back down, they will not hit you if you're looking at them, unless they're bigger than you anyway. 2. It's not worth it to be right and hurt, better to ignore it and be safe. I shouldn't have tried to teach irrational and ignorant people the proper way to act.

For the record, I'm in no way racist, the kids were the ones who made it about race, and I never once addressed it or replied. It's not worth my time to stoop to their level. Dumb kids are dumb kids regardless of their skin color.

1 reply · active 706 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

NoMagicToItActually · 706 weeks ago

What race were these children? Asian? Middle Eastern? Please tell us. Thanks.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Anony Mouse · 708 weeks ago

If you squint when you look at the writing, it almost says, "Apparently you believe in slavery."

But seriously, folks, this shit is turning our DC Metro into the NYC Subway. Come on...if you see this behavior, call out the offender! (Just be sure you're packing your pepper spray.) And, if you want to know, yes, I have called people out. I usually get a barrage of swear words sent my way, but I just smile and blow a kiss. Confusion is an excellent deterrent to misbehavior.

+7 Vote up Vote down

@whfsdude · 708 weeks ago

This is a great example of why Metro Transit Police and other law enforcement agencies need a 911 email address.

The poster could have reported it and sent along a picture without the need to confront or be seen calling MTP.

1 reply · active 708 weeks ago

+1 Vote up Vote down

iolaire 71p · 708 weeks ago

Metro controlls the wireless network in the subway - way can they not route 911 to their call center?

+3 Vote up Vote down

MarkingUpYaWalls · 708 weeks ago

Wmata graffiti will never get anything like NYC was, or is.

What makes me sad is the stupid clique tags.
He could have filled that space with something more rewarding.

+1 Vote up Vote down

NoMagicToItActually · 707 weeks ago

Regarding marker stains, the colored ones are the worst, aren't they?

+1 Vote up Vote down

Stephen Kosciesza · 707 weeks ago

The problem with confronting someone (and I speak from experience) is, you'll wind up doing it all alone. NOBODY will back you up.

That's why I always do join in, when I see someone confronting someone else.