Unsuck DC Metro: Coast is Clear, or is it?

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Coast is Clear, or is it?

From Ryan:

Last Saturday, my girlfriend and I were on the Orange Line heading toward New Carrollton. At Landover, the operator let us know we would be holding on the platform as a "man and stray dog" were out on the tracks. We sat and waited for roughly 10 minutes when the operator announced we would begin moving again.

Now, you'd assume that meant they knew the man and dog had been cleared, gotten through a fence, that Metro cops had apprehended the man and trespassing canine or that the situation was remedied in some other fashion.

You'd assume.

A couple minutes later we came to a stop. Being in mostly empty front car, I moved forward and looked out the window to see what was going on.

I saw the man and the dog were still out on the rails.

Our train, and a train heading the other way were stopped. The other train let out a few honks as the clearly intoxicated man rambled around with his pants around his knees.

He then picked up the dog and hurled it over the barbed wire onto a lower set of tracks. The throw over the fence was horrific enough, but the other set of tracks was easily another four to six feet below ours, meaning this dog was tossed roughly 12 to 15 feet.

After rolling on the ground and failing to climb the fence several times, the man mounted the barbed wire and threw himself over.

Was there an aftermath? Did the operator seem to care? No.

A simple "train is moving" announcement came on over the speakers, and we carried on as another passenger on the train comforted his girlfriend who began sobbing once the dog was thrown.

At least there wasn't a delay? Right?

Other items:
Metro tweaks fare hike proposal (Examiner) WaPo take
Upcoming track work schedule looks pretty rough (WMATA)

Comments (21)

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+6 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 676 weeks ago

This would lead me to believe the radios do not work and Metro really doesn't have a very good idea what's going on within the system.

+9 Vote up Vote down

DC Denizen · 676 weeks ago

Oh my god- that's horrible. That poor dog! How awful. Hope someone called to report it to the police. Any police- not just Metro Transit Police.

+20 Vote up Vote down

AnonE · 676 weeks ago

What is it you want the operator to do? Should this person risk his/her life and enter the tracks because some nut decided to do it himself. How do you know this operator didn't ask permission to enter the tracks and help? Did you expect the operator to leave his console and come out and wipe everybody's tears? Should the operator cry over the PA so you feel better? Haven't you read how all the shitty comments on this blog from "sick of sick passenger" riders? Do you really think it is feasible to have cops for every mile of track to promptly remove any nut who decides to walk the tracks?

3 replies · active 676 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 676 weeks ago

My apologies, AnonE--I hit the wrong thumb. Consider your score two points higher than it currently is.

I can't see how we pin this one on the operator. He thought the coast was clear, and evidently it wasn't. What's unclear is what decision was made to get the train going, whether it was the operator going on own judgment, the dispatcher thinking that the coast was clear, or the dispatcher acting on own judgment. If it was case 1 or case 3, then yes, there's a clear lack of judgment. And case 2 means that it's harder to pin down the blame. Most likely what happened is that the dispatchers didn't want to get the police involved (which would have involved shutting down the power on the line for 1-2 hours while the situation was resolved) and thought that if a train showed up and stopped, the person would have the sense to get out of the way. I'm not saying it's the best judgment, but that's probably what was in people's minds at the time.

I feel bad for the dog and for those who watched, but it was the judgment of an intoxicated individual to respond the way he did.

+12 Vote up Vote down

Ever and Anon · 676 weeks ago

Yes, AnonE. I definitely DO expect a cop to help remove any nut who decides to walk the tracks, especially when it also involves animal abuse.

0 Vote up Vote down

Anonymous · 676 weeks ago

Grief counselors at the next station, STAT

+44 Vote up Vote down

John · 676 weeks ago

"Whats tossing a dog to some is another person's game with his pet" - Dan Stessel

+11 Vote up Vote down

Cyclone · 676 weeks ago

Finally a feel good story about Metro. The guy and his dog move along and train is back on schedule. Good job everyone.

+19 Vote up Vote down

metro worker · 676 weeks ago

Central very likely asked the operator to approach with the train to get better (visual) information. That also gives Central a better idea where to dispatch police and what section of track to shut down.

Operator very likely called it in. It is weird the trains had juice to approach. The third rail should have been shut down.

We see a lot of people coming on the tracks to piss.

+3 Vote up Vote down

eric bolden · 676 weeks ago

03/31/12 14:55 ORG INBO D13 17 0 PUB 7272056 UPWY REPORT OF UNAUTHORIZED PERSON & ANIMAL ON THE ROADWAY

+4 Vote up Vote down

Anon · 676 weeks ago

Also possible that the guy went off the tracks, people thought it was clear, train started to move, and then he got back ON the tracks.

+5 Vote up Vote down

Vienna Bound · 676 weeks ago

Did any of the witnesses on the train call police? The responsibility to do the right thing rests with everyone. As we've read about here on multiple occasions, reporting criminal activity cannot be left to Metro employees alone, nor should it. The only way to stop this kind of behavior is to do something about it and not rely on someone else to take the lead while we turn our backs or a blind eye to the situation.

+9 Vote up Vote down

One take · 676 weeks ago

Stories of animal abuse like these, or any for that matter really make me mad.
If only it were legal turn the tables and bestow the same treatment to the ‘humans’ who hurt animals.
I’d be at the front of the line.

1 reply · active 676 weeks ago

0 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 676 weeks ago

Well, maybe the drunk guy got hurt when he flung himself over the fence.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 676 weeks ago

Years ago I was on a SEPTA train in Philadelphia that actually hit a dog. Talk about a delay. Cops, firemen, SPCA, all over the place. Took about an hour before we moved again.

-8 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 676 weeks ago

Drunk man falls almost ten feet while intoxicated. Woman is crying over the dog and not the drunk man? Seems some peoples priorities are very warped. What a self centered, self absorbed fool. When does the concerns of animals outweigh the concerns over our own kind? Oh thats right when its a cute furry animal and not a drunk black man. Sad, very sad.
I guess a thirty minute delay to remove the dog would have been acceptable, thirty minutes to remove the drunk guy? Outraged and unacceptable.

5 replies · active 676 weeks ago

+14 Vote up Vote down

mariterri · 676 weeks ago

Drunk guy made a choice to be that way, dog did not. That is why my sympathy is with the dog and not the drunk man.

+5 Vote up Vote down

DC Denizen · 676 weeks ago

Thanks for explaining, mariterri.

+3 Vote up Vote down

@VeggieTart · 676 weeks ago

I'm not going to feel sorry for a guy who threw a dog over a fence while drunk. He had a choice to get drunk and come on the tracks. He made a choice to throw the dog. The dog is the victim here.

-1 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 676 weeks ago

you know nothing of the guy. was he drunk or mentally unstable? homeless or just drunk? how do know he did not go on the tracks to get the dog? a lot of assumptions form some self righteous elitists.