Unsuck DC Metro: The Metro Phenomenon

Friday, April 20, 2012

The Metro Phenomenon

Metro's slick Rush+ video premiere was certainly spoiled by news that a passenger's life might have been saved had Metro bothered to check the battery charges of its defibrillators.

I'd say I'm shocked, but I'm not. I mean look at this litany of consistent, borderline criminal honeybadgerism:

Metro knew about brake problems (related) and did nothing.
Metro knew about a malfunctioning track circuit and did nothing.
Metro knew about the problems with mixed track circuit equipment and did nothing.
Metro knew about escalator brake problems and did nothing.
Metro knew about rampant fare theft and did nothing.
Metro knew about telescoping cars and did nothing.
Metro knew about radio problems (here and here) and did nothing.
Metro knew about emergency intercom problems and did nothing.
Metro knew about the danger brewing at Rosslyn and did nothing.
Metro knew about how union rules impede its escalator reliability and did nothing.
Metro knew about employees cheating on basic skills competency tests and did nothing.
Metro knew about the ineffectiveness of random bag searches and did nothing.
Metro knew about the insulting remarks by its spokesman and did nothing.

Metro reacts, they're not proactive--ever.

"Sh*t happens" seems to be Metro's guiding principle.

And you want to know why?

Because in their eyes, nothing is ever their fault.

For example, look at the language from their Rush+ press release (It's also used in the video.) They describe overcrowding on the Orange Line as a "phenomenon." (A fact or situation that is observed to exist or happen, esp. one whose cause is in question.)

A phenomenon? Seriously? They must think we're pretty dumb.

There's nothing in question about why there's an orange crush. It's actually pretty simple: The trains are poorly spaced, and the headways are too long.

It's not a phenomenon. It's ineffective, lackadaisical management.

Explaining overcrowding as a phenomenon is just Metro showing that it really never accepts responsibility for anything, and really, when you boil it all down, that's what's wrong with Metro.

Anything bad that happens is just a phenomenon. The wise people running Metro had nothing to do with it. It just happened.

Frankly, I'm pleasantly surprised the defibrillator press release didn't read "due to a battery fatigue phenomenon ..."

Dan Stessel did, however, tell WUSA 9 that it was "unfortunate" the defibrillator wasn't charged.

Is that progress?

What's the next Metro "phenomenon" going to be, and who has to suffer because of it?

Footnote: Fox5 said Metro is acting proactively to check the defibrillators. Ha!

Other items:
More Silver Spring transit center drama (Examiner)

Comments (38)

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+23 Vote up Vote down

former employee · 674 weeks ago

Metro "defers" a lot of things. The battery was low, not dead-- that is a "defer" item.
Trains that are "iffy" for renueve are "deferred" run them for renueve. We will get to it after the rush.-- after millions of riders (customers) have rode the train. (wing and a prayer is what I gathered how mgnt. operates) This is Metro method of operation.

While I worked there, there was this safety committee among workers. Each week or month a selected employee would go around looking for safety issues. Never once was piece of equipment or work enviroment shut down--flagged non operational. Light blubs were they only thing that seem to be big on the list and that never got fixed either.. or months later.

Metro is like what is the bare minimun... we will negotiate from there.. and that never happens either. It takes common sense to do the bare minimun and Metro can't even do that.

Stay safe. Don't forget to say your prayers before boarding Metro.

+28 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 674 weeks ago

I'm more concerned by this piece of the metro release:

"The review will include an immediate inspection of all 46 defibrillators deployed in stations..."

Wait, every hole-in-the-wall restaurant in NYC has to have a defib behind the counter, but only half of Metro stations can afford it (and presumably none of the trains)?

1 reply · active 674 weeks ago

+13 Vote up Vote down

jjbman1121 0p · 674 weeks ago

The local pool I worked at as a lifeguard 10 years ago had a defibrillator. And somehow a group of 15 year olds managed to check the battery every week to make sure it would work in an emergency! How this isn't on the front page of every local paper and website is beyond me

+15 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 674 weeks ago

That defibrillator “phenomenon” was addressed here first! Woot! Okay, so I had casually mentioned in one of my previous posts (there’s a non-functioning one at one of the Metro Center exits/entrances). As someone who is certified in CPR and trained to use an AED, I had wondered when the last time they were checked. No surprise that they hadn’t been working properly. For shame, WMATA (although shaming them doesn't do jacksh!t!)

1 reply · active 674 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

DC20009 · 674 weeks ago

True - you can't shame the shameless

+13 Vote up Vote down

Mitzi · 674 weeks ago

I heard this story on the morning news. I'd love to say I was shocked or surprised, but I can't. Horrified, es; shocked or surprised? nope...not even close. Nothing seems to faze Metro: not massive tie ups, not injuries, nor even death. Heck, at least a DOT will put a stop light up in a dangerous intersection after someone is killed. I know things sometime happen no matter what we do, but as my Daddy used to say "there's no such thing as an accident. Bad things usually happen usually because someone didn't do their jobs for whatever reason. I think your "do nothing" list shows that concept really well.

+15 Vote up Vote down

Stan Dessel · 674 weeks ago

You should be happy we even have defibrillators! You're welcome.

+26 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 674 weeks ago

How many defibs could Metro buy if they sacked half the PR department?

1 reply · active 674 weeks ago

+5 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 674 weeks ago

How about “Can you imagine how much better WMATA would be if they got rid of everyone?” Okay, so there are a few good workers, but they’re far and few between.

+20 Vote up Vote down

anon · 674 weeks ago

I think even if I didn't have any background knowledge of him being a douche, Dan Stessel would make my skin crawl. Worst spokesman in history. ZERO empathy.

+23 Vote up Vote down

Another Anon · 674 weeks ago

This proves it: WMATA literally doesn't care if you live or die while using their system

1 reply · active 674 weeks ago

+18 Vote up Vote down

Ellinad · 674 weeks ago

They proved that several years ago when two trains collided, killing 9.

+12 Vote up Vote down

Dezlboy · 674 weeks ago

I'm curious about this item on WMATA's page: "While station managers have been trained to inspect defibrillators, procedures for conducting inspections and maintenance are being strengthened to include required signed daily inspection reports to prevent a recurrence"

1. What were the procedures for station managers? What accountability?
2. Strengthened procedures include "signed" reports. HA!

Metro sucks.

8 replies · active 674 weeks ago

+10 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 674 weeks ago

Translation: the next time in happens metro will claim it is not their fault and that someone lied to them. After a paid vacation the murderer will get their job back.

+1 Vote up Vote down

Matt G · 674 weeks ago

Murderer??

+4 Vote up Vote down

Kara · 674 weeks ago

Manslaughterer does not exactly roll off the tongue (in addition to it probably not being a real word). If someone else dies due to the negigence of someone whose job it was to ensure a piece of lifesaving equiptment was okay (and they signed that it was) then yes, it is their fault.

-10 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 674 weeks ago

murderer?? oh are we getting dramatic.

+12 Vote up Vote down

jkuchen · 674 weeks ago

And station managers? Aren't these the people who have been shuffled out of other jobs that they couldn't do well, or at all?

+9 Vote up Vote down

UnSuck Fan · 674 weeks ago

Does 'inspect' mean, "I can see it in its case IF I happen to be in the station manager’s booth and IF I happen to be paying attention”?

+7 Vote up Vote down

Anonymous · 674 weeks ago

And awake.

+4 Vote up Vote down

SammyDC · 674 weeks ago

and giving a damn

+16 Vote up Vote down

John · 674 weeks ago

My Fox said it was proactive? THATS DR GRIDLOCK's JOB!!!!!

1 reply · active 674 weeks ago

+4 Vote up Vote down

unsuckdcmetro 92p · 674 weeks ago

Ha!

+3 Vote up Vote down

John · 674 weeks ago

I wish the guy from Phenomenon was in charge of metro. He got pretty smart, and he could detect disasters without any sort of instruments. Of course, he died after a year, but hey, a year in charge could do a lot for metro.

+16 Vote up Vote down

Station Manager · 674 weeks ago

I'm a station manager, and as such, I resent these unfounded attacks ourzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

-14 Vote up Vote down

n2deep · 674 weeks ago

as a metro employee I personally would refuse to administer first aid or use the AED. now i am not a station manager nor would i be crazy enough to be one. however when said injured, dying or dead persons family starts letting the law suits fly i will not be caught in the middle of them. because you know they will sue everyone within 100 yards of the incident. i was told many years ago that unless you are TPAS or the fire dept. you are not covered under the good samaritan laws. and from everything i have seen in the past i do not trust metro to cover my back when the shit hits the fan. just the opposite, metro will let my ass flap in the wind. remember the transit officer that wrote the ticket for the dc girl eating french fries? well do you know the whole story? no you don't. you only know what the press conveniently put out there. did the police higher ups stand behind their officer? nope!
so if they will not stand behind an officer writing legit citations then what do you expect they will do to anyone involved in using an AED device that fails andor that person dies? my family, my livelihood, my career is not going to be jeopardized by metro.
sorry but that are the cold hard facts

5 replies · active 674 weeks ago

+11 Vote up Vote down

John · 674 weeks ago

Station manager didn't have to use the AED, there was a nurse at the scene who knew how. All they had to do was meet their LEGAL obligation to inspect the AED every so often. They didn't. They should be sued.

+6 Vote up Vote down

Guest · 674 weeks ago

The union has probably said that checking the AED is not part of the station manager's job description. Keep voting for Democrats and the unions will stay in power!

+10 Vote up Vote down

Blech · 674 weeks ago

You would stand there and watch someone die because you're afraid of lawsuits? What's wrong with you?

+9 Vote up Vote down

horseydeucey · 674 weeks ago

And you just gave a brilliant summary of why your kind is despised.
We are sick of job-clingers who aren't willing to meet customer demands... hell, basic safety would be a relief.

You, sir or madam, are scum.

sorry but that are the cold hard facts...

Or, sorry but those are the cold hard facts (FTFY).

+4 Vote up Vote down

KSG · 674 weeks ago

Someone doesn't know what a Good Samaritan law is. That law protects you from a lawsuit, but it's funny that this is the first thing to come to your mind. For shame...

+2 Vote up Vote down

Skip · 674 weeks ago

Gotta love this (quoting from the press release}:

"While station managers have been trained to inspect defibrillators, procedures for conducting inspections and maintenance are being strengthened to include required signed daily inspection reports to prevent a recurrence."

In other words, there is no enforcement of performance standards, even the ones that related directly to "customer" safety. Metro's worst enemies are its station "managers" who do as little as possible and rely on their union to keep them comfortable and at no risk of being held accountable for their shameless behavior on the job.

+9 Vote up Vote down

Chris · 674 weeks ago

The bizarre thing about all of it is that anytime something like this happens, they say something to the effect of "we will make *issue of the day* part of our daily maintenance checklist". Except the problem is that all of these problems are (or should be) part of the maintenance checklist already, it's just that no one at metro is doing their job to, well, perform the checks. I'm not just going to chalk it up to lazy metro workers, because a number of metro employees are fantastic. I'm going to chalk it up to there being zero accountability, which is a management issue. It's pathetic and it's sad and it's causing the entire system to become a failing mess.

2 replies · active 674 weeks ago

+2 Vote up Vote down

@Hell_on_wheelz · 674 weeks ago

+1,000,000

+4 Vote up Vote down

Arl Fan · 674 weeks ago

98% right. "Zero accountability" is definitely a management issue, but it's also a worker issue. If you have a job with safety responsibilities, or customer-service responsibilities, you darn well ought to do it right regardless of whether management is paying attention..

That said, you're absolutely correct that there are a number of fantastic Metro employees. And in the culture they're in, they deserve extra props for their integrity, passion, and commitment to doing the job right.

0 Vote up Vote down

FreeMarketFan · 674 weeks ago

I'm sure Dr. Gridlock will take care of this

*GUFFAW*

+1 Vote up Vote down

Kathryn · 674 weeks ago

What is especially irritating to me about this AED 'inspection' issue is that the way you 'inspect' an AED is to GLANCE AT IT. There is a flashing indicator that tells you if it is fully charged. These station managers can't be bothered to even glance at a piece of equipment in their office?