Unsuck DC Metro: Doors Open on Moving Train

You guys are here complaining about metro not giving in the best service, but yet you want to 1000 series to go? There are 300 of those cars, and if they all leave now, the service will be even worse! Be grateful that it takes you home, or to work, instead of complaining! If you don't like the damn system, then walk! Nobody told you to ride the metro system if you keep on having negative thoughts about it!

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anony · 671 weeks ago

A lot of people don't have another choice!

And grateful for what, exactly? Higher fares (the most expensive in the country) and worse, DANGEROUS service?

Enjoy having low expectations. It'll take you far in life--Just like Metro

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If they dont have another choice, then just face it and do what you got to do!

And so what, higher fares. You expect it to be free?? Times are changing, and in order to make the system better, there has to be a sacrifice! And i dont see metro being dangerous, sure they have problems. but thats technology. Something will happen at some point. If you feel its dangerous, then like I said, walk! Ill be glad to pay any fare, just as long as it takes me where im going, and btw, the money youre spending goes to new trains, better service, and everything else.

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Pike · 671 weeks ago

Yes, how petty of people not to want to fall out of a moving train and possibly be electrocuted on their way to work.

And please do alert me to the "new trains, better service, and everything else" you speak of, because all this Blue line rider sees is paying higher fares for a reduction in service.

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Ever Onward · 671 weeks ago

uh.. actually it appears the money I am spending on Metro is not being used for new trains or better service. It's being used to pad pockets of lazy management, pay for ALL pension of employees, cover lawsuits, pay for shiney vests for illegal parking, cover repair costs for Metro bus drivers who do not drive safely, shall I go on?

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plants abound · 671 weeks ago

Why do you care so much about what random people you dont know say about WMATA on a blog site??? Get a life!! Do you work for metro by chance?

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I care because your not making any sense to me! And I dont work for the system, im a transit enthusiast, and I see more into the system them most of you all do. And dont worry about my own life, thats not the issue, Im talking about why you guys are dissing WMATA,but still suck up and ride it everyday, so dont bring my personal life into this.

Back to the subject. Its not possible for the system to change overnight. You gotta be patient. You want more service? Its coming. You want less problems, then wait, Metro has 1,000+ Rail cars in its system, and they cant maintain all of them at once. If that happen then you'd have to walk. But of course, non of what im saying would matter since "I don't have a life". Smh, worry about your own personal life.

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SammyDC · 671 weeks ago

It's a blog. It serves a purpose for many. A lot of us enjoy unsuck. Sometimes it's just nice to have a place to vent, especially since the quality and quantity of WMATA service has greatly decreased in recent years. And do please share with all of us here just how you "see more into the system"!

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Well. I read about WMATA problems, needs, fixes, budget 24/7, I ride the system everyday, and also I have common sense which some people that ride the system lack. No im not saying you dont have it, but there are just some who just dont think clearly.

And if you wanna vent go ahead. Im not saying metro is perfect, but things can go wrong. Technology cant always be trusted. I hate that the fares are going up, but If i still want to get where im going fast, and want a better service in the future, there are sacrifices.

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Mary · 670 weeks ago

"If i still want to get where im going fast"

In that case, you wouldn't use Metro.

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Ever Onward · 671 weeks ago

OVERNIGHT? You have got to be kidding. Let us be honest here... YEARS babe. It's been YEARS with no improvement and everything getting worse. Is your name Jackie Jeter per chance?

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Guest · 671 weeks ago

... The OP suggested that 300 cards be out of service.
Look one blog post below about headways. Exactly how do you think service will be when 1/3rd of the fleet of trains gets taken off?
The response about people bitching about safety and service and expecting to meet both at the same time is crazy.
If you retire the old train cars without new ones coming in you're talking about super over crowded trains to meet the need of the riding public.
If you keep the old train cars in service to meet the need of the riding public then you'll have incidents like this. Show me a 35 year old car that doesn't experience issues. It's out of life by over 10 years.
Metro had no money before 2009. The new rail cars got ordered as soon as they had money. You same people who were bitching about cost 10 years ago were to blame for this problem.
Is there corruption and scandals in metro? Sure. Focus on that, rat out all the bad apples and make it a place to be proud of.

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anon · 671 weeks ago

1) We've been waiting. Keeps getting worse.

2) If they can't maintain them all at once, then the problem is with them, isn't it? I know this may seem rudimentary, but you should be able to maintain what you have.

3) Your opinions are foolish, misguided, illogical, and unhelpful. We are being charged progressively more for value that is regressing, has been regressing, and shall continue to regress until and unless people speak out - on here, at least - because that's all we can do. Expecting to arrive safely is not unreasonable, and these malfunctions hinder that possibility.

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Vienna Bound · 671 weeks ago

Perhaps WMATA's leadership could change their priorities and where it applies its resources. Rather than fund an advertising campaign (Metro Forward) or paying for high salaried officials, hire additional elevator repairmen, esclator repairers, and invest in newer cars. When the system shows signs of improvement, I feel certain that riders will acknowlege the change and through word of mouth initiate a better advertisement campaign than what WMATA is putting forth now. Stop giving riders lip service and do something

@VeggieTart · 670 weeks ago

I would love to believe that the fare hikes are going to lead to better service, but I'm not that naive. Metro also keeps threatening that they'll *reduce* service unless they can jam another fare hike through, so please spare me your crap about making the system better; I want to be able to eat my lunch today.

How about reducing the bloated salaries of executives and the crap advertising campaigns and spending more of their revenue on actually improving the system? How about requiring anyone who makes decisions that affects how Metro operates actually RIDE Metro and that the only people who use cars be the supervisors who need them to get to the site of an incident? How about finding ways to increase revenue that don't involve soaking the passengers?

Better service, my foot!

Ben · 670 weeks ago

Absurd that Metro has admitted that it is overburdened and overcrowded (they can't get people through fast enough at peak times and have reduced service on weekends so as to keep the trains busy)...and yet they still spend money on advertising, presumably to get more riders!?

Too much management, too many pensions.

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Everly Anon · 671 weeks ago

Think those red line riders that were killed or injured were thankful they got to ride such antiques? :/ I'll take worse over dead. As it is, it really cannot get worse except to shut down completely.

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jimlcunningham 80p · 671 weeks ago

Don't forget, it's a public system and we pay your salary, jerk!

Kara · 670 weeks ago

Congrats on what promises to be the most negatively scored comment on this entire blog!

anon · 670 weeks ago

Fuck you, sockpuppet. I'm so glad you enjoy the metro so much, but you should just take your thirty pieces of silver and cut the crap. I pay for the metro and I pay a lot. The least they can do is keep their trains working, but they don't,

Metro Ryder · 671 weeks ago

But they have the ac!

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@Rizzz · 671 weeks ago

There are TONS of 1000 series out there. I switch cars when I can, they're death traps.

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R.C · 671 weeks ago

The real question is why are the passengers just standing there??????

3 replies · active 670 weeks ago

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Radner · 671 weeks ago

Because the call boxes probably don't work. Because otherwise they'd risk getting off a train not knowing when it will start moving. Because they figure Metro will kill them anyway, at least this way they have a chance to jump.

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Sam · 671 weeks ago

Instead of... ?

It only takes one person to press the call button. What makes you think that no one did? They are in a moving train, what do you expect them to do? Jump out screaming?

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@VeggieTart · 670 weeks ago

The call buttons do not always work. The problem apparently is when those stupid 1000 series are bellied with newer cars. There is a communications issue between the older cars and the newer ones, where the driver is. So even if someone can press the call button, it's a crapshoot whether or not the driver will get the message.

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Sizzle · 671 weeks ago

Oh good. There goes the whole "train doesn't move if the doors are open" theory.

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BrianKal · 671 weeks ago

In a crowded train, people are leaning on the doors or they don't fit. Imagine if this train were full and someone fell out and possibly on to the third rail.
$1 million dollars says WMATA covers this up until my above scenario happens and this Danny will call it a "phenomenon"

1 reply · active 671 weeks ago

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@ConGrpThink · 671 weeks ago

Obesity is killing this country.

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Stan Dessel · 671 weeks ago

First you people complain about hot cars and when we try to do something about it you complain more. You're welcome!

1 reply · active 671 weeks ago

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MsLily Flowers · 671 weeks ago

Stan can you offer a free day to ride Metro? I've poured all my saving into your fine establishment. Thanks

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Where are the witnesses at? To me, this never happened.

6 replies · active 671 weeks ago

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Anon · 671 weeks ago

Wow. Looks like you've cracked the case wide open.

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BrianKal · 671 weeks ago

a picture speaks a thousand words.

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dfweafd · 671 weeks ago

Where's your grammar "at?"

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John · 671 weeks ago

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/transportatio...

That's where the witnesses at? Dope.

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nate c. · 671 weeks ago

so i guess you missed the part where WMATA itself tweeted that the doors weren't supposed to be open at that time

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@ChrisHowdy · 671 weeks ago

And while we're at it, I've never seen a dinosaur, either.

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Matt G · 671 weeks ago

This gives new meaning to "Operation Cool Breeze!"

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TomTom · 671 weeks ago

Hey @XDE40, do you work for WMATA? Just making the connection that the new buses are called XDE40's
www.tbd.com/pictures/2011/09/see-wmatas-newest-me...

4 replies · active 671 weeks ago

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No i do not. I am a transit enthusiasts, and I live in Wash DC. I understand what metro is going through, but then again, i get tired of hearing people dissing the system when its doing its best to service the public.

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Ever Onward · 671 weeks ago

I wouild agree with you xd but you are way off base. They are NOT doing their best to SERVE the public. (Service? Sounds like prostitution to me.. oh wait.. that does fit.)

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Metro Ryder · 671 weeks ago

Except it is NOT doing it's best to service the public, it is doing the bare minimum to get paid.

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anon · 671 weeks ago

You are a transit enthusiasts?

Are... are you the Borg?

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Guest · 671 weeks ago

Metro opens doors - while the train is still moving.

1 reply · active 671 weeks ago

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Ever Onward · 671 weeks ago

Now THAT is a tag line! :D

DMCinDC · 671 weeks ago

Did anyone else getting off at Farragut North station at about 9:30 am this morning notice the brawl that erupted with several business-dressed adults? I think it was a combination of severe lack of metro service, the slow wait for the train and the train lagging and sitting in between stations, overcrowded/packed cars, and passengers pushed to their limits and just ready to go off.

3 replies · active 671 weeks ago

Roma · 671 weeks ago

I didn't see it but I must say that I cannot blame metro for the lack of self-control, courtesy, compusure, decency, and dignity that we can expect from "several business-dressed adults," or *any* adults for that matter.

These folks are too lazy to show up to board meetings but have enough energy to snipe at each other before breeakfast...blaming the metro for one's behavior (feelings and urges notwithstanding) is just beyond the pale.

DMCinDC · 671 weeks ago

I am not sure what caused several adults to physically go at it on a crowded platform, but I know I had to deal with an obnoxiously rude short woman shoving her newspaper into my face as I was sitting in an end seat. When I asked her to please not hold the newspaper so close near my face, she acted like it wasn't a big deal and refused to move it, even a little. So... I held my paper up in her face for the rest of the ride. It's things like this that make it hard to be civil in an environment like metro. Rude passengers, plus rude, abusive, dangerous metro service, is a huge explosion of anger just waiting to happen. Someone's going to get hurt bad one of these days. ____I can't believe I took metro today and thought it might actually be a peaceful and pleasant ride (I had not ridden it in about four weeks)! Back to driving tomorrow.

A nun. · 671 weeks ago

"So... I held my paper up in her face for the rest of the ride."

Classy. I'm sure that really helped diffuse the situation. Gold Star for you!

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Brian · 671 weeks ago

You know who has not reported on this? Dr. Gridlock!

3 replies · active 671 weeks ago

jkuchen · 671 weeks ago

FWIW, I haven't seen anything on WTOP's web site yet either. In all fairness, I haven't listed to the audio stream since the incident. On the other end of the spectrum, Kytja is reporting well and citing Unsuck appropriately. Kudos to her!

jkuchen · 671 weeks ago

Before I get bombarded with thumbs down: Adam Tuss has tweeted on the topic in the past 15 minutes. And the tweets read like one of their online reports. Still, an article on the site would be good.

anon · 671 weeks ago

He has now, on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/drgridlock/posts/2965246...

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KidCharlemagne · 671 weeks ago

Note to self: DO NOT lean on the doors!!