High Fares, Shoddy Service and Now This . . .

File this beside unkempt median strips as yet another indication of social decline.  I gave up riding Metro several years ago. I simply had had enough.  My beef with Metro started almost from the first time I ever road the train after coming to the DC area in the late 90s.  I had always heard that DC's subway system was so much newer than that of most east coast cities.  I thought that riding it would be a pleasure, particularly after enduring for years the small, antiquated trolley cars that rolled up and down the T's Green Line in Boston.

Any romantic notions I had about the DC subway became somewhat tarnished on my very first trip.  Put simply, I had sticker shock.  The fare from Dupont Circle to the end of the Red Line was nearly three times the fare that I used to pay to ride a Green Line train in Boston from Government Center to the end of the line.  But still, it was far easier to pay the fare and not have to drive to downtown DC.  Parking at the station was plentiful and reasonably priced.  I knew I was saving money on gas and parking, as well as wear and tear on my car.  Besides, I used to get in a good nap in the morning on the way to work.  But after several fare hikes and increases in parking fees, it simply became too expensive.  At current rates, riding Metro for the last 10 miles of my 30 mile commute would cost approximately $281 per month.  By contrast, it costs me approximately $182 to drive the 10 additional miles and park in the garage below my building. 

My other problems with Metro?

• Reliability - Metro just isn't reliable any more.  When I first began riding it, there rarely were delays.  Today, delays and escalator/elevators outages are the norm.  The lunch room at work is always abuzz with the latest horror stories of long delays and overcrowded platforms.
• Safety - People have died in Metro accidents.  A Washington Post investigation conducted in response to the latest deadly accident in 2009 revealed significant lapses in safety protocols.
• Unhealthy Environment - The trains smell.  The stations smell.  Too many germ-laden hands touching seats and hand railings.  Hacking and coughing.  Blechhhhhhh!  Even though I always washed my hands after riding the subway, I found that I had far fewer colds after I stopped riding Metro.  Also airconditioning seems to be optional on Metro trains during the long, hot and humid summers in DC.  There's nothing quite like being thrust into someone's sweaty arm pit for 40 minutes on an unairconditioned train in mid-August.
• Tourists - They're everywhere this time of year.  Strollers on the escalators are particularly problematic.  And why do they insist on riding the subway during rush hour? 
• Threat of Terrorism - I admit it.  I am a control freak.  I would rather take my chances getting out of DC in my car than to rely on Metro to be running in the event of a terrorist attack.  And at least one Jihadist had his sights set on blowing up several Metro trains.
• Unruly, Dangerous Patrons - Pushing and shoving to get on and off trains.  Loud gangs of unruly teenagers, particularly in the afternoons and late at night.  It has become downright dangerous to ride the rails in DC. 

All in all, I'd rather drive.  The worst congestion in the nation is simply not as bad as a daily ride on the DC Metro.