Another Reason D.C. Transit Beats Boston (and NYC)

They have a new GPS system to let you know exactly when a bus is going to arrive. No, not a subway car–though they have that too–but a BUS.

Parting Shot at MBTA

I’m leaving for NY in two weeks but I would just like to say that adding a clear announcement about when a Northbound or Southbound train is arriving is only slightly better than the previous squawking static-y indecipherable announcements. What the hell is a Northbound or Southbound train? Those terms are not used anywhere else so one must always go look at the map to figure out which train he’s referring to. Maybe some people have the subway maps memorized enough to instantly know what that means but I don’t. If you’re going to use those terms then at least add them to the printed signs as well so we know what you’re talking about.

Not that the NYC subway is any better. I think I’m going to get a bike to avoid the nastiness of that subway system, especially in summer. I wish all subways could be like the DC subway system.

Glitch In The Matrix

I saw another pair of dark-suited good-looking young Mormons on the
subway this morning. They were getting on as I was getting off, though,
so they didn’t get a chance to save my soul. Do others see them this
often or am I just stuck in an endless repeating loop in the Matrix?

Subway Saviors

Tonight was the third time I have been approached on the subway by a
pair of attractive young Mormon men who want to save my soul. I’m
starting to feel like Ross McElwee in Time Indefinite,
who said that he had an uncanny ability to attract Jehova’s Witnesses
to whatever house he was in–his own or those of friends. Even friends
who have never had a Witness stop by would get a visit if Ross was
there. (And incidentally, I’ve had Witnesses stop by my house here
twice. And there was that psychic who gave me (and only me) her card on
the subway.) Ross wondered if someone was trying to tell him something.
Me too.

Cell Phones and Beer

Tonight on the subway I sat down next to a 50ish man who was engrossed
in tapping things into his cell phone. As the subway ground to a halt
and we waited in silence for it to re-start, I thought about the fact
that I don’t have a cell phone and just about two weeks ago I sent my
first text-message ever, using someone else’s cell, a someone who had
to show me how to use the buttons to get the proper letters to appear.
As I was thinking this, the 50ish man leans over to me and says “Do you
know much about cell phones?”
    “Only a little,” I said.
    “Do you know how I can get this letter M to change to an N?”

After I proudly displayed my new expertise, the man thanked me and went
back to sending his message. Then he put his cell in his pocket and I
thought I was seeing things when I saw him then take a swig out of a
brown bottle. I looked over and sure enough, he was holding a bottle of
beer. Whaaa? Isn’t that illegal or something? Whatever the case, it’s
certainly the first I’ve seen someone drinking beer on the subway.
First smoking in The Yard, now drinking on the subway. What is this
town coming to.

Dear MBTA,

Why can’t you be more like the D.C. subway system? It is much better than yours. They have monitors telling you precisely how long you’ll be waiting for your train (rather than a scratchy intercom with the volume too low and the sound quality too poor to understand anyway). They have blinking lights to tell you when a train is approaching (rather than MBTA’s trusty low-fi system of screeching train tracks to alert you to an oncoming train). They have the subway right at the airport. They have working escalators.

 

They also have higher fares, though, so I guess it’s a toss-up. My fare from National Airport to Silver Spring, Maryland  was $3.12. They like to punish those who don’t live in the city. Within-city fares are more like $1.35.

Subway High Tea

Yesterday I was in the Harvard subway station slightly after 4pm and a
woman offered me tea. High tea, I suppose. She had a table set up and
tea and cookies laid out out and she was wearing a taffeta gown and hat
and affecting a British accent. She asked me to join her, but I
declined. I had just had some coffee. I sat nearby to wait for the
train, though, and watched as she invited a couple others to tea. No
one accepted while I was there, but that was just a minute or two
because the train came quickly. She made everyone smile, though. I
wonder if she knows the beehive lady.

Anybody Need A Watch?

I got a gift from a homeless man. He approached me while I waited for the subway. He asked if I had spare change and I didn’t. He then asked me if I could help him with the zipper in his jacket (a leather jacket), which he said was stuck. I could see that the tab had been broken off the zipper, and I have a similarly broken zipper so I said I didn’t think it could be moved, it’s broken. He said no it’s not broken and gave it a tug. It didn’t move. I started explain why it was broken but then said screw it, and grabbed the zipper. I tugged a few times and it didn’t move. He was leaning into me as I tried to move the zipper. Then he heard the squeal of the train approaching, and he said “Oh well, here’s a token of my appreciation.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out the head of a digital watch, without the band. He handed it to me and said “It keeps good time,” and walked off. I started to say that I really didn’t need a watch, but then thought that might be rude. I looked at the watch head and the time on it was wrong by a few hours.

I always wonder in these exchanges whether they’re just fucking with me.

Gross

This morning I can report that I actually saw a real-life man take
a real-life piss in the Davis Square subway station. During morning
rush hour no less. I always wondered how the subway stations manage to
smell like urine when I’ve never seen anyone taking a leak in any
stations. I wondered how they could manage to do it when there are
pretty much always people around. Well, now I’ve seen it and I know it
to be true.

Christmas Spirit

Ah, the choir of Christmas carolers in the Harvard Square station this
morning were especially moving set against the backdrop of enormous
Bank of America banner ads. They even stood partially atop the giant
BofA floor covering for added effect.

Girly Passes

The new T passes are so pretty!

This Is Why The Davis Sq. Busker Got My Money

via Dave, an article about songs you’re embarassed to admit you love, includes this:

“When my Honda Civic was broken into this January, the thief stole my stereo and even the cheapie silver shifter knob my husband bought for $14 at GI Joe’s. One thing the crook did not take was my double-disc “Best of John Denver” CD set, which he or she left prominently on the driver’s seat in a pile of shattered glass, as if to say “Come on, lady, even criminals don’t want this.”

The Davis Square busker was not embarassed to admit.

Angry Dunkin’ Donuts Man

The angry man at the Harvard T Dunkin’ Donuts gave me the wrong donut. Coconut. Yuck. But I’d never take it back, I’m afraid he’d go Tazmanian on me.