F*&%$ng Tourists
As a rush hour Washington Metro rider, I find the trip pleasant enough. People step to the middle of crowded trains, keep to the right on escalators if they're standing and generally know a thing or two about subway etiquette.
However, I was recently on a mid-day trip that required a transfer between the Yellow and Red lines at Gallery Place. As the last two people to make the train, my friend and I crowded in, stuck pinned against the doors. When we caught our breath, I found myself bent at an angle over the backside of a stroller, facing one of those large midwestern families. Slightly beyond them was the middle of the car, completely empty. I suggested to what looked to be their ringleader that the brood (and I) would be much more comfortable if they spread themselves more evenly throughout the car. He informed me that there was no need because they were getting off at the next stop. Did they think they would miss the stop if they went the 10 feet from the middle of the car to the door?
Just as I was about to begin a tirade about fat, stupid, fannypacked tourists who haven't been on any form of train since the monorail at Disneyworld and how that should stay out of the way of people who had a reason to be here other than to buy "CIA" sweatshirts and gawk at Dorothy's red shoes at the Smithsonian American History Museum, we arrived at Metro Center and they piled out of the train, making it again safe for us elitist and snobby blue-staters, who are blessed with the ability to understand what "mutual respect" means.
It makes me wish I had this shirt.
Post Author:
rj3 | 1:22 PM |
Link
|
TrackBacks
I think maybe slanted floors in the trains, so that the strollers and luggage and, uhm, fat rolls just go with gravity. Or pusher guys like in Tokyo.
Shirt's a good idea, but the trouble with the tourists is the learning curve. Anyone clever enough to understand what the shirt says can figure out the system anyway.
they were probably just worried that if they moved too far away from the doors (and to them 10 feet probably seemed far away) that all or part of the large family would not have time to get off the train and they would keep going, have to get off at the next stop, get confused, have to transfer, etc.
being a tourist from a small town in the nation's capital was probably somewhat frightening to them. and you probably contributed to their "people in cities are mean" stereotype. they'll be telling everyone back home.
Well they can stay there if that's their attitude. I didn't really say anything rude to them - I just asked politely that they make a little room for the guy two inches from their face. They saw how long the doors were open at the last station - they're tools, plain and simple.
i don't think being scared of a strage city's public transportation system is an attitude. at least give them credit for leaving the midwest and trying something new.
Trying something new? I bet they went to Applebees for dinner.
I give them credit for being willing to ride the Metro instead of stranding their minivan in the middle of an intersection while Dad tried to sort out what the map said. My parents didn't want to ride it, even though they were impressed with how pleasant the MARC was and knew I took the Metro from time to time.
I know I used to stand right by the doorway as soon as my stop was coming up next for fear of not being able to get out of the train soon enough.
