Metro at Its "Best"

If I didn't see this actually happen I would say this just couldn't have been. But then again it's Metro and well read on.

I went to the Rhode Island Ave. Metro stop on Saturday morning. There was, as always, track work on the Red Line. Wait times could be up to 24 minutes. I was going to the gym and left early.

I got to the platform and noticed this sign.

I thought well they're taking some initiative to let people know that all trains are using one side of the platform. I then noticed that the side of the platform not in use had a fence up. There was the orange plastic snow fence material blocking off the other side of the platform.

Here's a picture:

I thought wow that's a really idea. Now there won't be any confusion at all.

I continued to wait for a train going in my direction. A train going in the other direction to Glenmont started to pull into the station. Guess which side it pulled into?

Here are a couple of pictures to help out.

That's right it pulled into the side of the platform with the fence. So in order to exit the station, people had to get over the fence. Now the fence was about waist high so it wasn't easy for everyone to get over it. In a couple of places people were able to lift the fence over their heads.

One guy who'd been on the platform looked at the train as it pulled in confused. I said are you going to Glenmont. He nodded. Still looking confused. I said I think that's your train. He quickly got his things together and boarded the train.

All I could think was wow how incompetent is this. Other people on the platform just shook their heads. As I heard one women say leave it to Metro.

Several minutes after that there was an announcement over the PA system. It said for the station manager at Rhode Island Avenue should get in touch with central control. I thought to myself someone is going to be told to do something about the fence.

Sure enough when I came back from the gym the fence was down as seen here.

Most people had no idea this happened. Again I just have to say how incompetent can you get. I think I'm going to pass this along to the transportation editor at the Washington Post.

But for now I'll echo what that woman said leave it to Metro.