Today’s column is going to be all Metro, all the time. The first thing is that Metro has launched a new map on its Web site that shows the location of nearby banks, drugstores, groceries, hotels, museums and other points of interest.
The system is using Google maps that provide a clear picture of the area. You then click on what you are looking for in that area, and little markers pop up. You have to click on each of them to find, for example, the particular bank you are looking for, but it’s a nice touch.
Metro also has a link to an even better (for my money) map that’s available from StationMasters. These maps overlay the information right on the map and provide you a photograph of the area surrounding the Metro station you have selected. I like the fact that I don’t have to click around so much on the StationMaster maps, but these new maps do provide more information.
If you want to go directly to the page on Metro’s site with the links to the various maps, go to wmata.com/maps/maps.cfm.
Richard writes: “Today I saw someone moved out of the way because they were not walking fast enough on the left side of the Metro escalator. A pushy young man was rushing to catch a train came up behind a young lady halfway up a short Metro escalator (both walking on the left side of the Metro escalator). He said ‘excuse me, miss’ a few times until the lady was able to walk past three people standing on the right and she then moved over. I think both of them got to the train, because I didn’t see them seconds later when I got to the platform. So is the Metro rule now that you must walk on the left side of the Metro escalators and keep up your speed to match the flow of traffic?”
At least the guy was polite as he tried to get around. As we have noted in the past, Metro would rather than nobody walked on the escalators because of safety concerns, but the cat is out of the bag on that one. There will always be people who want or need to walk at different speeds, and I guess that all we can ask for is a little consideration. If you want a study in varying methods of riding the escalators, go to the Dupont Circle station where those steep inclines seem to accentuate everyone’s phobias and concerns.
Questions, comments, random musings? Write to [email protected].
