Metro amends policy on folding bicycles

[mstone]

@eminva 32178 wrote:

The station attendant did not know about the new policy, so I showed her the announcement on Metro’s website on my smart phone. She thanked me and asked if I could print a copy for her and bring it to her at my convenience.

It sounds like a positive interaction, but WMATA’s organizational challenges are mind-boggling.

[ShawnoftheDread]

Did the agents stop you, or did you seek them out so you could discuss it?

[eminva]

@ShawnoftheDread 32191 wrote:

Did the agents stop you, or did you seek them out so you could discuss it?

In both cases, they stopped me — one attendant was sitting right next to the accessible fare gate at Farragut West, and three were sitting right next to the accessible fare gate at Vienna.

Liz

[KLizotte]

I saw someone wheeling a foldie thru the Pentagon City metro station a couple of days ago; it was uncovered.

[TwoWheelsDC]

Initial survey results are in from San Francisco BART’s experiment with allowing bikes during peak times.

http://www.baycitizen.org/blogs/pulse-of-the-bay/bart-bike-survey-results-roll/

Seems like the numbers didn’t fall overwhelmingly to either side of the debate, but it seems the reaction overall was a net positive in support for easing the restriction:

37 percent want to keep the blackouts
37 percent want to end them
25 percent want shorter blackout periods
25 percent say they would be more likely to ride BART if the blackouts were lifted
10 percent say they would be less likely to ride BART if the blackouts were lifted
17 percent say lifting the blackout made their trip worse
9 percent say it made their trip better

[MCL1981]

Metro can not handle the PEOPLE at rush hour. There is no way bicycles should or will ever be allowed into the system at rush hour. People will be seriously hurt or killed. No excuse or stretch like “allow it only at certain stations” will ever fly. Once you’re in, you are into the whole system. End of story.

[lordofthemark]

metro is generally less crowded on Fridays, I think due to the folks with 4 day/10hour work weeks, the folks who telecommute on fridays, etc. Seems to me like allowing regular bikes on metro at rush hour on Fridays only might work.

[drevil]

@eminva 32178 wrote:

…print a copy for her and bring it to her at my convenience.

I now have 3 printed out copies of the press release in my bag after being stopped by the attendant at the College Park station this morning. She kept yelling “EXCUSE ME” as I was trying to explain that covers weren’t necessary for my Brompton in its folded state. I was able to get on, but she said that I better bring my cover next time…

[Terpfan]

@MCL1981 32568 wrote:

Metro can not handle the PEOPLE at rush hour. There is no way bicycles should or will ever be allowed into the system at rush hour. People will be seriously hurt or killed. No excuse or stretch like “allow it only at certain stations” will ever fly. Once you’re in, you are into the whole system. End of story.

Despite the sarcasm, I generally agree with the policy during the heaviest times (like 5-7pm) although I think they should also prohibit people from bringing large items on during the same time save for those going to or from the airport. I’ve seen people with Christmas Trees and random giant objects when no one else can fit on.

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