President-Elect @ Union Station

Don Newcomb said:

Like most presidents before him, Trump will have to learn about the "bubble" that he now lives in and how whenever he goes someplace, everything for a mile around him will shut down. This is why presidents shouldn't visit disaster areas. Of course, Truman didn't have this issue but their weren't people willing to kill themselves and everyone else in a 100 yd radius to kill the president.

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There most certainly were people ready to blow themselves and everyone around up just to kill the President.
The difference is that back then, Presidents and the people around them weren't so *worried* about it. Life was short, people died of infectious diseases, there was a World War going on... lots of ways to die suddenly, so they didn't worry that much about the more unlikely ones.

Look up Teddy Roosevelt and the speech which began:

"Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose. But fortunately I had my manuscript, so you see I was going to make a long speech, and there is a bullet - there is where the bullet went through - and it probably saved me from it going into my heart. The bullet is in me now, so that I cannot make a very long speech, but I will try my best."

(An assassin shot him. Successfully. He gave the speech and THEN saw a doctor.)

That's a particuarly extreme example, because it's Teddy Roosevelt. But my point is, before the 1950s, Presidents took more risks. When you might die of influenza at any time, you weren't going to worry too much about terrorists (or "bomb throwing anarchists", the term used for the same concept in the 1910s).

neroden said:

That's a particuarly extreme example, because it's Teddy Roosevelt. But my point is, before the 1950s, Presidents took more risks. When you might die of influenza at any time, you weren't going to worry too much about terrorists (or "bomb throwing anarchists", the term used for the same concept in the 1910s).

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Teddy also thought it was "bully good fun" to run up a hill with people shooting at you.

One thing we also forget is that the presidency wasn't the imperial office it has become, because the Federal Govt. wasn't all-powerful and Congress hadn't divested so much to the Executive. A question I like to ask people is, "Who's the President of Switzerland?" (This week it's Doris Leuthard.) The Executive branch of the Swiss Federal government is a committee. They take turns on who gets to be "President" (and shake hands with visiting heads of state, receive ambassadors, etc.), on a one year rotation. The post does not have to be so all-fired important. I'm actually hoping that over the next four years, Congress takes back some of the power they've divested to the President.

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot. I was sitting and I saw one cop come up from the front and thought he was going to ask what I'm doing which is normal. Then I got thrown onto the ground from behind me and told to put my hands where you could see them.

Which I complied. Got frisked, told to stand up. Had by camera bag searched and questioned on all the contents. Questioned about my military ID card, taken picture of, and the whole terrorist check.

Honestly I think just asking hey what are you doing here is much better then throwing someone on the ground.

Seaboard92 said:

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot. I was sitting and I saw one cop come up from the front and thought he was going to ask what I'm doing which is normal. Then I got thrown onto the ground from behind me and told to put my hands where you could see them.

Which I complied. Got frisked, told to stand up. Had by camera bag searched and questioned on all the contents. Questioned about my military ID card, taken picture of, and the whole terrorist check.

Honestly I think just asking hey what are you doing here is much better then throwing someone on the ground.

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That sounds a bit extreme to me!!!!

That's quite a lot extreme. I hope that you file a complaint.

It isn't just a Trump supporter thing. Anytime you get someone out of their usual environment, they have trouble processing things they would normally have no trouble with. When I travel I tend to make silly errors because I am looking at everything around me instead of concentrating on just the things that are different than normal.

I frequently say that my common sense is inversely related to my distance from my home town. I think most people are affected to some extent. The good thing is that the mild disorientation goes away fairly quickly. I was in Chiang Mai for the first time in years last month and shortly after my arrival the traffic rush and construction were really disorienting. But on the second day it began to feel like "home" again.

StriderGDM said:

And as a friend reported... none of his supporters seem to know to stand to the right and walk to the left!

(Seriously, I know when I arrived on the 19th in 2009 it was obvious who the out of towners were, simply based on escalator etiquette.)

And agreed, bad place to hold a reception/party at this particular time.

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Ziv said:

It isn't just a Trump supporter thing. Anytime you get someone out of their usual environment, they have trouble processing things they would normally have no trouble with. When I travel I tend to make silly errors because I am looking at everything around me instead of concentrating on just the things that are different than normal.

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Yeah, a few years ago, I took my parents to NYC. Neither had ever been there. They got upset that I'd "leave them behind" or if I'd verbally nudge them along in subway stations, before I explained to them that even though they thought they'd moved far enough away from the top or bottom of stairs, they were still too close and getting in people's ways. Plus someone standing there trying to figure out where to go smacks of tourist and, in my eyes, makes you a bit of a target to a potential criminal. They hadn't realized they were doing it, but I'm used to commuting by subway, so I didn't give it a second thought on how to move around.

Now the DC "stand right" escalator habit is so ingrained in me that I do it on every escalator everywhere.

Seaboard92 said:

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot.

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If you're talking about the parking lot that is attached to the REA property, I'm pretty sure is not a public parking lot. It is private property with parking allowed by permit only and for occupants/visitors of 900 2nd St. Unless something has changed, it even indicates it as you enter the lot.



I'm not seeing any other parking lots, unless you were on the Metro side.

I noticed President Trump mentioned railways in his inauguration speech. Has any President done that before?

"We will build new roads, and highways, and bridges, and airports, and tunnels, and railways all across our wonderful nation"

The one behavior that drives me crazy the fastest is people standing in front of the doors of a subway car, blocking the people that are trying to get off. Bangkok's SkyTrain actually has designs built into the floor showing people that they are supposed to stand to the left and right of the subway car doors to allow current riders to egress before the new riders get on the cars. But that only works if the train is spotted perfectly every stop, which some subways can't guarantee.

A lot of escalators in Asia now have signs that tell you, in English, to stand right and walk left.

Alexandria Nick said:

Ziv said:

It isn't just a Trump supporter thing. Anytime you get someone out of their usual environment, they have trouble processing things they would normally have no trouble with. When I travel I tend to make silly errors because I am looking at everything around me instead of concentrating on just the things that are different than normal.

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Yeah, a few years ago, I took my parents to NYC. Neither had ever been there. They got upset that I'd "leave them behind" or if I'd verbally nudge them along in subway stations, before I explained to them that even though they thought they'd moved far enough away from the top or bottom of stairs, they were still too close and getting in people's ways. Plus someone standing there trying to figure out where to go smacks of tourist and, in my eyes, makes you a bit of a target to a potential criminal. They hadn't realized they were doing it, but I'm used to commuting by subway, so I didn't give it a second thought on how to move around.

Now the DC "stand right" escalator habit is so ingrained in me that I do it on every escalator everywhere.

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When there are platform screen doors, like at many 21st century constructions (except in the US of course), then the trains' operators, whether manual or automatic, have no choice but to stop at the right place, and they do.

Ziv said:

The one behavior that drives me crazy the fastest is people standing in front of the doors of a subway car, blocking the people that are trying to get off. Bangkok's SkyTrain actually has designs built into the floor showing people that they are supposed to stand to the left and right of the subway car doors to allow current riders to egress before the new riders get on the cars. But that only works if the train is spotted perfectly every stop, which some subways can't guarantee.

A lot of escalators in Asia now have signs that tell you, in English, to stand right and walk left.

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The Shinkansen has arrows on the floor showing how to line up for loading and unloading. At the station there are matching arrows. The train stops so that the arrows line up, to the inch. Passengers file in and out at the same time. In Italy everyone just crowds around the doors and mass confusion reigns. Italians don't like lines. Also, I've known trains in Italy to arrive in reverse order of the signs posted indicating where the cars will be.

While the DC escalator convention may or may not be universal, some travel rules I'd make if I were generalissimo:

1. Don't just stop and chat once you exit a crowded building or conveyance. When people exit a plane or the secure area and meet family, they just come to a halt right in the middle of the path everyone else is trying to use. Very inconsiderate. Get out of people's way.

2. Don't crowd around the luggage carousel. Everyone step back 6 feet and wait until you see your bag to step forward to claim it. Perfect example of the tragedy of the commons.

I think we should change the title and move this to Random Discussions because I can complain about this failure to keep right all day. The only worst than that is when people get to the end of an escalator and come to a dead stop and look around...as if there isn't a group of people behind you that are running out of room.

Keep it moving!!!!

Thirdrail7 said:

I think we should change the title and move this to Random Discussions because I can complain about this failure to keep right all day. The only worst than that is when people get to the end of an escalator and come to a dead stop and look around...as if there isn't a group of people behind you that are running out of room.

Keep it moving!!!!

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Ugh, yes, I agree completely. And this one, unlike the stand right/walk left which is mostly just annoying, is actually dangerous to all others behind that person who stops

Thirdrail7 said:

Seaboard92 said:

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot.

Click to expand...

If you're talking about the parking lot that is attached to the REA property, I'm pretty sure is not a public parking lot. It is private property with parking allowed by permit only and for occupants/visitors of 900 2nd St. Unless something has changed, it even indicates it as you enter the lot.

Parking.jpg

I'm not seeing any other parking lots, unless you were on the Metro side.

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When I went in there was a sign that said public parking 22 dollars. So maybe that's new not sure. I alternate from the brick area at the REA building and the parking lot. Depends if there are tables available back there. Either way I wish they would have just asked without using force.

Eric S said:

Thirdrail7 said:

I think we should change the title and move this to Random Discussions because I can complain about this failure to keep right all day. The only worst than that is when people get to the end of an escalator and come to a dead stop and look around...as if there isn't a group of people behind you that are running out of room.

Keep it moving!!!!

Click to expand...

Ugh, yes, I agree completely. And this one, unlike the stand right/walk left which is mostly just annoying, is actually dangerous to all others behind that person who stops

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There's also debate whether or not the stand right thing actually helps in the first place.

It was amusing when I was at Verizon Center for a hockey game and everyone was standing to the right, but literally no one was walking up the escalator in the first place. It was only moving at half capacity!

Yeah, I remember reading articles to that effect in the last year or so.

Bob Dylan said:

Just watched coverage of the President-Elect Trump arriving @ Union Station for Dinner with a Select Crowd of his Wealthy Supporters.

Wondering how Security and all the related stuff is affecting the Commute on Metro, VRE, Marc, Amtrak and the LD Trains???

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My trip home on the 19th was without delay or incident. However, when arriving at Union Station via Metro (at about 5 PM), we found that the entire lower level was blocked off. This forced all Metro riders to use the escalators on the outside of the station. When entering on the First Street side, I noticed that the side corridor to the ticket office was closed, although it appeared that on the other end of the corridor, people were walking from the ticket office to the concourse. I hope all of the businesses that were forced to shut down were compensated for their loss of income. The concourse was open as usual. The crowds weren't bad because they were smaller than usual, as many of us were encouraged by our agencies to telework. The place was full of police officers, some of whom appeared to not be paying attention and were wandering into the paths of commuters intent on reaching their trains as quickly as possible. It was even more surreal when I arrived in the morning at about 7 AM, as there were more police and security types than there were commuters.

An interesting graphic about Metro ridership in connection with the inaugural:

And it's my understanding that Obama's 2009 inauguration and the Women's March this year represent the two highest-ridership days for the Washington Metro.

Separately I saw some speculation that the Chicago Cubs 2016 World Series celebration (CTA), Obama 2009 inauguration (Metro), and Women's March 2017 (Metro) represent the three highest-ridership days ever recorded for a US transit system outside New York - with a major caveat that highest daily ridership figures don't go back all that far on many/most systems.

jis said:

An interesting graphic about Metro ridership in connection with the inaugural:

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Figures don't Lie and Liars don't figure!
The White House is still obsessed with trivia liKe this,whineing and attacking the "Media" is becoming their SOP!

Good thing there's nothing as important to do right now!

Seaboard92 said:

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot. I was sitting and I saw one cop come up from the front and thought he was going to ask what I'm doing which is normal. Then I got thrown onto the ground from behind me and told to put my hands where you could see them.

Which I complied. Got frisked, told to stand up. Had by camera bag searched and questioned on all the contents. Questioned about my military ID card, taken picture of, and the whole terrorist check.

Honestly I think just asking hey what are you doing here is much better then throwing someone on the ground.

Click to expand...

Thirdrail7 said:

Seaboard92 said:

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot.

Click to expand...

If you're talking about the parking lot that is attached to the REA property, I'm pretty sure is not a public parking lot. It is private property with parking allowed by permit only and for occupants/visitors of 900 2nd St. Unless something has changed, it even indicates it as you enter the lot.

Parking.jpg

I'm not seeing any other parking lots, unless you were on the Metro side.

Click to expand...

Seaboard92 said:

Thirdrail7 said:

Seaboard92 said:

I had a security run in with Amtrak police on that Thursday. I was watching trains pull in and out at that old REA building and adjacent public parking lot.

Click to expand...

If you're talking about the parking lot that is attached to the REA property, I'm pretty sure is not a public parking lot. It is private property with parking allowed by permit only and for occupants/visitors of 900 2nd St. Unless something has changed, it even indicates it as you enter the lot.

Parking.jpg

I'm not seeing any other parking lots, unless you were on the Metro side.

Click to expand...

When I went in there was a sign that said public parking 22 dollars. So maybe that's new not sure. I alternate from the brick area at the REA building and the parking lot. Depends if there are tables available back there.Either way I wish they would have just asked without using force.

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The REA building patio facing the tracks is absolutely publicly-accessible property. In fact the tables on that patio are the only place to sit when eating at the Railway Cafe that's located in the building.

I live within 6 blocks of this cafe and from time to time you'll find me sitting on that patio eating a tasty sandwich from that cafe enjoying the cacophony of diesels, electrics, metros, and luggage carts all passing in front of me.

While I've only lived here about 1.5 years, I've never had an issue with law enforcement there. I certainly hope that doesn't change.

Seaboard92, feel free to DM me next time you're hanging out in that area. I'll come by and say hi!