A Model for Metro, in Romania

By Ron Shaffer
Sunday, March 12, 2006

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

Kathy Kavalec [Dr. Gridlock, Feb. 26] wrote about the ways she finds the subway in Bucharest, Romania, superior to our Metrorail: side benches that leave room for more passengers in the center of the car, straps low enough for short riders to grasp, doors that allow passengers to move from car to car.

She's right, but she told only part of the story.

Bucharest, unlike the Washington area, also has a circumferential line (When will we get the Purple Line from Bethesda to New Carrollton?) and connections to a vast network of modern, ground-level light rail.

Why are we so far behind?

Jim Rosapepe

(U.S. ambassador to Romania,

1997-2001)

College Park

Especially considering Romania's tumultuous history: It fought on the losing side in World War II (before switching sides) and was ravaged by the Soviet army and subjected to decades of crippling Stalinist dictatorship, followed by a revolution. Now we have a former ambassador asking why our Metro system is so far behind the Romanians'?

Perhaps the interim Metro leader, Dan Tangherlini, could send an emissary to Bucharest to check it out. Perhaps it could be the former ambassador.

Trains Aren't Trash Bins

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I recently was riding Metro when a professionally dressed lady sat next to me. She had a newspaper or two with her, and she proceeded to read each section and then drop each on the floor between us.

I could not believe her actions but assumed that she would pick the mess up when departing. Wrong! I called after her, and she just turned around and gave me a weird look! I know there are rules against eating, smoking and drinking, but what about littering?

Barbara A. Bear

Alexandria

It's against the law to smoke, eat, drink or litter while traveling on the Metro system, according to Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel. The fine can range from $10 to $150, depending on the jurisdiction. Metro police wrote 10 littering citations last year. (Anyone for more enforcement?)

Metro spends a lot of money on maintenance people to pick up passengers' litter. This money could be used to make the system better. There are new trash containers on station platforms and newspaper receptacles on the mezzanine level.

Help Metro and fellow passengers by disposing of your waste. And consider a good deed: Pick up someone else's litter.

If Pulling Over, Go Wide Right

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

In addition to your advice about staying away from a broken-down vehicle on the side of the highway, I will add that it is worth anything, including a ruined tire, to pull way off a road.

I will never forget when I visited a buddy at Walter Reed hospital 50 years ago while I was in the Army. In adjacent beds were two soldiers who had lost legs.

Both had been standing behind their vehicle by the side of the road when they were hit from behind.

J.D. Miller

Gaithersburg

Also, there have been incidences of motorists struck and killed while changing a tire on the roadside. If you can, get well off the pavement. A wrecked wheel is a small price to pay for life or limb.

Driving Blind in Rental Cars

Dear Dr. Gridlock

It seems that rental car companies never keep driver's manuals in cars anymore. One time, I wanted to reset the clock and asked the company about it when I returned the car. The employee said that people take the manuals. (My manual was actually with the spare tire!)

I am in favor of a cheap, copied "cheat sheet" that could be given out each time the car is rented. It is really disconcerting to have to figure out how to turn the lights on when it gets dark, or turn the wipers on when it starts raining, or open the gas tank.

Ann Wass

Riverdale

Rental car companies should give out this information. How to work the basic equipment shouldn't be a secret or subject to dangerous trial and error.

Transportation researcher Diane Mattingly contributed to this column.

Dr. Gridlock appears Thursday in the Extra and Sunday in the Metro section. You can write to Dr. Gridlock at 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. He prefers to receive e-mail, atdrgridlock@washpost.com, or faxes, at 703-352-3908. Include your full name, town, county and telephone numbers.