Riders Mostly Negative on Metro Food Vending Idea

I knew this would happen as soon as I said letter writers are never okay with eating and drinking on Metro (Dr. Gridlock, May 10).

Dear Dr. Gridlock:

I'm happy to fill the gap in the opinions readers have expressed. I've always been astounded by Metro's ban on food and drink.

I'm unimpressed by the arguments about litter. If that were truly a significant concern, we'd ban newspapers as well.

As an ex-New Yorker, I grew up with food and drink available in the subway. What is the policy of other subway systems? What has their experience been?

-- Harvey Stromberg, Rockville

Among readers who responded to my request for comment on the possibility of allowing food vendors on Metro property, Stromberg was not singing solo.

But he would have trouble forming a quartet. Most writers were adamant not only about the ban on food and drink but also about food vending.