Re: Overheard on the scanner

Sean O'Hara <seanohara@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> After several large fare increases, the DC Metro system costs more
>> than travel by car (except where parking downtown is concerned),
>> and would still do so even if gasoline prices were to double.

> How are you figuring the cost of driving?  Simply the price of gas
> or are you factoring in insurance and car payments?

I'm using what the IRS allows people to deduct per mile.  That's
supposed to take account of everything from fuel to insurance to
depreciation.  Also, I know several people who have given up Metro
and switched to driving to save money -- including at least one
who for medical reasons really should not drive, but simply can't
afford to pay Metro's new rush hour fares every day.

>> It also often manages to be slower than car traffic, which really
>> takes some doing.

> That's why if you drive down 66 during rush hour, you can watch the
> Metro trains zip past while you're inching along at 10 mph?

You don't notice when no Metro train zips past.  For instance because
there is a sick passenger, so they stop every train on the line for an
hour.  Or when there's a forgotten package, so they stop every train
on the line for several hours.  (Hey, it *could* be a bomb.  Unlike
the previous hundred times someone forgot their briefcase.)  Or when
there's scheduled maintenance.  Or when there's a breakdown.

It's actually become rare to have a round trip *without* delays.
-- 
Keith F. Lynch - http://keithlynch.net/
Please see http://keithlynch.net/email.html
before emailing me.