Metro has been on one lately. They just released their new app and are preparing to launch Tap Ride and Go next month, so you can pay with your credit card. Overall, ridership is up and crime is down. All and all it’s a great time to be a Metro stan, and my WMATA shower curtain can attest that I am one.
The first time I felt like a real Washingtonian was when my phone died while out on H Street NE, and I realized I knew exactly how to get home without it. Now, every time someone visits, I make sure to take them for a ride and watch as they oggle at the tall brutalist ceilings, shiny 7000-series cars, and clean train platforms. (My favorite fun fact to drop is how Metro stations naturally stay cool).
How many classic Metro experiences have you had? (City Cast DC/Instagram)
But after almost a decade of regularly taking the Metro, I’ve learned there are a few … quirks, let’s say. For example, sometimes your bus is actually a ghost bus and you’re 30 minutes late to your best friend's wedding (sorry, Kat!). Or, sometimes you drink too much sangria at a bottomless brunch and you have to beg the station manager to open the bathroom for you. (Yes, most stations do have bathrooms, as I learned.)
Despite its occasional failings, Metro has taught me many things, like pretending you know how to exit L’Enfant Plaza Station (pre-updated signage). It’s taught me to be patient when trains are delayed (more time to catch up on my fav local podcasts 😉) and it’s taught me to mind my own business (fare evasion? Never heard of it).
Riding the bus has given me the confidence to brashly hold up a bus full of people while I struggle to load my bike on the front (free rejection therapy). I still dream of the day I can bravely shout, “back door!” without my voice cracking.
So, while it might seem mundane, in my eyes there is nothing more “Washingtonian” than understanding Metro. During your next party, instead of asking “what do you do?” ask “what’s your best Metro story.” Much more entertaining, I promise.
