ABOUT US | SUBSCRIBE | LINKS | E-MAIL EDITOR | HOME
|
|
ABOUT US | SUBSCRIBE | LINKS | E-MAIL EDITOR | HOME |
| Ragged Edge EXTRA! |
A Cause to Curse
May 18, 2002 -- There are times when a strictly local issue takes on a bigger significance. This is one of those times. Many disabled people moved to Washington to take advantage of the accessible Metro subway system, which is managed as a quasi-govermental entity. The system consists of several rail lines, denoted by colors, such as the Yellow Line, the Red Line, the Blue Line, the Orange Line, and the Green Line, which connect the Maryland and Virginia suburbs to downtown Washington. All Metro stations are accessible by escalators and street level elevators. Metro maintains over 200 elevators. On Saturday, May 4, comic George Carlin gave a performance at a downtown Washington theater. Jeremiah Hamilton, a Carlin fan, made arrangements to attend the performance. Hamilton, 24, lives in Wheaton, Maryland, a suburb that is on a Metro subway line. Hamilton has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. Before he left home, Hamilton called a Metro recorded message to assure that the station he needed to depart at had functional elevators. Hamilton wrote the information down and planned his evening trip to D.C. Based on the "up to date" information on the recording, Hamilton could exit Metro one block from the theater. If it had been so simple. Hamilton got off at the designated stop and attempted to depart the rail station on the elevator. Guess what? The elevator was out of order. Hamilton made quick plans and got on another train to depart at another station near the theater. Again, Hamilton tried to exit the station. Guess what? The elevator was out of order. Hamilton asked Metro officials for information on which station he should depart at. The officials were very helpful and they gave him the information. Hamilton boarded another train and departed at another station. Guess what? The elevator was out of order. Hamilton could not depart the subway system anywhere near the theater where Carlin was performing contrary to the information from Metro officials and recorded messages. Hamilton got hot and began to swear loudly. Reportedly, he used the f-word. (Who wouldn't have?) A Metro official heard Hamilton shouting profanities and demanded to know the cause for his cussing. At this stage, Hamilton was not very diplomatic with the official who took offense at the swearing and slapped Hamilton on the spot with a $25 fine. A little known law makes it illegal to swear on the Metro system. In the main, the law is not enforced. Luckily, Hamilton eventually managed to exit the Metro system, though many blocks away from his destination. On top of his fine, Hamilton had to pay for a cab ride to the theater. Finally, he made it to the theater, albeit 45-minutes late and minus $25 cash. Enter The Washington Post with an article headlined Angry Outburst Costs Rider. Metro officials were quoted as saying Hamilton was lucky to have been fined only $25 and that he could have been fined $75. Not a politically correct response. D.C. City Council member Jim Graham, who's also vice chairman of Metro's board of directors, took to the media airwaves to berate Metro officials over Hamilton's treatment. Graham also offered to void the fine for Hamilton. Hamilton's case was also fodder for local talk radio hosts. One radio commentator likened Metro officials to the Transit Taliban. Several callers said they would contact Metro to offer to pay the fine for Hamilton. The Metro system carries millions of tourists and commuters each day and no one wants to have to hear the f-word or any other profanity, especially when little kids are present. But in Hamilton's case, Metro officials obviously caused the problem by being uninformed about the availability of street level elevators. Put yourself in Hamilton's chair for a moment. What would you have done or said in the face of such frustration? A person can take only such much then it's time to vent. According to a psychotherapist friend, venting is healthy. The Metro subway system is relatively clean and dependable but it is expensive compared with other subway systems in other cities. Every Metro station is equipped with street level elevators for use by patrons unable to use the escalators. In fact, Metro advertises its accessibility for the disabled. For a majority of elevators in downtown Washington to be out of order is a disgrace. The recorded Metro information on which Hamilton based his trip had not been updated for a week after the incident. There are several lessons to be learned from this case. First, Metro needs to be honest with its passengers in regard to the information given to disabled riders who depend on street level elevators to get around. Second, Metro elevators need to be up and running. This should be a priority. Third, Metro needs to be more sensitive to the needs of disabled passengers. Finally, all Metro passengers should demand adequate services because we are paying for top-of-the-line service. As I finalized this draft for publication, there was another story in The Washington Post. This time the headline was Metro to Drop Cursing Case. Metro offered a public apology to Hamilton. Ah! The power of the press! Was the apology proffered because Metro underwent a change of heart? Hardly. It seems that Metro officials received nearly 100 complaints about Hamilton's treatment. Not only did Metro drop the fine, it also reimbursed Hamilton for his $14 cab fare. Metro had bought itself, and the city, a lot of bad publicity for a measly $25; and its decision to drop the case is just if not speedy. Posted May 18, 2002
James Patterson is a Washington, DC-based freelance writer and advocate.
|
ABOUT US | SUBSCRIBE | LINKS | E-MAIL EDITOR | HOME
© Copyright 2002 Ragged Edge Magazine
This Website produced by Cliffwood Organic Works