Trash-Talking From the D.C. Metro?

[Trainspotter 0]

Trash-Talking From the D.C. Metro?

By Jennifer 8. Lee

NY Times

February 26, 2008

 

[float=right]

Jennifer 8. Lee/The New York Times

In this ad on a Metrorail train in

Washington, what other city’s

subway system do you think is

being blindly referenced?[/float]This City Room reporter was riding on the Metrorail system in Washington this week when she spotted a poster with a large rat glaring down on her, with the ominous headline, “You gonna eat that?”

This text followed: “Unlike some subway systems (which will remain nameless), you don’t see rats the size of house cats roaming the Metro. Why not? Because we are so strict about eating and drinking in the system. So help us keep the critters away. Please don’t eat or drink on the Metro.”

A subway system that shall remain nameless? Rats the size of house cats? Was the New York subway system the victim of a Page Six-style blind item?

Admittedly New York certainly has its rats. We have rats at City Hall. We have rats in our fast-food restaurants. We have rats frying in our car engines. We even take pride in sharing legends of roaches as big as kiwi fruit and rats as large as dogs.

 

But this is something New Yorkers see as our own business, our own perverse pride. It’s a little out of form for another city to needle another about our rats. We certainly temper our remarks about Washington’s pathetic nightlife (O.K., after a couple of years in Washington earlier this decade, we can’t resist poking fun once in a while).

Also, we certainly don’t have rats as large as house cats, as our urban rodentologist can attest to, given the species or rats (unless they are very small house cats). Government agencies should not be spreading false rumors.

So City Room called up the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and asked: What exactly were you trying to say about New York?

“It was not meant to as a disrespect as a New York City transit property,” said Steven Taubenkibel, an agency spokesman. “It’s not directed at New York; it can be any other transit system. It doesn’t make reference to any other transit property at all.”

He explained, “The idea behind the ad is to simply raise awareness of our passengers of what the laws are — that it is illegal to eat or drink in the Metro rail system.”

Those rules have been in place for 42 years, he said, which is why, he added, that the Washington Metro has been rat-free. “That is why the ad was done,” he he said, “in a way to remind people to not leave food behind because they will be staring at rats in the future.”

City Room will say, sure, Washington’s system may be rat-free, but its subway map also has all the sophistication of Fisher Price. It doesn’t run 24/7. And it does not have subway-riding pigeons, either.

[Robert Bosco 0]

All other Subway systems in the world should, and probably do take notes on how the runs theirs. Yeah we have rats, yeah it;s dirty, but nothing is perfect. We all know how hard it really is to upkeep the largest subway system in the world. And where else can you hop on a train, grab a burrito, and hop back on the train home. So what if you see some rats on the way there. As long as they aren't in your home or food...we're fine. (Qx)

[4 Train 0]

All other Subway systems in the world should, and probably do take notes on how the runs theirs. Yeah we have rats, yeah it;s dirty, but nothing is perfect. We all know how hard it really is to upkeep the largest subway system in the world. And where else can you hop on a train, grab a burrito, and hop back on the train home. So what if you see some rats on the way there. As long as they aren't in your home or food...we're fine. (Qx)

 

 

My point exactly. The Metro got some flippin nerves.

[TSOH 0]

Cats, our rats look like German Shepherds!

[Pablo M 201 35]

*Sigh.

 

Plz, no one go and take this seriously. At least they weren't mean and started naming systems. Ya, insulting, but indirectly. WMATA did take it a little too far though.

[Jamaica Express 27]

haha...i find it funny....but yea its true....we may not be the cleaness or the most user friendly....or the most modern.....but the NYC Subway system is definitely the best in the country if not the world....24/7 service....Express/Local offered on almost all the lines.....over 6000 cars...where else can you find that??

[N-Trizzy2609 11]

WAMTA shouldn't be talking, they have to close their doors at midnight so the crackheads wouldn't come down in the stations! Remember D.C. is more dangerous at night then all five boroughs in NYC. So they want war. I'll give em war.

[trainfan22 2,157]

Oh god WAMTA is so inmature.What is this some kind of subway system feud?Whats next the MTA is going to come back attacking WAMTA?This is really stupid WAMTA. Is probaly start making fun of the R32-R42 fleets. Saying that thier cars have working A/Cs.And are not being held togther with duct tape.

[Harry 1,088]

I'm not taking it too serious. I actually think it's kinda funny.

[East New York 4,103]

I agree with you all to a certain extent. I think it's funny actually. But come on! First of all, If anyone has been on the WAMTA as I have, then you can atest to the fact that the subway system doesn't even have room for rats! I mean the tunnels are so narrow that the rats wouldn't have a place to live anyway! It is so blatantly obvious that it was directed at NYCTA, no matter what they say. Sure we have rats, we tell funny stories about the, and see them almost every day. But would'nt that be expected in "The Capitol of The World?" Maybe they should worry more about crime and poverty, and less about rats! But then again, just about everything in DC is bass ackwards! Not to mention lame as hell!

[sebbieprops 0]

I'm not taking it too serious. I actually think it's kinda funny.

 

Agreed.