Exit from the Rear

By Jamie

Metro just launched new routes/services this week; I probably am not the first to bring this to your attention.  The ride free zone was eliminated and new RapidRide lines were added, one from Ballard/Crown Hill to Downtown and one from West Seattle to Downtown.  RapidRide touts “such frequent service you won’t need a time table”.  More on that after I have more experience riding RapidRide, since thus far I have only ridden the “D” line once, I don’t want to make too hasty of judgment.  With the RapidRide Metro has ended some other neighborhood routes.  The 18Express I usually take was unaffected (Metro kept the 18E during the peak commute hours) at least as far as scheduling and what bus I take. 

What has changed is now the 18E is packed by the time we hit the stop at Leary & 15^th.  Before this change everyone got a seat and a few folks who got on at 15^th & Leary might have to stand.  It wasn’t bad.  I would take a seat at the front of the bus and easily hopped off.  Metro has also instated the “pay as you enter” system, which I like because I don’t have to worry about fumbling for my wallet as I approach my stop.  Pay as you enter also means Metro wants you to exit from the back.  Makes perfect sense, right?  It keeps a circular flow of off and on, no more waiting for people to disembark. 

So, I’ve changed my routine a bit.  I’m one of the first downtown stops, so it makes sense for me now to sit near the back of the bus.  But still, even at my seat at the back of the bus, I have to squeeze through a row of standing people to get out the door.  It’s not easy.  It brings me closer to my fellow passengers than I care to be.  I sat in the 2^nd row from the door and still had a tough time; I can’t imagine how many people I would have had to brush against had I sat any further from the door.

I know, this is the first week of the changes and we’re all trying to figure out our new rhythm.  I don’t like to complain about change because, as my old college friend Ani D said “what doesn’t bend breaks”.  But it doesn’t mean I love the uncomfortable feeling of new routines.  I’ll get my stride again and it will all be a thing of the past.  I guess I just have to trust that Metro will get me there.