EasyEd
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
Posts: 7,272
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Post by EasyEd on Nov 11, 2006 18:18:18 GMT -5
The students this old timer observed were well behaved with only minor things out of the ordinary: 2 students running up the down escalator, a few students trying to jam the metro doors open so they could get on. But these were the only things bad I observed. In fact, I want to compliment the students on their behavior inside and outside. The downside for us non-students is that the metro was much more crowded than in prior years. What should be learned by all of us is to wait 30 minutes or so before tackling the metro after a game to allow the crowd to thin out.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Nov 11, 2006 18:22:09 GMT -5
Okay, I tried to be optimistic about this because some of the postive comments on this thread make sense. A lot of sense. I enjoyed not rushing out of Verizon after the game, and while leisurely walking to the Metro, I decided I changed my mind and liked this new system. Then I got to the Metro.... 1) the Metro did not run more trains. The platform was packed with students and other fans, and when the trains actually came, the people trying to get off were being pushed by students who were pushing their way onto the cars. Fans getting on the trains were having hard times dealing with the students who were pushing and shoving everywhere. This occurred for 2 trains before I could actually get on one. 2) after spending a lot of time waiting for trains and taking them, when we got off the metro, it took at least 10 minutes to get out of the station itself because it was just a constant line to get on escalators 3) students were running up down escalators, and down up escalators, and generally not doing "safe" things 4) after getting out of the metro station, there was another wait for the buses and when the buses came, the students pushed and shoved to get on them per usual. And then it took 20 minutes to get from Roslyn to Georgetown. All in all, it took more than double the time to get back to campus, students were still packing on the cars and buses, and along the way were pushing other fans and random other metro passengers. And a good chuck of students were not at the game, so the problems are just going to be worse the next time around. Hmm i'm pretty sure this is exactly what i said would happen and was told i was crazy. I actually had a decent experience on the metro back because i did rush out and caught the first train out swithced at metro center and got home in timely fashion got on a bus and was back home relatively quickly but even then you could tell that if you didn't do this you were going to get screwed. I took the D6 to the game this morning and it worked extremely well. Drops you off a little over a block away opn 7th street and takes about 20 minutes. I plan to do this every game.
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GUHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,083
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Post by GUHoya07 on Nov 11, 2006 18:53:05 GMT -5
People getting their heads stuck in doors? Thats not the system's fault, that's people simply being retarded. And all this talk about safety, students weren't safe on the buses before, and in general college students are unsafe, I find it really hard to blame this system.
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Nov 11, 2006 19:07:43 GMT -5
Okay, the head in the door was a bad example of one student being stupid and not representative of every hoya student.
All I'm saying is this....this system is not helping the problem that we had in the first place. I mean, personally, I'm going to be more creative in finding ways to get home because I never, ever want to deal with this again. I have to ride the metro during rush hour 3 times a week, and this was 10x worse
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Post by David Brent on Nov 11, 2006 19:20:53 GMT -5
It sounds like there are no buses at Dupont Circle...is that the case? If they send some buses to Dupont, at least then you could try to get a decent amount of the students over to Metro Center to take the Orange/Blue line and then send the rest on the red to Dupont. This avoids the changing train aspect that is one of the sources of the bottleneck. Perhaps they can have the Dupont buses stop at a different location than in front of McDonough in order to self-select the crowd.
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Post by LizziebethHoya on Nov 11, 2006 19:34:57 GMT -5
It sounds like there are no buses at Dupont Circle...is that the case? If they send some buses to Dupont, at least then you could try to get a decent amount of the students over to Metro Center to take the Orange/Blue line and then send the rest on the red to Dupont. This avoids the changing train aspect that is one of the sources of the bottleneck. Perhaps they can have the Dupont buses stop at a different location than in front of McDonough in order to self-select the crowd. I like this idea. It doesn't fix all of the problems, but should at least help.
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Post by HoyaSinceBirth on Nov 11, 2006 19:43:05 GMT -5
i agree. They should get busses at both locations then send an email that those going to Rosslyn should walk to Metro center and get right on the orange/blue line. Then those going to duppont get on at gallery place and spread out the group. You can have the duppont bus drop people off at the normal bus stop up by leavy and have the rosslyn busses continue to go to the gym or something like that.
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miamihoya
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
Posts: 698
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Post by miamihoya on Nov 11, 2006 20:02:27 GMT -5
The issue isnt students misbehaving or acting like "cuse fans". The problem is just that the system isn't meant to accomdate a sudden rush of 3000+ people heading in the same direction. It shouldn't take the average fan 45 minutes to an hour to get back to campus, especially when last years system seemed alot more effective.
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doublehoya
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That's Right, I Said Minivan!
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Post by doublehoya on Nov 11, 2006 20:57:28 GMT -5
It sounds like there are no buses at Dupont Circle...is that the case? If they send some buses to Dupont, at least then you could try to get a decent amount of the students over to Metro Center to take the Orange/Blue line and then send the rest on the red to Dupont. This avoids the changing train aspect that is one of the sources of the bottleneck. Perhaps they can have the Dupont buses stop at a different location than in front of McDonough in order to self-select the crowd. Good idea DavidBrent. Great Screen name. Excellent Avatar. The Dupont to Verizon Metro Trip is a no-transfer, two stop trip. This should be the preferred metro trip, in my opinion. Also, it would be a good idea to have the Hoya or Voice do a story on the many different ways to get the the VZ center. All the author would have to do is read this thread. Between the buses that go right by campus, the shuttle to metro solution provided by the AD, sharing a cab with friends, etc., there are lots of options. It would also make sense to run a guide of things to do in Chinatown before and after the game, to try to spread the crowd out a little. There is no question there will be some growing pains, but the students are going to have to figure this one out -- there is no way they can run enough buses to give the students door to door service.
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RBHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,139
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Post by RBHoya on Nov 11, 2006 22:43:58 GMT -5
Agree with Lizzie in general.
Walked to Metro Center, had to wait a while because there were not increased trains. That wouldn't have been so bad, but the real problem was that Roslyn was a mess. There was just a mass of students trying to get onto busses, with no line or order of any sort. And in fact when I got off the train, there weren't any busses. Considering there were so many people and so much disorder, many of us decided to walk back to campus instead. Nobody knew when the next bus would arrive, and worse, there was a good chance you wouldn't get on it because it was pretty much eat or be eaten, as predicted beforehand in this thread. I know many, many people made the same decision and walked rather than fight it out for a seat on a bus that wasn't even there yet.
So all in all the commute home took a little over an hour. On a Saturday, with great weather, after a win, it wasn't the worst thing, but I don't imagine it'd be the most pleasant experience once it's cold, a weeknight, and if we should lose a home game. Pretty much everyone I walked across Key Bridge with was cursing the new system.
007, you're quick to demand alternatives from all those who are "bitching" about the system... but to me, that seems quite difficult given the fact that nobody really knows WHY this change was made. Was it done because of anticipated traffic problems of having that many busses at Verizon? Was it done because it would have been too expensive to pay for busses for 2000? It's difficult to devise a solution to a problem for which constraints are unknown. The old system was clearly easier for students, and I heard more people angry today about transportation than I did in two years under the old system. Until or unless we really know why the old system was replaced by this one, it's tough to think of a better one.
I actually really like Lizzie's idea of an independent site near the stadium where busses can park and students could walk to and hop onto a bus. If sufficient busses were provided, it wouldn't have to get crazy. I don't know the downtown area well enough to say where such a location may be, and if its a cost issue its irrelevent.
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PhillyHoya
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by PhillyHoya on Nov 11, 2006 22:52:06 GMT -5
Another idea is to avoid the crowds, just go to the opposite stop (if they don't do the buses at Rosslyn and Dupont idea). Since there's GUTS buses 7 days a week now that's possible. Basically, if it's a weeknight game, just walk to Metro Center and take blue/orange to Rosslyn and get the GUTS bus back. On weekends, go to Dupont and take GUTS or the G2. Avoid the crowds and get back faster.
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CAHoya07
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by CAHoya07 on Nov 11, 2006 22:58:55 GMT -5
007, you're quick to demand alternatives from all those who are "bitching" about the system... but to me, that seems quite difficult given the fact that nobody really knows WHY this change was made. Was it done because of anticipated traffic problems of having that many busses at Verizon? Was it done because it would have been too expensive to pay for busses for 2000? I think it was a combination of both of the factors that you mention. Probably more so the money issue though. It's funny, because I had the complete opposite reaction to the new bus system. I was in 007's group and it worked perfectly for us. We actually had four buses just waiting for us at Rosslyn, everybody just hopped right on. All the people I talked to had positive reviews. Walking to Metro Center was clutch though, as we avoided the bottleneck at Chinatown. I like the idea of having shuttles run to Dupont as well, to ease the congestion. I think that would be a nice addition to the system, rather than calling for it to be scrapped entirely already. It's been one game, people, and it was the first try - let's give the system a few more tries before bashing it entirely.
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hoyatables
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by hoyatables on Nov 11, 2006 23:08:34 GMT -5
The issue isnt students misbehaving or acting like "cuse fans". The problem is just that the system isn't meant to accomdate a sudden rush of 3000+ people heading in the same direction. It shouldn't take the average fan 45 minutes to an hour to get back to campus, especially when last years system seemed alot more effective. Actually, it is. Somehow people manage to make it home from Caps and Wizards games without any real difficulty. If the students behaved and showed some discipline/patience it wouldn't be a problem. 45 minutes back to campus is completely reasonable. it was a beautiful saturday afternoon, and there was no reason to rush, anyway.
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hoyatables
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by hoyatables on Nov 11, 2006 23:12:45 GMT -5
Students whine way too much.
I metroed from Courthouse to Verizon no problem. I was heartened by the students at Rosslyn, though they really need to not harass the random people on the Metro. Honestly, I was sickened by the drunk Hoya (at 10 am, people!) that felt a need to harass a Latin-American man who was just sitting peacefully.
And you know, maybe you should just explore the city post game, especially on a beautiful day like today. The A-Team took in a postgame drink, then walked about 3 miles to Adams Morgan for some evening beverages. And then I decided to take the long way home and walk from Adams Morgan to Courthouse (probably, what, five miles?).
I don't know what is more disheartening, listening to you whine about coming back from Verizon by *gasp* the public transportation the rest of the city somehow seems to use everyday, or watching you all sit in your seats while the Hoyas held onto a slim lead.
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RBHoya
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
Posts: 4,139
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Post by RBHoya on Nov 11, 2006 23:18:38 GMT -5
As I said in my first post in this thread, I'm willing to give this system a fair try to see how it goes. Clearly it worked well for you guys today, and maybe it will for me in the future, though it would seem that some folks will be faced with what I was at Roslyn.
I do like the idea of using Dupont better. I am not a Metro system afficianado like others, but Dupont would seem to be significantly easier to me. Of course, if something like today happened, I wouldn't really want to walk home from Dupont as we did from Roslyn.
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gujake
Silver Hoya (over 500 posts)
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Post by gujake on Nov 12, 2006 0:01:02 GMT -5
I had no problem with the time it took to get there or using the metro in general.
I'm just worried that a drunk student is going to do something really stupid. Based on what I saw today, I would be pretty shocked if nothing really bad happens over the course of the year.
Do I have a better idea? No.
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hoyaLS05
Golden Hoya (over 1000 posts)
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Post by hoyaLS05 on Nov 12, 2006 2:39:42 GMT -5
and there was no reason to rush, anyway. I'm sorry, did every single student who attended the game run their schedules by you? I realize that to you me and the other people on this board, Hoya basketball is a priority, but to a lot of the people at the game it is not priority No. 1, so be a little bit more reasonable in your expectations. Maybe some people DID have something they needed to do. Like it or not, accomodating the middle of the road Georgetown fans, the ones who consider skipping the game for homework, might be what needs to be focused upon, rather than making sure that the people who will go to any game, any time are taken care of.
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Post by htownhoya09 on Nov 12, 2006 2:49:46 GMT -5
I agree with what hoyals and RB have been saying. Yes, today it was fine that it took awhile; it was a good day, and I enjoyed just hanging out with my friends. However, I don't think its going to be very enjoyable say, on a monday night, when I have to get back because I have a big test the next day.
Hoyatables, you say that students whine too much, but keep in mind that they are students foremost, not solely Hoya basketball fans.
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tal1286
Bulldog (over 250 posts)
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Post by tal1286 on Nov 12, 2006 10:08:43 GMT -5
My friends and I got off at Metro Center and walked to the stadium before the game and that worked really well. We were on the second bus to leave for the station so I can't say what it was like for the majority of people who left a little bit later. We also walked to Metro Center on the way home and we had no problem at all getting back to school. The only delay was the brutal traffic on the Key Bridge.
Whether or not we'll do that come January and the Nova game remains to be seen but luckily (or I guess unluckily, depending on how you're looking at it) we only have 3 night games all winter. Well...I guess if you include 1st semester we have 6.
In the end, I think there will only be a problem for Nova and West Virginia and as another poster suggested, The Hoya should probably advertise the fact that GUTS busses are running so you could go to the other metro stop as well as the many other ways to get to and from the Verizon Center.
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hoyatables
Diamond Hoya (over 2500 posts)
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Post by hoyatables on Nov 12, 2006 10:55:17 GMT -5
I agree with what hoyals and RB have been saying. Yes, today it was fine that it took awhile; it was a good day, and I enjoyed just hanging out with my friends. However, I don't think its going to be very enjoyable say, on a monday night, when I have to get back because I have a big test the next day. Hoyatables, you say that students whine too much, but keep in mind that they are students foremost, not solely Hoya basketball fans. And I was once one of those students, and now have a life beyond being a Hoya fan. My point is this, which some students don't seem to understand: the Metro system accommodates this kind of rush on a daily basis, both during rush hour and specifically after events at the Verizon Center. And it works. Anyone who attends an event at Verizon and uses Metro to get there has to contend with a post-game crush and they reasonably manage it--those who absolutely need to get home leave early, those who are in less of a rush linge, some have or make post-game plans in Chinatown, and the rest make their way into the system, and it manages it well. If the collective whole of the student body behaves in a similar fashion, instead of treating "getting back to campus" as a competition and a race, then it will work. And obviously for many there are priorities to get back to campus, but for others there will not be, and so they can take their time. Beyond that, there were solutions on Saturday for those that didn't want to participate in the Orange/Blue Crush: 1) Walk 2) Take the Red Line to Dupont and walk to campus 3) Take the Red Line to Dupont and take GUTS (which, as I read recently, has expanded its Saturday service) 4) Take the Red LIne to Dupont and take Metrobus--35 cents with a transfer 5) Take the Blue/Orange to Foggy Bottom and walk (to avoid the bus lines). 6) Take the Blue/Orange to Rosslyn and walk (to avoid the bus lines). Going forward, the University has a simple solution, provided the logistics work--send shuttle buses to Dupont. I was under the impression that was already the case. I can imagine that there is a bit of a logistical issue (how can you predict who will go Red versus Blue/Orange) so you can just tell folks that half are Red and the other half are Blue/Orange. I admit that having all 3000 students get onto one line is a particular strain on the system, and might very well be the "tipping point" for a system that otherwise works, but I suspect that part of the problem was every single student feeling that they needed to get onto the very first Metrorail train they could. The solution is most likely to spread the students over two rail lines--that, along with a little more patience and understanding about life in the city, should definitely address the problem. Georgetown students live in a city. They chose to attend a university that lives in a city. Many Georgetown students embrace that, but far too many also fail to take advantage of it. And one of the biggest myths at Georgetown when I was there about a decade ago, and that still remains, is that Georgetown is "isolated" because there isn't a direct Metro stop there. Georgetown is well connected, and there have been a lot of improvements both on Georgetown's and DC's end to further improve that. All I am saying is that students should get out there and explore this city that so many of them said was "the reason I want to go to Georgetown."
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