NextBusDoesnt2010
Introduction/Definition/etc
Rants about transportation, discrimination,
sn*w, and many other things,
as an automated call without saying who
it is, or who they are calling for,
expects a call back, nay demands a call back,
on a "civil matter", but the first call I've gotten,
first I've heard of it, and said I've not returned calls.
Maybe not everyone doesn't understand,
phones aren't good communication devices
for everyone, disabled, and different,
in many ways...
Body
Well, we had our first snow of the season, a little 1-3 incher...
Remembering last year about this time (I started recalling
it a while before the storm, wondering when we get bad
weather...)
So trudge out to a MetroBus stop and try NextBus,
that call 202.637.7000 and find out when the next
bus is coming. On the phone for 2 minutes,
prepaid cell, which did get signal, and it is voice
activated, gives a long announcement in the beginning
and then asks what intersection you are at,
doesn't understand my voice, asked if I wanted to hang up,
which wasn't even close to what I said/ yelled at the machine
by then, with some group of teens walking by, looking aggressive,
and even a biker with skinny tires, "You're a better man than I",
I said, jokingly, as I'd been out after they had plowed,
and fell on a trail that was unplowed, and one other place,
yeah, a trail that wasn't plowed, as I'd been out on the 45 MPH
wind day, or the day before, people saying you bike in this?
While they of course, drive in this, and probably don't understand
that some people don't have a choice, if they need food,
or something, and then followed around a store, with comments,
trash, including Styrofoam whipped around in a cyclone,
and a guy smoking cigarettes while I'm having difficulty
breathing, near the store entrance, went for one thing,
and it was out, and they would not even sell/ give me quarters
as change to do laundry, a likely gang problem, as people
ignore or defeat the security door(s). Another offering
me beer as I go to a stop, he might have thought he was
being nice, but I just ignored him, which might not be nice,
but assuming I'd like to drink, I guess it's that kind of place,
drinking in the streets, not yet public drunkenness, but give
it time and better weather, and I'll likely expect it now,
and from what I've read...
Anyway, whining about stuff, weather, the public,
and back to NextBus, it only goes to the schedule,
not to the actual location and arrival time of the
next bus headed that way... So it looks up stuff
that might be on a paper thing or schedule,
but helps, NOT AT ALL, for weather situations,
as not real time locations of buses.
A disappointing information service,
at least to me.
MetroRail give approximate arrival times
of trains and I guess the people who have
enough money to live near and use Rail
instead of bus, have security cameras
to keep an eye on losing their iPods,
iPads, SmartPhones, Blackberries, etc
as the doors close...
Not Elevator Doors, mind you, unknown
tourists and occasionals to the sporting events
downtown, they don't stop for you,
they will crunch you, or for those that
wait maybe 5 mins to take a long elevator
ride, or more likely two to get to
a train, must take the next one, as
it's usually leaving as I arrive by that means...
And I used to run for things, but still have problems
walking, my feet hurt, now over two years later,
before the Rail Accident killing 9 people, was it,
a General Officer and his wife? A train operator,
and many others out in North East, or Maryland,
and did we ever hear what that was about?
What caused it? Is the system fixed? Is it safe?
There certainly is a lot of work being done,
mostly on weekends, and when the locals,
non working disabled types with no other means
of getting places, especially after being stranded
by MetroAccess and the jokes/ laughs of union
workers, deliberately refusing a mobility device,
my mobility device the day after I was hit by a car,
just trying to get to the post office, and mail something,
damage done, driver calling insurance, covering his ass,
who has to call 911, but the victim. Driver got a ticket,
lawyers, ambulance chasers, really, in this case,
calling over 9 times, not saying if they are representing
the defendant, or just trying to solicit business,
at a bad time, and unwelcomed harassments,
likely illegal, according to one letter, also trying to sell
their services...
Yep, day after being hit by a car, still hurting,
and MetroAccess pulls up and says I don't need
it, won't take my mobility device, and strands me,
and that was early September. Federal Oversight,
have at it. This is the type of stuff they were in court
for, and we got some free rides from the settlement,
but guess that that is a distant past, as is the time
when all was perfect with the system, because
they denied everything, and then a few front page
articles on assaults on MetroAccess, in the local
papers, and what has been done about it?
ANYTHING?
I know my feet are not the same, now over two
years later. Assault should not have a statute
of limitations. Maybe an accident does, but when
treated differently, taxi driver lied, said I didn't pay,
and I gave fare out of a $10 and got change back at
North Kings Highway and Telegraph Road,
now reconstructed, going maybe 30 miles to a
RRWG meeting, with some errands before, like
dropping off Street Sense, some extra free copies
to Lamb Center, and "it's a civil case" as on private land,
says the police, and the station didn't want to even
give me a report, an empty one at that,
didn't believe me, or didn't like me, discrimination,
I'd say, and that was Fairfax City, not Falls Church,
as I probably got my FCs mixed up in an earlier
report about it, here online, letting people know
how the poor and disabled are treated, how services
work, and don't work for people, mostly invisible,
sometimes cared for, mostly not, and
like most people, as you get older, you too
might become elderly, poor or disabled,
so like shelter in place, plan ahead, and advocate
for better services, as you never know when
YOU might need them.
Happy Holidays, Winter Solstice, in my case,
and remembering the coldest, longest night
of the year, we remember the homeless,
who have died. And I don't even know how
many of the people when I was homeless,
and maybe becoming it again, are still alive.
What happened to them? My roommates
in the shelter, the beggar approaching me,
wanting me to talk to him, but really getting
back to begging. I tell him a little about
when I was in the shelter, but that wasn't what
it was about. I wasn't a beggar, at least
not the usual aggressive panhandler,
even trying to sell StreetSense, I couldn't make
ends meet, I wasn't a sales person (read Vendor),
but ended up being a volunteer,
until someone else was the favorite,
and then back around after I was dumped,
not remembering how I was used, discarded,
violated out, after creating the page,
another couple of guys thugging to get it,
treating the group like his b****,
disrespect, and run it for another year and a half,
staff hadn't done anything about my issues
and concerns brought up, and then they want
me to write for them again. Sure I'll give the editor
going to Harvard, coming back from Harvard a hug
at HTHW2010, catch up on things, but free help?
What would going back to the same place that
treated me that way, say about me?
Worthless, and accepts being treated that way?
And the perp, or at least one of the gang?
Rumored to be going to Community College.
Not Homeless to Harvard, but Community College.
That was the gift, giving you the same status
as the interns, or what the organization could
accept. About the same age, less advantages,
maybe different family situation, both needing
medical coverage, glasses to do the tasks,
or women's health, whatever, that's your business,
and privacy...
And people want to put my photos, ones
I've taken, on FaceBook. I give freely,
really really freely... But they ignore
the Creative Commons Share and Share Alike
Non Commercial With Attribution license,
because FaceBook owns everything on it's site,
and it doesn't credit the author, that
anonymous, privacy concerned, ranter,
who took the time to take photos,
can't even create an account anonymously,
didn't go to Harvard, at least not attending,
might have been an option, some time,
even other stuff in Cambridge, MA,
but, more about the money, not having it,
and not feeling welcome/ a part of...
Why so negative? Maybe because I can't
sleep with a heater that makes too much noise,
too cold if turned off, and too loud if turned on.
That's public housing for me.
A lot like college dorms, lots of partying,
less than optimal surroundings, but try to survive
and get out, and get what? A degree? A job?
I'm disabled... Likely my job is just staying alive,
as hard as that is during the holidays and
just day to day living. Activites of Daily Living,
ADLs they taught us in a day program...
And that's why I complain, not just
disability and depression and the other
social stuff, injustices.
As another police station says,
when doing a check on me,
"I'm famous".
Eeyore, or Cookie Monster,
either way, the system treats you different
on either end of the spectrum...
Is that discrimination? Or just being human?
And reasonable accommodations for
good care?
Wouldn't anyone want that?
Who has gone through what I have?
Who has gone through worse?
Why is it this way?
Hello? Anyone listening?
Anyone care?
Conclusion
Summary of experience or similar
Discussion
A place for feedback on the page presented
Page History
20101217 Jerry
- Jerry created this page to ...
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