Last Sunday night, I was heading home on the subway after getting together with a friend, and had my Brompton folding bike with me. Timing is everything, and I had apparently recently missed the previous train, so I had about 12-15 min. to wait for the next Red line train. Not too much of a problem, as I spend a few minutes getting my night-time riding gear on. The train comes and I take it a couple of stops to transfer to a Yellow line train. The display stated a Green line train would be along in a few minutes, but below that it stated that a Yellow line train would be next, in about 8 min., which is the line that I ultimately needed to get back home. So, when the Green line train came, I decided to let it pass and instead, wait for the Yellow line train, so that I wouldn't have to make the extra transfer. I have done this once before....and had regretted it. Because what happened next is what happened to me before....in that the stated Yellow line train NEVER appears!! Why didn't I learn the first time??! The display counts down to one minute before the Yellow line comes....and then, *POOF!* that train never appears, and then the display just says the next train is a Green line, and that will be 18 more minutes, thank you. Grrrrrrrrr! :( When it's late and cold out, you REALLY don't want to be standing there, waiting for a non-existent train, when you REALLY could have taken the earlier Green line train and made a transfer. This is really aggravating and I stand there and kick myself and get a grudge against Metro for "tricking" me. If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am a fairly optimistic and positive person and blogger. But you know, there ARE times when not EVERYTHING goes smoothly - that's life.
But I also try to find the Silver Lining in things.... So, I waited for the Green line to come along...about frozen by the time it arrived. :( I took it into D.C. to get off and transfer at another station. I semi-folded my Brompton into its "parked position" and took a seat on the concrete bench. Soon afterwards, a guy came up and took a look at my bike and could asked if it was a folding bike, and I replied yes. We proceeded to have a very engaging conversation about bikes - how he used to bike and had a nice Bianchi bike, but that it had gotten stolen. I encouraged him to get another bike sometime soon, and to continue his past enjoyment of cycling. He said that he would, and I hope he does..... So, if I hadn't had the delay in "absent" trains, I wouldn't have made his acquaintance. Meeting him turned my slightly sour mood into a more friendly one. :)
Speaking of "absent" transportation...earlier in the afternoon, after finishing up a Brompton Club ride that I had led in D.C., I happened to pass by the former parking lot where Megabus used to pick-up and drop off. There were a handful of people standing there at the curb, with luggage and backpacks, and all had a sort of puzzled look on their faces. I figured out right away why they were puzzled...they hadn't been informed that Megabus had MOVED its bus location to down the street about 5 blocks. :( I told them the new location and they had a panicked look because some of them were supposed to be on a bus in like 5 minutes! Ack!! I suggested hopping a cab, and some of the others who had more time before their departure bus, opted to walk. I know if it had been me, and I had a designated bus to catch (like I did the previous day, going up to Philadelphia), I would have been horrified to find that the bus location had changed. I would have missed my bus and also the bike event I was to attend! I'm not sure when these people had bought their bus tickets, but I hope they were able to make their scheduled buses.... But I'm glad I was able to help them in the right direction...
