if i ran the metro

here are just a few things i would change about our great transportation system:

1. metro center escalator.
i would have an escalator on the bottom level orange/blue platform that went directly up to the street level. i absolutely hate having to push through all the red-liners to get up and down to my platform during rush hour.

2. allow coffee.
i understand the reasoning behind not allowing food (and i agree with it, mostly), but i really could use to have some coffee in the morning on my ride to work. especially in the winter when it's so bitterly cold waiting for the train to come.

3. announcements.
you know that woman who seems to make all of the announcements? you know, the "see it, say it" and "is that your bag" announcements? her voice is soooooo annoying. and don't even get me started on the train operators. ugh. if only they could all be trained like the best announcer ever (who i haven't heard in months - he must have switched schedules or left metro - tragic).

4. eight car trains.
i know this is a money issue, but i would outfit every line with only eight car trains (and then train the operators how to drive them - nothing like a jerky ride home). seriously, eight car trains could solve a lot of the area's problems.

5. add some lights.
since you inevitably have to wait for your train to come it'd be nice if the stations were a little brighter so i don't get a headache from squinting when i'm reading my magazines, the day's wapo chats or my latest book.

oooh and the other day i discovered this site! if you have internet access on your phone you can get live up to the minute metro information. so if you're sitting at a bar and want to get the most of your drinking before you leave, now you can!