Moody Mamacita : Not so good mood on subway

Three years ago, I traded in my parking permit for a transit benefit that I use my daily commute on Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) metro subway. I drove 15 miles both way to work and home for 13 years because I like to be in control when I get in my vehicle. When my youngest child got into elementary school age and no longer need a babysitter or after-school care. I did not need to rush home to pick her up. She has her older sibling to go to school and home together. Gas was expensive to afford (and it still is today). I decided to save money to use for grocery and save miles on my vehicle. So, it was the hardest thing to give up my parking permit and getting in new transportation commute to work. It not the first time I use the metro subway, it was hard to get up much earlier and be on time to catch the metro bus to metro subway . It's been three years since and I enjoy the peace of mind and not having to keep my eyes on the roads. I was able to read books and checking on my blackberry then and iPhone as well. The commute in the morning only takes me to work about 50 minutes and my afternoon commute about an hour and half.

My reason why I am posting this because I have a new record for this morning commute to work was one hour and 10 minutes being on the same red train subway that I takes and that doesn't included my second subway to transfer to work. I sat there and kept hearing the speaker talking but I can't understand a word said. I have hearing-loss so I just assumed another delayed for few minutes but each stop the train just sat there with the door open for 5 to 10 minutes. I had 8 stops to go. At one stop, we had to get off the train to wait for the next train to get on. There was no snow or power outrage or whatever was but to find out later there was some problem with switchboard that need to repaired. While I at that stop, we waited for 20 minutes and I was thinking, I should get on the other side to take the train back home. So, that when I realized I should go the other side and go backward and get off one of the station to transfer another train to work. So I did that. When I got off to that station, it was packed and swarming to the escaltor to downstiars to another train. By the time I got to the bottom, I saw a train was there and I rain and jump into the train before the door closed. Then I realized I didn't look to see which train I was on, so I asked the other passengers which train I am on. Oh thanks goodness!I was on the right train and we were all like sardines and the ride was not so bad.

I am sure there other rider may have worse than my commute. So it took me 2 hours and 5 mins to get to work. What a record!

We are the second-busiest rapid transit system in the United States in number of passenger trips, after the New York City Subway. I knew NYC subway has a lots of trains. Check out other subway across United States. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_rapid_transit_systems_by_ridership

WMATA may not be the perfect transit system. I have seen all kind of problems with the system such as slow train, not so many trains during the rush hours, dirty train, broken escalators or elevators, a crazy passenger fell on the track, or all trains hold up because someone left an unattended bag/briefcase until it get check out before the train resume in business, fare has increased and it goes on. And I still take the subway.

Here are some pictures while on subway.