Rising Crime/Safety Issues on Metro - concern for your HS student?

[Anonymous]

My DC started at a NW DC private last fall and commutes one way by Metro. I never really paid attention to crime reports on Metro previously - no one in the family used it regularly. Now between the increase in crime on Metro and the occasionally flaming train or tunnel, every afternoon commute has me worried. Anyone else feeling similar concerns? Crime and Metro safety was the last thing on my mind when we made this decision.

[Anonymous]

Our MS and HS students commute via Metro for work. The older one was in a nearby station during the fires, so we've thought about this a lot.

We still let them use transit - it's still far safer than being in a car. They both attended a tween self-defense workshop first.

We talk about how to handle situations where they feel uncomfortable or unsafe, they know how to transfer lines, get out of a station or to change cars if needed. We also taught them where to get at least 2 different buses to our neighborhood/school in case there's an accident or delay.

Both kids also have the WMATA app on their phones and check for delays before heading home, and for true emergencies have Uber app on their phone. One has taken a bus once - and neither has ever used Uber.

HTH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our MS and HS students commute via Metro for work. The older one was in a nearby station during the fires, so we've thought about this a lot.

We still let them use transit - it's still far safer than being in a car. They both attended a tween self-defense workshop first.

We talk about how to handle situations where they feel uncomfortable or unsafe, they know how to transfer lines, get out of a station or to change cars if needed. We also taught them where to get at least 2 different buses to our neighborhood/school in case there's an accident or delay.

Both kids also have the WMATA app on their phones and check for delays before heading home, and for true emergencies have Uber app on their phone. One has taken a bus once - and neither has ever used Uber.

HTH.

Oops. For school.

[Anonymous]

Neither our home nor our schools are near enough to Metro for it to be an option for us. But, I used to ride Metro daily for work - up till about 1997. Even then, I was starting to see the deterioration in quality (I remember the time the escalator at Judiciary Square was running so fast that passengers ended up being thrown into each other at the end because we could not get off it fast enough) and safety (e.g., riding home when some punk starts acting up making vague threats to other passengers). The situation today is intolerable. The few times I have to use Metro these days just punctuate how far we have fallen since Metro used to be a crown jewel for DC. I am not going to tell others what to do for their families, but for me, even if we lived and schooled near a Metro station, I'd have to see some very serious improvements before I'd let my kids ride on their own.

[Anonymous]

Seriously? I've been riding the red line since 2003 and wouldn't be concerned with letting my kids use it. They're still too young to go to school alone but I don't think metro is appreciably more dangerous than taking the bus, and way safer than biking. If they had a long walk I'd probably be concerned about a car hitting them while they crossed the street absentmindedly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? I've been riding the red line since 2003 and wouldn't be concerned with letting my kids use it. They're still too young to go to school alone but I don't think metro is appreciably more dangerous than taking the bus, and way safer than biking. If they had a long walk I'd probably be concerned about a car hitting them while they crossed the street absentmindedly.

MY DC rides Metro daily and has seen a couple assaults and arrests in the last year.

[Anonymous]

We are daily Metrorail commuters and so is DC. Safety is not a concern, especially since we're not afraid of public school students. Plus DC is not traveling at peak youth travel times that might increase the chances of petty beefs. A Wilson student was stabbed today after driving to school. It would be absurd to worry about driving as a result or to fear Cleveland Park and Tenleytown as hotbeds of crime.

[Anonymous]

my 17 year old nephew was on red line after school (afternoon) and was approached and told to hand over his phone by a group of males. He didn't have his phone out - but I guess they expect every teenager has a phone now a days. There were plenty of other people on the train, but no one was going to stand up to the group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:my 17 year old nephew was on red line after school (afternoon) and was approached and told to hand over his phone by a group of males. He didn't have his phone out - but I guess they expect every teenager has a phone now a days. There were plenty of other people on the train, but no one was going to stand up to the group.

No idea about this alleged incident, but no one is going to put their safety at risk for a stranger's phone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are daily Metrorail commuters and so is DC. Safety is not a concern, especially since we're not afraid of public school students. Plus DC is not traveling at peak youth travel times that might increase the chances of petty beefs. A Wilson student was stabbed today after driving to school. It would be absurd to worry about driving as a result or to fear Cleveland Park and Tenleytown as hotbeds of crime.

Whoa! What does that mean?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:my 17 year old nephew was on red line after school (afternoon) and was approached and told to hand over his phone by a group of males. He didn't have his phone out - but I guess they expect every teenager has a phone now a days. There were plenty of other people on the train, but no one was going to stand up to the group.

No idea about this alleged incident, but no one is going to put their safety at risk for a stranger's phone.

sorry, no for me. I would not want my child to have to deal with incidents like this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are daily Metrorail commuters and so is DC. Safety is not a concern, especially since we're not afraid of public school students. Plus DC is not traveling at peak youth travel times that might increase the chances of petty beefs. A Wilson student was stabbed today after driving to school. It would be absurd to worry about driving as a result or to fear Cleveland Park and Tenleytown as hotbeds of crime.

Actually six Wilson students were accused of attacking someone violently on the metro so maybe Tenley isn't as safe as you think. There are numerous attacks and assaults on commuters or near metro.

[Anonymous]

The 6 Wilson students were cleared of all charges in the incident on the Metro. The media did not report why the charges were dropped. The students reported that they were physically attacked first, an adult punched one of the kids in the face because they accidentally bumped into him as they were exiting the train. Since the charges were dropped, it seems as though their accounting of the incident was accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 6 Wilson students were cleared of all charges in the incident on the Metro. The media did not report why the charges were dropped. The students reported that they were physically attacked first, an adult punched one of the kids in the face because they accidentally bumped into him as they were exiting the train. Since the charges were dropped, it seems as though their accounting of the incident was accurate.

Not according to witnesses the say the student punched him first then the victim defended himself then all six of them jumped him and started kicking him and beating him senseless. Since when does six people beating and kicking one guy on the ground self defense? There are major issues. What about the two robberies at knifepoint near Tenley last week on Chesapeake another street nearby committed by juveniles under 18?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 6 Wilson students were cleared of all charges in the incident on the Metro. The media did not report why the charges were dropped. The students reported that they were physically attacked first, an adult punched one of the kids in the face because they accidentally bumped into him as they were exiting the train. Since the charges were dropped, it seems as though their accounting of the incident was accurate.

Not according to the numerous witnesses that saw the brutal beating. What is troubling that the charges were dismissed. Something is really wrong and crime is on the rise.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Girl-Injured-in-Fight-on-Red-Line-Train-4-Arrested-366846991.html