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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While safety is always going to be a concern, I know my children can't live in a bubble forever. I've let my high schooler take the bus to the metro for the past two years to attend an after school class in Tenley and plan to keep doing so unless she tells me she's uncomfortable. I rode the T in Boston when I was in high school and loved the freedom it afforded me. I saw a lot more (in terms of crime and unusual people) than my friends who had parents driving them everywhere but I was also much more self sufficient than others when I got to college and that was a good thing. Talk to your kids about dangers and give them strategies to confront situations but let them figure things out too. I'm not advocating dropping them off in a high crime neighborhood at midnight or anything but I think allowing them to metro or bus to school or activities in high school is fine.

This.

I have to laugh when people talk about crime. I grew up in the NYC close in burbs and would go with my HS friends down to Times Square regularly in the early 80's. This was the pre-Guiliani bad old days - drugs, hookers, all right out on the street. I don't know WTF I or my parents were think. I know I got into a lot of sketchy skit with my friends. Nothing bad ever happened. Crime is literally a fraction of what it was then. Everyone will be fine.

[Anonymous]

My 9th grader takes the Metro every day. Could something happen? Sure. But I don't think driving him every day is any safer in the DMV and he is comfortable and self-sufficient. So many benefits for him and us with riding the Metro!

[Anonymous]

Driving my DC to school every day is far far safer than letting her ride Metro alone. Metro is a complete failure, and becoming more dangerous by the day. From today's news: http://wtop.com/dc/2016/05/police-man-kidnaps-boy-metro-station-sexually-abuses/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Driving my DC to school every day is far far safer than letting her ride Metro alone. Metro is a complete failure, and becoming more dangerous by the day. From today's news: http://wtop.com/dc/2016/05/police-man-kidnaps-boy-metro-station-sexually-abuses/

Probably would help to look at statistics rather than a series of anecdotes. And I assume that you plan to drive her everywhere throughout high school, since it's much more dangerous to be a teenage driver than to ride Metro.

[Anonymous]

Parents send their kids to private school by Metro?? That's like going to your Pilates class In an ice cream truck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Driving my DC to school every day is far far safer than letting her ride Metro alone. Metro is a complete failure, and becoming more dangerous by the day. From today's news: http://wtop.com/dc/2016/05/police-man-kidnaps-boy-metro-station-sexually-abuses/

Probably would help to look at statistics rather than a series of anecdotes. And I assume that you plan to drive her everywhere throughout high school, since it's much more dangerous to be a teenage driver than to ride Metro.

You are quite possibly the only person in the DC area who considers Metro's service and crime problems as anecdotal, not systemic. I doubt the NTSB would be as involved if problems on Metro (including crime) were the exception, not the rule.

http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/24/police-directed-to-alert-public-to-crime-on-dc-metro-amid-spike-in-crime-rate/

A spokesman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said Tuesday crime is up year-over-year by 10.1 percent, and is only increasing. The alleged rape of a woman at knife point on a moving red line train in April, which broke Monday, drew renewed concern among riders about the growing crime trend. A bloody robbery Monday night aboard a green line train heading to the Suitland station is the latest crime in the system, reports WJLA.

Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/24/police-directed-to-alert-public-to-crime-on-dc-metro-amid-spike-in-crime-rate/#ixzz4ABuFns7R

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:were the six Wilson students Black?

Who cares? That has nothing to do with the fact that the District Attorney should resign in disgrace for not pursuing this case.

Tenleytown Metro definitely doesn't feel so safe right before school and after Wilson lets out. Seems like something DCPD and Metro Transit Police could do something about. Tell the kids to get to school or get going home so you don't have a bunch of kids loitering near that Panera.

Again, the case of the 6 students arrested for a metro assault (then not charged) did NOT happen at Tenley. The fact that you don't like 2000+ kids (between Deal and Wilson) being released from school at the same time and heading in the same direction may impact which Panera you decide to frequent and at what time.

Have you ever been IN the Panera at the time? Then you know how it is handled. You can unclench your pearls now.

Your math is way off
Deal. 1312
+ Wilson. 1788
--------------------------
3,100 kids


Numbers from myschooldc.org 2014-15

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son rides the metro every day with his lacrosse stick. He has not had any issues yet.

Now THAT is a great idea. Very concerned since sexual assault at Friendship Heights on 16-year-old boy. My son will be at that stop to wait for a shuttle to his private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Driving my DC to school every day is far far safer than letting her ride Metro alone. Metro is a complete failure, and becoming more dangerous by the day. From today's news: http://wtop.com/dc/2016/05/police-man-kidnaps-boy-metro-station-sexually-abuses/

Probably would help to look at statistics rather than a series of anecdotes. And I assume that you plan to drive her everywhere throughout high school, since it's much more dangerous to be a teenage driver than to ride Metro.

Pp, perhaps you didn't mean to sound so cold. How would you feel if that was your son, or someone you knew. Calling this incident an anecdote sounds like you are belittling it. This is now a fresh data point.

[Anonymous]

The Daily Caller as a source of information? Really?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Daily Caller as a source of information? Really?

For God's sake - read the article.
Or find another source. Google is your friend.

A spokesman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) said Tuesday crime is up year-over-year by 10.1 percent, and is only increasing. The alleged rape of a woman at knife point on a moving red line train in April, which broke Monday, drew renewed concern among riders about the growing crime trend. A bloody robbery Monday night aboard a green line train heading to the Suitland station is the latest crime in the system, reports WJLA.

Or just pull the data from the source and do your own math.
http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/transit_police/crime_stats.cfm

[Anonymous]

My child was robbed of his backpack in Metro, snatched by strangers. Typical victim: headphones, sitting by sliding doors, backpack on ground, lost in thought. I should say, typical teen. You may think your child behaves 'vigilantly' but chances are if they're a teen on metro they're not being super vigilant. He reacted too slowly to chase them, which in my books would have been the worse thing he could have done vis a vis escalation. I am not saying don't let your kids ride, but stuff does happen so talk to them about where to sit, how to act and what to do if they encounter trouble (DON'T CHASE; summon police/help). My child did file a police report but of course we heard nothing further ever. The worst was it was a pretty critical time in HS and a lot of good work was lost with the bag. The best is, he's alive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child was robbed of his backpack in Metro, snatched by strangers. Typical victim: headphones, sitting by sliding doors, backpack on ground, lost in thought. I should say, typical teen. You may think your child behaves 'vigilantly' but chances are if they're a teen on metro they're not being super vigilant. He reacted too slowly to chase them, which in my books would have been the worse thing he could have done vis a vis escalation. I am not saying don't let your kids ride, but stuff does happen so talk to them about where to sit, how to act and what to do if they encounter trouble (DON'T CHASE; summon police/help). My child did file a police report but of course we heard nothing further ever. The worst was it was a pretty critical time in HS and a lot of good work was lost with the bag. The best is, he's alive.

I am sorry to hear this. What a disgrace kids have to go through this level of vandalism.

[Anonymous]

People- there was a teen boy on the red line forced to get off at Frienship Height and attacked in a bathroom. Please be more aware that child predators are real and they are everywhere- including the red line!