It has changed about 5 years ago we stopped taking it. The last straw was when my husband was harassed by DC youths on the silver line going to Tysons mall trying to fight him when he didn't give them money. The final and last straw was when a homeless man started yelling at my 7 year old and nanny on the east falls church stop so something is allowing the criminals to venture out of their hiding places in DC and attack the suburbs.

Anonymous wrote:Yes I feel safe. We also feel safe walking down the street and in the library.

My local library has 2 homeless guys camped out right outside the doors full-time, in front of the outside book return. I don't feel unsafe but I do feel super uncomfortable using the outside book return and in fact have stopped using it. It's been months they've been there. At least all summer and now into fall. I know it sounds terrible to say because, of course, it's no fun for them either, but I really don't understand why the library or county hasn't had them moved. There actually is a shelter/assistance place 3 blocks away. The library is not an appropriate place for an encampment.

My 14 year old takes metro from Shaw to Jackson Reed, transferring once. She loves metro but has seen alarming things, including one teen assaulting another out of the blue at the platform in Tenleytown (he just kept punching his face, and the kid just stood there, mom!) and another time being very close to a fight where one kid apparently flashed a gun and police were called (in Tenley near school).

Yes, we all should be very alarmed about public safety right now, and urge our kids to be vigilant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to the zoo last weekend and took the metro in. Admittedly, I haven't been on the metro in the past 5 years (before I had kids). I was shocked at how many people on the metro seem like they are half out of their minds. Screaming to themselves, smelling like feces, clearly on something, etc. I felt so uncomfortable having my kids near them and I regretted not just buying a zoo parking pass.

Maybe the metro has always been like this, but I never noticed before I had kids. Do you guys skip the metro if you have young kids?

No, Metro hasn't always been like this, but this is what happens when you decide to no longer enforce fare evasion in the name of "equity."

Exactly. DC voted for more crime.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I take my kid on the Metro regularly and have not had this experience.

+1. I've been riding for 20 years (and with kids for 10) and have never had this experience. Sure, an oddball weirdo once in a while, but that's few and far between. Metro is usually perfectly safe.

+1 but 10 years riding metro in DC.

Yes I feel safe. We also feel safe walking down the street and in the library.