I’ve definitely been conditioned.
For 12 years in the Washington, DC area I was fully accustomed to following the WMATA’s ‘no food or drink on the Metro’ law. No matter how thirsty or hungry I was, I’d sooner pass out from a lack of fluids or sugar than break this fine-able rule.
No more. Back in New York I freely enjoy my latte on the train, as does anyone else who wants to. It took me a while to get here, DC more in my brain than I ever realized (seriously, for about a month I kept wanting to bring a soda on the train but couldn’t bring myself to do it). And the real shock to my system? You can even buy a snack or beverage on the platform of several stations! I knew all this, of course, having grown up in New York, but I’d forgotten the glory – and convenience – of it all.
Everyone said the no eating or drinking rule was the sole reason Metro was so clean (officially compared to whose system, I’m not sure, but New York was always thrown into discussions on the matter). And now that I am back in New York I’ve noticed the trains are…well, not so dirty after all.
I was expecting to agree with the notion that eating and drinking on the trains leads to a filthy commute, but I now think it’s an illusion to think DC trains are visibly cleaner than New York’s. Carpeted floors, rubberized handles and seats covered in…pleather? Vinyl? I’m not sure what exact material they use, but it all looks (mustard-gone-bad color aside) more luxurious than New York’s plastic seats, metal handles and linoleum floors. I’m not convinced it really is cleaner, though. Besides, eventually the carpets on Metro show stains from spills of law violators and the problem is only about to get worse…
WMATA is considering allowing retail kiosks on or near select station platforms and food may be included. No coffee or open containers, but packaged items designed to be enjoyed later…after you exit the entire Metro system.
A friend of mine, on a red line platform, recently overheard a fellow commuter explaining Metro’s food and drink policy to her out-of-town guests. She followed it up with a story of one late night during which she was the only passenger on the platform waiting for a train. Hunger pangs hit – and won. She pulled out a candy bar from her bag, took one bite and before she could take a second nibble she heard a friendly reminder about the no eating policy emitting from the station’s PA system.
I know we’re talking about adults here, but I feel like this is setting up riders for failure – entrapment, if you will (especially for tourists who already struggle with the rules). Imagine it’s the end of a long work day and you’ve got a 30 or 40-minute ride home. You’re hungry and you’ve got a bag of chips and a soda in your hand you just bought within Metro property. I have to admit, temptation might get the better of me and I’d justify it by citing the locale of my purchase.
But get rid of the carpeting and maybe it won’t matter!