If you think people are rude at Disney........

[shmoogrrrl]

Like I said a few posts back, we appreciated all the views that differed from our archaic ones but I do think its been exhausted to say the least. We get it now that we were no longer in Kansas and will know better next time how to adapt to the modern world's way of living and commuting.

Thank you

Oh I wasn't judging you. My daughter loved to stand on the Metro when she was little (still does) but it scares me a bit! The Metro here in DC is pretty safe, but we have had accidents. When I was in high school, I was on a Metro train that had to stop quickly because someone jumped in front of it. (Sadly for the jumper, it didn't stop quick enough!) We were sitting so we just got jerked around, but it could have been much worse!

Strollers are a decent idea if the child is small enough and it isn't too crowded, but even that can be hard. At the risk of getting political, we went downtown last September for the 9-12 March and the Metro was SLAMMED with people. We had to let three trains go by before we had a chance to get in. My so was 11 months so we had him in a stroller which made it even harder. Once we got on, the train just kept getting more and more crowded to the point that my son was screaming. Luckily there were some great people around us who were happy to help us get him out and close the stroller.

Next time, come in Fall. It isn't as crowded and the DC/Northern VA area is beautiful in the Fall. Make sure that if you have a car, you travel out of DC and visit Old Town Alexandria and Mount Vernon! Historical and beautiful.

 

[SundaeAfternoon]

Parking has become much more restrictive.

My mom is a native DC'er and she will randomly go into town just to sightsee. She always drives and always knows where she can get a good spot. After 9/11, parking became more restrictive in some of the areas, and then even more so in the last 5 years. I think DC is trying to encourage less driving into town and more Metro use.

Ah, gotcha.

Thanks for the info. Good to know if we take a trip up there again!

 

[FergieTCat]

I thought that people were nice in DC. Of course, I live in NYC!

 

[sunnydoozer]

We would have definitely stuck our 4 year old in her stroller( we were told by a metro officer that strollers were to be folded and kept out of the way while on metro) or on our laps had we not been standing ourselves. By day 3 on the metro we had seen several strollers on the metro and started using that method to keep her safe rather than trying to hang on to us. I am sure if you are the parent of a child who travels often on public transpo they are quite happy to stand but we travel in passenger vehicles and our children are strapped into a carseat ( the 4 and 6 yr olds) or under a seatbelt (the 12 and 14 yr olds) and all of our baggage is stowed safely in our trunk/cargo area. Its just the way the folks in our parts get from home to various destinations. If we were to walk, the nearest gas station is 10-15 miles away, grocery another 5 or so miles from that and so forth. Our hospital is a 30 minute drive if you hit all the lights right and dont get into traffic.

Like I said a few posts back, we appreciated all the views that differed from our archaic ones but I do think its been exhausted to say the least. We get it now that we were no longer in Kansas and will know better next time how to adapt to the modern world's way of living and commuting.

Thank you

As you should have seen from the numerous posts on the subject, offering an able bodied four year-old a seat isn't an archaic view. It isn't expected and it never has been. More to the point etiquette is a giving thing, not a demanding thing. So if you are calling someone else out on their manners you are missing the point entirely. I'm not even sure what to call this little rant where you insist that you were raised in a superior manner:

In the midwest most of us dont use or have public transpo available. But we often give up our place in line at grocery stores and such for folks with less items or elderly because we always have a FULL cart and know it will take us 15 minutes to check out to their 5. We greet folks even if we dont know them, we hold doors open for others to walk thru and so forth. You get the idea, Im sure! No we arent saints, just trying and be polite. It the way we were raised and how folks are in our neck of the woods.

Opening doors for people is of course, not a Midwestern thing. Its called common courtesy not Midwestern courtesy.

 

[smschex]

Why does every remark or comment have to be taken by someone as hostile?

 

[Iott Family]

Mine either. But since the OP isn't satisfied and is so critical of the public transportation options...

You might want to read ALL of "Iott Family" posts before you post. Its very condescending to throw stones from your pedestal

 

[sunnydoozer]

You might want to read ALL of "Iott Family" posts before you post. Its very condescending to throw stones from your pedestal

Because you are already throwing stones from a pedastal and you want someone to join you?

 

[Iott Family]

As you should have seen from the numerous posts on the subject, offering an able bodied four year-old a seat isn't an archaic view. It isn't expected and it never has been. More to the point etiquette is a giving thing, not a demanding thing. So if you are calling someone else out on their manners you are missing the point entirely. I'm not even sure what to call this little rant where you insist that you were raised in a superior manner:


Opening doors for people is of course, not a Midwestern thing. Its called common courtesy not Midwestern courtesy.

STOP! I was not ranting!!! I was giving our view after so many of you shared your views! I dont recall ever saying or intending to imply that we were superior beings. Just simply that we are used to a different way of life. Nor do I think only those in the midwest are courtious, but that where we live its common behavior and what we are accustomed to.

This has gotten way out of hand and taken out of context. Almost like many of you are reading two or three posts then feeling like you have all the facts to comment when you are just picking out bits and pieces that you can make offensive.

Those who think that driving or taking a cab in DC is an option have not gone or researched transpo options in DC. Parking is scarce and we were warned not to park in an unsecured parking garage/lot. Also, cab service is really not an option for us because we would need a van, we are a family of 6 and the charge rate on DC cabs is determined by how many districts or some sort you go through from point A to point B and not a mileage like it is in Orlando, where we have taken cabs when we didnt have a vehicle dont want to be at the mercy of the disney transpo gods. Which we all know happens

 

[Iott Family]

Because you are already throwing stones from a pedastal and you want someone to join you?

No

 

[hereyago]

I actually like D.C. and feel safe-of course I use street sense as I do at home. ANd I even came across a "lady of the evening that was a man" that let me know I shouldn't go into a certain area close by because it wasn't safe.

BUT: no offense, but I don't drive or fly there. It is a hot mess to me either way. So I would drive to Vienna and take the metro in. Last time I went, I took DD and we went via Amtrak.

D.C. is a faster pace then where I live, but since I had been there before I knew what to expect.

I work in a touristy area. ANd until a few years ago, I did have the mentality of some posters here of: tourists eegh. But we all need to be reminded that we are ambassadors of our areas and I wouldnt want someone to say how my area is bad because of an reaction I gave them. And the ones who travel, just keep in mind that maybe if you go someplace, you might need to ask a local of that area something and I am sure you wouldn't want to be met with frustration,etc.

 

[Iott Family]

I actually like D.C. and feel safe-of course I use street sense as I do at home. ANd I even came across a "lady of the evening that was a man" that let me know I shouldn't go into a certain area close by because it wasn't safe.

BUT: no offense, but I don't drive or fly there. It is a hot mess to me either way. So I would drive to Vienna and take the metro in. Last time I went, I took DD and we went via Amtrak.

D.C. is a faster pace then where I live, but since I had been there before I knew what to expect.

I work in a touristy area. ANd until a few years ago, I did have the mentality of some posters here of: tourists eegh. But we all need to be reminded that we are ambassadors of our areas and I wouldnt want someone to say how my area is bad because of an reaction I gave them. And the ones who travel, just keep in mind that maybe if you go someplace, you might need to ask a local of that area something and I am sure you wouldn't want to be met with frustration,etc.

We did research DC before arriving. We got two tour guide books, one of which was fodors and we posted a thread or two requesting info from local DC'ers. That is how we learned that the metro was our most reliable transpo source. That driving and parking is not as easy at it is in other cities. That cab fare is rated differentlt and how we should not park in unsecured parking lots/garages because theft and break ins were high. I dont have anything against DC'ers or against the Metro even though so many of you seem to think we do. We did experience rudeness from other tourists and did have issues, for lack of a better word, with the metro but by day 4 we felt like we had been localized enough not to be so easily jossled.

I am sorry that so many of you feel as if we are haters of Dc and its locals. We arent. This was our first trip. We are planning to return. Just like when we went to WDW the first time we had a learning curve.

 

[sunnydoozer]

No

Reread your posts. They are plenty condescending. With plenty of stone throwing.

 

[FergieTCat]

We did research DC before arriving. We got two tour guide books, one of which was fodors and we posted a thread or two requesting info from local DC'ers. That is how we learned that the metro was our most reliable transpo source. That driving and parking is not as easy at it is in other cities. That cab fare is rated differentlt and how we should not park in unsecured parking lots/garages because theft and break ins were high. I dont have anything against DC'ers or against the Metro even though so many of you seem to think we do. We did experience rudeness from other tourists and did have issues, for lack of a better word, with the metro but by day 4 we felt like we had been localized enough not to be so easily jossled.

I am sorry that so many of you feel as if we are haters of Dc and its locals. We arent. This was our first trip. We are planning to return. Just like when we went to WDW the first time we had a learning curve.

Let me know when you visit over here. I want to watch.

 

[Scurvy]

STOP! I was not ranting!!! I was giving our view after so many of you shared your views! I dont recall ever saying or intending to imply that we were superior beings. Just simply that we are used to a different way of life. Nor do I think only those in the midwest are courtious, but that where we live its common behavior and what we are accustomed to.

This has gotten way out of hand and taken out of context. Almost like many of you are reading two or three posts then feeling like you have all the facts to comment when you are just picking out bits and pieces that you can make offensive.
Those who think that driving or taking a cab in DC is an option have not gone or researched transpo options in DC. Parking is scarce and we were warned not to park in an unsecured parking garage/lot. Also, cab service is really not an option for us because we would need a van, we are a family of 6 and the charge rate on DC cabs is determined by how many districts or some sort you go through from point A to point B and not a mileage like it is in Orlando, where we have taken cabs when we didnt have a vehicle dont want to be at the mercy of the disney transpo gods. Which we all know happens

Well, to be fair, you did seem to be comparing manners in the Midwest and in DC and it seemed as though you found DC lacking. But you are comparing apples and oranges, because many of the things you were complaining about aren't issues where you live. If mass transportation was more common there, you might find it to be much more similar to DC in that regard. Aside from the lack of public transportation, your post about behavior in the Midwest sounded like everyplace I've ever lived, and I've never lived in the Midwest. It's common behavior in most places. Maybe your area is more like the rest of the world than you realize, just without public transportation.

Many of us who suggested driving or taking a cab have researched DC and have even been there. There are cabs and cars in DC. They are more of a hassle for most people than the excellent mass transport system, but they are options. They may not be the best or most desirable options, but they might be better than the alternative for someone as upset about public transportation as you (your husband? your wife? your child? . . .whichever of you it was, anyway) seemed to be.

 

[Ohiodislover]

You might want to read ALL of "Iott Family" posts before you post. Its very condescending to throw stones from your pedestal

No pedestal, no stone throwing. Pointing out that is public transportation doesn't suit your needs, there are other options.

And I wasn't replying to all your family posts, just the ones in this thread

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

My dad has lived in MD since 1986.

I've encountered your standard...weird people. But not really "rude" people. Now are they as polite as a Georgia peach? No--but I've not come across anyone rude nor have I gotten the "fake directions".

As far as parking--on summer visits to my dad's house--we ALWAYS took the metro unless it was evening and we were going to dinner or if my dad was taking me to his job at the Pentagon (pre-9/11--got to see lots of cool stuff that wasn't on the regular tour).

I'm pregnant and my son is 3 and I did get to sit on the metro into and out of town yesterday. One gentleman flagged me to a seat and the other--the mom asked an older daughter to get up and then her little sister volunteered her seat as well. It was totally unexpected. Of course, my 3yo chose to stand and while he did get bobbled a bit, it isn't as unsafe as it seems. Though I think on that trip, we must have had a new driver. I've never had so many stops where the train stopped short and then had to do the accelarate-brake inch by inch game.

I believe you have to give a little to get a little and people will react kindly to those who are kind. I actually was thinking yesterday how much nicer DC seemed than all the complaints about WDW transportation and people refusing to give up seats.


DC is a great place--it is very busy right now with the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Been there done that and IMHO--I feel you have judged the city a bit harshly.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I just got back from an afternoon/evening in DC. Went to see the cherry blossoms since a friend of mine had never seen them. We managed to find parking, which wasn't terribly hard, but only because we were on her bike. The Tidal Basin area was packed, but it was great fun being there with the crowds, taking pictures of people, seeing the news stations. Leaving was a pain in the patooty with traffic--sitting on a bike, with protective clothing on, in the heat and traffic, is not my idea of fun, but it had been over 30 years since I'd been on a motorcycle and was enjoying the experience. After dinner with friends my friend and I went back to the memorials and monuments and drove around, stopping at the Washington Monument. Beautiful night!



Here are a couple pics from our day, the first being me and the cherry blossoms, with the Jefferson Memorial behind me and the second my favorite wall inside the Jefferson Memorial.

 

[Tikitoi]

So funny how you can start a thread one way, with one idea or thought then before you know it...Poof...blown up...Talk about lmao.

 

[Sleepy]

We did experience rudeness from other tourists and did have issues, for lack of a better word, with the metro but by day 4 we felt like we had been localized enough not to be so easily jossled.

I know it has been said before, but you just have to keep in mind that rudeness is like beauty....eye of the beholder. Since you mentioned those who were rude were other tourists, just remember that what is rude to you is probably perfectly acceptable and considered polite to others. Heck, they probably thought you were the rude one . I speak from experience.

 

[golfgal]

I know it has been said before, but you just have to keep in mind that rudeness is like beauty....eye of the beholder. Since you mentioned those who were rude were other tourists, just remember that what is rude to you is probably perfectly acceptable and considered polite to others. Heck, they probably thought you were the rude one . I speak from experience.

Exactly. When we were out there we couldn't believe how rude drivers were hoking the second a light turned green but then my cousin, who lives in DC, said that the locals view this as a reminder and not being rude.