Comments

1
I thank my bus drivers every day, but I will probably stop and get them a Starbucks card today. Not only to say Thank you, but to help keep them alert.
2
How about a "Citizens Who Don't Commit Crimes Appreciation Day" Dominic? You know, the fine folks The Stranger and Sloggers spit all over while you defend the rights of scumbags downtown.
3
Maybe Slog should apologize to the driver for constantly defending the rights of scumbags who run amok downtown?
4
You mean besides getting pad 70K a year and then overtime, even my liberal friends think that being overpaid.
5

If you appreciate bus drivers, you wouldn't be using buses as rolling psychiatric wards and get the crazies off the streets.

6
An appreciation day is an empty gesture. An appreciation week is 7 times as much.

We keep our street crazies on a very long leash, or no leash at all, and they spend a lot of time on public transport. We let any fuckhead who wants one have a gun. We have fewer cops than any other city this size, and the cops we have are out of control.

A non-empty gesture would be doing something about that shit.
7
Maybe The Stranger should apologize for Dominic's bigoted characterization of Metro's ridership? Just because they're poor doesn't mean they're manacing horrors, Dom. A majority of them even thank their drivers daily for a job well done (though perhaps not for enduring the filthy, violent peasantry).
8
I think a heart felt thanks and correct change would be appreciated, and I do like the Starbucks card idea. You should check what Metro's policy on gifts is though.
9
I suppose reversing this policy couldn't hurt.
10
Totally down for this.
11
StrangerDanger98115, you sir, are dumb as a box of rocks in a glass factory. I'm sure you don't actually have any liberal *friends*.
12
Sorry to go off-topic, but Dominic should take a look at this if he hasn't already--about the LAPD arresting a photographer for "interference" from 90 feet away.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/12/la…

Back on topic, people who give drivers a hard time are assholes and also idiots--why aggravate someone whose got your life in their hands?

I usually try to say something nice to people doing the jobs that people often take for granted, if only to acknowledge their work--bus drivers, streetsweepers, custodians, buspersons, etc.
13
@7) I never mentioned poor people. I was referring to people brandishing guns, dude.
14
Every day is Thug Apprecaition Day on Slog. Maybe you need to apologize to the driver this time.
15
I've never seen a rich person harassing people on the streets of Seattle or shooting someone.
16
We've been posting some stories here:
http://seattlish.tumblr.com/tagged/bus-d…

Partially from this thread:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Seattle/comments…
17
Every time a driver does something that seems to you over and above his/her job description, send a compliment to Metro. There's a link on their site to an easy-to-fill-out e-mail form. Make note of the bus route, number (above the inside front window, direction bus was going, time of day. A compliment is noted in the driver's personnel file and goes to the supervisor, too.
I've done it for drivers who are exceptionally kind to disabled riders, to drivers who handle a touchy situation well or talk down a scary passenger, drivers who know other bus routes and can give directions to the lost, drivers who wait for someone running to catch the bus.
Maybe that's all in their job description, but still, expressing appreciation for a job well-done and, more important, let one's boss know that an employee does a great job is something you can do any time.
18
@13

There are ways to express that clearly and precisely. What you wrote, however, describes Metro passengers as "horrors that menace them from the coach" and "every crazy person who manages to get to a bus stop" and also "passengers who vent their lateness on faultless driver."

Just man up and apologize for your nasty caricature of Metro's ridership, and we can move on.
19
KOMO reports that the suspect is named Martin Duckworth. Perhaps he's the Martin Duckworth who's had some run-ins with the police before?

http://mynorthwest.com/11/2232490/Man-sh…
20
@7 Saying bus drivers have to deal with menacing horrors is not the same as saying all metro passangers are menacing horrors. Let alone that the poor ones are.
21
@19

Lots of them. Here's KIRO's story on the shooting suspect.

http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/gunshots…
22
I should note that they cite "Seattle Police sources" for the name.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Metro…

Seems like he's been troubled - and trouble - for a while now.
23
@ 18
There are ways to express that clearly and precisely. What you wrote, however, describes Metro passengers as "horrors that menace them from the coach" and "every crazy person who manages to get to a bus stop" and also "passengers who vent their lateness on faultless driver."


This applies to you as well. Saying that bus drivers have to deal with passangers who are [blank] is not analogous to describing metro passangers as [blank]. You can say some Metro passangers are menacing without implying that Metro passangers as a class are menacing. Dominic clearly said the former.
24
@20

True, but you've got to take context into account as well. And it's quite clear from Dom's context that he's insinuating more than that.

It's also clear that Dom resorted to that particularly mean description in service of his larger point; the purpose was not to insult riders but to glorify bus drivers.

But it's still a nasty piece of pandering to stereotypes, bigotry, and class fear, and it still needs a damned apology.
25
I don't imagine metro drivers get shot or robbed by anyone with a good job. Just sayin'

The scumbags we're talking about downtown are po' and no amount of liberal naïveté or political correctness changes that fact.
26
@24

Whatever, dude. You don't have to insult metro passengers as a whole to understand that a portion of them, particularly along the lines from Ranier Beach, Aurora and the downtown corridor can be very unpleasant. I'm not saying that these people should not be able to ride the bus, nor am I judging these people as a whole. But many people use the bus as a place to urinate/defacate/vomit, get drunk, sexually harass women (including the bus drivers) and find meaningless violent encounters. I marvel at the calmness and dignity with which the drivers fulfill their duties under often stressful circumstances.

Trying to get to the root of why these problems exist is how you address bigotry and class fear. Saying that they don't exist is either naive or willful ignorance.
27
@ 24

And it's quite clear from Dom's context that he's insinuating more than that.


No. It is really hard to see how anyone could interpret that as more than him saying that bus drivers have to deal with those things. Because it is literally phrased as things bus drivers have deal with--that is the context.
28
I always thank my bus driver as I leave, and I hear plenty of other people do it. Drivers provide a stressful, vital service, and in my experience, do it with amazing cheer.
29
@26

So what you're saying is that when we discuss people who suffer from mental illness, homelessness, or other problems, we should just say that directly, instead of using loaded, dehumanizing phrases like "menacing horrors?"
30
@29, it is worth pointing out, once again, that is not what was said--it is only what you chose to hear. He didn't use menacing horrors to describe people with mental illness, (homelessness doesn't apply here), or other problems. He used it to describe the horrors (i.e., the things, not the people, as in the usual usage of the word, see, e.g. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionar…).
31
Maybe this will help, in the example from the link above is this usage of the word: "His memoirs recount the horrors of the war." Would you assume that sentance refers to horrible actions/events/things or horrible people?
32
@ 11 Prove it, and trust me plenty on the left feel 70k is too much for a bus driver, but you probably voted for Swant did't you?
33
Not sure why 70k is too much. It is a fairly demanding fairly dangerous job that requires a good deal of training and skill. Do you also think that truck drivers make too much money? Bus drivers are basically truck drivers that drive mostly in the city instead of the highway and have the added burden of dealing with a bus full of passangers.
34
You know what nobody at work likes? Work appreciation parties or work picnics. What people really like is cash and time off. Save the feel good bullshit and shove it up your ass.
36
@30

You seem to be having a lot of trouble with context and implied meaning. Some people do have a strong preference for rigid literalism, so I can understand that, but please look at this direct quote again:


...they keep their eyes on the road and keep their backs to the horrors that menace them from the coach. The roll through the night picking up every crazy person who manages to get to a bus stop...


This is not written in the form of a list of risks to drivers. There is no indication that Dom is enumerating specific dangers, rather than characterizing a broad segment of Metro's ridership. If this is meant to be a list of specific threats, then the writing is completely incompetent. But it does work just fine as an atmospheric depiction of some vague, frightening segment of Metro's ridership.

Not every "crazy person" is a threat. "Crazy people" are not more dangerous at night. There is no risk specified at all when Dom tells us there are "horrors" that menace drivers "from the coach."

Dom should apologize for that paragraph.
37
Seattle has some impressive bus drivers. I like this "bus driver appreciation week" idea.

It's an honorable job, and it deserves to be honoured. Especially when Seattle is managing to get such quality people doing this job, where it's clear they know and love their city, and care for it's people.
38
Roboslave, are you closeted crazy? You seem to take great offense at calling a spade a spade.
39
@29

First of all, he never called any person or group of people "Menacing Horrors". He wrote the "Horrors that menace them from the coach." "Horrors" could just as easily, and far more likely, be referring to the plethora of unpleasant acts that take place on the bus. The verbal and physical asssaults, the vomit, the urine, the feces, etc... Those are shitty things to have in your work environment. You're reading a lot into this article and making it pretty clear that you have an opinion and are simply looking for any excuse to spout it.
40
See my comment @ 31. Horrors refers to things/events/actions not people. The whole blog is a list of things bus drivers have to deal with.

The super PC police might object to that use of the word "crazy" although I think it is maybe more appropriate to use the word the way it was used and to object to people who refer to people with diseases as "crazy."

And, one more (hopefully the last) time, he did not say all crazy people are a threat or that they are more dangerous at night. And there are undoubtedly horrors that menace bus drivers from the back of the bus. That is a simple fact, not and indictment.
41
@36

" Not every "crazy person" is a threat. "Crazy people" are not more dangerous at night."

True, but people being attacked at night are at greater risk. Particularly because there are fewer riders to provide aid should the bus driver be attacked.

"There is no risk specified at all when Dom tells us there are 'horrors' that menace drivers 'from the coach.'"

Well, one risk might be the risk of getting shot?

Do you even ride the bus?
42
The people I've met getting on the bus in Queen Anne are perfectly charming, toilet trained, civil and capable of polite conversation. Even the ones who no doubt have concealed weapons permits.

Why can't all of Seattle be more like them?
43
I was in the back of that bus, hiding, stuck. Then, somehow, the rear door of the bus opened. I don't know if the driver was present enough to open the rear door or if it was another passenger using the emergency open, but if it was the driver, he needs to be recognized as a hero in addition to an honorable public servant.

Hoping for a quick and full recovery.
44
I'm down with it Dominic.
And it should be pumped to be a very big deal.

Regardless of the shooting, these folks do a tough job every day. They should be PUBLICLY APPRECIATED.

If I were running as a liberal or progressive mayoral candidate I'd call on the known winner of King County Exec to join me in it.

And FK all! Why not 2 Bus Driver Appreciation weeks per year!
46
Well some good news, the scum bag died saving the taxpayers a small fortune.

Now, will mayor McGinn stop enabling scumbags downtown?
47
In one breath liberals tell us we can't stigmatize lunatics, sorry "the mentally ill", because they are all sweet as lambs. In the next breath we're told this scumbag would have been have never done this if he'd had access to a warm couch and a shrink.

Pick a lane and stick to it girls.
48
How about a proofreader appreciation day? For fuck's sake.
49
Thank You Metro Bus Drivers One and All :)
50
21 yrs, professional driver @ Metro. I knew Mark McMlaughlin @ attended his services, in the past 18 months have attended services of 12+ operators. I believe stress was a factor in their deaths: Seattle is in the top 15 worst traffic cities, ridiculous schedules, customer complaints- Metro's belief guilty until proven innocent. Just to name a few things. About 70k. Metro is always hiring. Why. They can't hire & retain enough capable, reliable people willing to sacrifice their time, $, & bodies to make it a career. Time, operators start out part-time, working 3:45am-9 & or 2:30-8pm, 2.5 hrs for 18 mos-24 mos & then you only gain minutes not hours. My daughter & I did not share any meals together M-F, 12yrs-18yrs old while I was pt. & then Full-time I worked nights, weekends & holidays. I have sustained injuries @ work & if I last another 15 yrs, I may have little physical joy left in my body during retirement. Retirement, many drivers don't live longer than 5yrs into retirement. 70k seems like a lot & it may be more than many have. However, I protect my licence, no drinking, no tickets, I go to work everyday, rain, snow, sun & my ass is in the seat, 8-16hrs a day & sometimes work my days off, so the public on & off the bus can get to work, school, DR's, sporting events, Seafair,Bumbershoot ... Metro is always hiring, apply, pass the licensing & 28 day training, drive a 40' or 60 ' bus in traffic for 2.5 hrs M-F & then maybe you can say ....
51

"cuts in mental health"

Yet again, Seattle's left wing is full of shit. Martin Anwar Fuckworth was getting plenty of gub'ment paid mental heath services and free housing. He was simply, yet another, welfare shit bag running amok downtown care of Mayor McGinn and Slog's merry band of enablers:

"Duckworth, who had a 10th-grade education and is listed as homeless in a number of court documents, was receiving housing services from Plymouth Housing Group, as well as mental-health services — including group therapy, one-on-one therapy and medication — from Sound Mental Health, according to a September 2011 letter included in his court record."
52
I think an Appreciation Week is a wonderful idea and could be an opportunity for Metro to practice positive community outreach (maybe even host small events at popular bus stops?)

It also never hurts, as others have suggested, to make eye contact, smile, and thank your driver when entering and exiting the bus. @17 suggestion to send a note to Metro when a driver does something swell is also a great idea. I never think to do that but I will now!
53
"(maybe even host small events at popular bus stops?) "

How about at Third and Pine/Pike?
54
I love my bus drivers. Appreciation Week is a nice idea. A more tangible gift would be the BRT-type boarding stations that charge a fare before the passenger gets on the bus.
55
make the busses free so the driver doesn't have to be the point of contact for separating poor, desparate souls from precious, precious dollars.
56
One of the most frustrating things about being a driver is dealing with customer complaints. Did you know that every complaint sent in by phone web or mail is forwarded to thst drvers supervisor if the driver can be identified? Did you know that if the complaint calls the driver a fat smelly jerk the driver reads thise comments verbatim? Did you know that any wacked out jerk with a cellphone can (and does) send in multiple complaints before they even get off the bus?

Want ti do drivers a solid? Use the customer comment system to send in compliments when deserved. Doit often. People complain about the tiniest thingd, but very few take the time to tell us what we're doing RIGHT.

Send your driver a commendation-or many!
58
That guy looked nothing like Mudede.

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