West Seattle Blog…

JMR August 20, 2007 (1:53 pm)

And the best part (which I noted in the comments on the Slog) is that she did not consider West Seattle to be a part of the city:

We were incredulous. I mean, sure, if we were in the middle of the road, or in motion, or blocking other traffic–or if there had been another stop in the actual city of Seattle–I could understand the strict adherence to Metro rules.

JMR August 20, 2007 (1:59 pm)

And the best part (which I noted in the comments on the Slog) is that she did not consider West Seattle to be a part of the city:

We were incredulous. I mean, sure, if we were in the middle of the road, or in motion, or blocking other trafficÃ¢â‚¬â€œor if there had been another stop in the actual city of SeattleÃ¢â‚¬â€œI could understand the strict adherence to Metro rules.

Jan August 20, 2007 (2:06 pm)

hey…that’s pretty interesting…I wasn’t aware that the #11 came to the Westside. 21/22, 54/55, 56/57…but 11? does it change # before coming here?

G. Williams August 20, 2007 (2:32 pm)

The guy who commented on the lack of information at bus stops has a point; sometimes there’s just the sign with the route numbers on it. Like him, I’ve had to navigate transit in cities where I didn’t speak the language. Clear graphics showing the layout and schedule = good.

Do people really think that all of West Seattle is unincorporated King County? That’s a level of lack of clue that I haven’t seen in awhile.

I remember taking the 23 downtown awhile back and some guy realized once the bus was ON the 1st Avenue S. bridge that he’d missed his stop. His response to this situation included threatening the driver and yanking the stop-request cord out of its socket. Charming.

G. Williams August 20, 2007 (2:34 pm)

P.S. to Jan: the 11 becomes the 125 at 2nd and Pike.

Gina August 20, 2007 (2:39 pm)

The 20 changes to the 11 sometimes, it might do it in reverse. Or is it the 120?

How can people with blogs that work for the Stranger be expected to know how to use the metro online site? Heck, they can’t even figure out where the city of Seattle it!

Jan August 20, 2007 (2:57 pm)

maybe we really should secede, then ;-)

Sue August 20, 2007 (3:22 pm)

I believe the #11 becomes the #125.
This was a really fun read. Especially the argument in the comments about how West Seattle is NOT in Seattle – first they’re saying it’s the suburb of West Seattle, and then that it’s in unincorporated King County. I was on the #120 one day and someone was looking for an address in West Seattle and was told by another rider that this bus doesn’t go to WS. I corrected them, and they said that anything east of 35th Street is not WS. Whatever.
I will never understand how someone can get on a an unfamiliar bus and not ask where it’s going. They deserve to be “forced” to go to West Seattle.

Mickymse August 20, 2007 (3:23 pm)

125 becomes 11 usually, and vice versa.

Sounds like Erica’s whining just a little. Yes, there’s mean bus drivers, and some have a crappy mic or don’t speak up loud enough… but most of the time I see people who just don’t pay any attention to what the bus driver is saying and are content to be lost in their iPod world or talking loudly with their friends. And far too many folks just seem to step on buses without paying attention to where they’re going or asking the bus driver if the bus continues down 2nd.

I see this happen quite often, and usually the bus driver lets people off rather than deal with angry and annoying riders.

G. Williams August 20, 2007 (3:36 pm)

Re-reading the Slog entry, what made her think the 11 went anywhere near Uwajimaya?

Jan August 20, 2007 (3:41 pm)

Thanks, Sue. Yes…they DO deserve to be “forced” to come to West Seattle….as long as they don’t stay….hehehe. It used to be thought that anything “east of 35th SW” was “Delridge”…not West Seattle…don’t ask me who decided that was true..

Christopher Boffoli August 20, 2007 (3:55 pm)

I second the vote for secession. We’ve got Bakery Nouveau. Why on earth would we ever need to leave WS?

Jan August 20, 2007 (4:08 pm)

Christopher…absolutely…lol…

Pete August 20, 2007 (4:26 pm)

Though I was not compelled to contribute a hey-me-too to the lengthy Erica-is-a-whiner-and-probably-a-bad-person thread on the Stranger site, here in the comfy confines of the WSB I am inspired to point out (as an enthusiastic taker of the bus) that this is the freaking Metro we’re talking about — the same Metro that carries 100 million riders a year from point A to many a distant point Bs for less than $3 and that furthermore, anyone who expects things to go personally, consistently, smoothly just for them, in a system this big — and who also doesn’t suspect that West Seattle might somehow be part of Seattle — really is a whiner and definitely is a bad person and most likely is also someone who does not ever deserve to go to Bakery Nouveau or even have anyone ever bring her so much as one crumb from one croissant from Bakery Nouveau.

Keith August 20, 2007 (4:36 pm)

I find her story a little implausible. She claims not to have heard the driver’s announcement, only noticing what was happening as the bus was “approaching the Alaskan Way viaduct onramp.” So she didn’t hear the announcement but noticed… what? The driver’s turn signal?

As was the case with the “SBF,” I think the bus must’ve been close to turning up the ramp for her to have finally noticed, and yet she claims it was “a dead stop, at a red light, at a curb.” I doubt that, and it was ridiculous of her to expect the driver to let her off while the bus was in the street, waiting to turn. And then to engage the driver in a shouting match while entering the viaduct… not cool.

Bill August 20, 2007 (6:33 pm)

Anyone who’s actually angry about this dumb *****’s bus-capade should be thankful they don’t have bigger problems occupying their mindspace. And I actually like that WS is a part of Seattle. It’s just a different and unique part, and I like that too.

Velvet Bulldog August 20, 2007 (7:31 pm)

Ok, Slogger may have gone a bit over the top for the sake of a good story, however–and work with me on this folks–she has a point. I’ve taken the bus to WS from downtown for over 20 years (yikes I’m getting old…) and have often written to Metro asking them to have drivers who will be getting onto the Viaduct to announce this LOUDLY and CLEARLY and REPEATEDLY. It IS hard to hear in the back of the bus if they aren’t using the microphone. Some folks are ESL speakers. A lot of the drivers have gotten a lot better at this, and a lot more people aren’t accidentally going to WS. Look, I’ve gotten on buses that I didn’t realize were Express and missed my stop and I’m a savvy long-time bus rider. It happens.

GenHillOne August 20, 2007 (8:10 pm)

I so needed that – thanks!!

miws August 21, 2007 (9:44 pm)

Keith brings up a good point. I believe the 11/125 comes down 2nd Av, which would mean it turns right at Columbia St to get onto the viaduct.

If I recall, from reading the slog early this morning, Erica says, or implies that the bus had already turned. That would put it in the middle lane, waiting at the light to get onto 99. The right lane is for traffic turning right onto 1st, or continuing straight on Columbia street’s lower road. The left lane is for traffic turning left onto 1st, or getting onto 99, then having to do a nasty merge on the ramp. In my experience, busses usually use the middle lane.

The only time, after the last downtown stop, that a rider might have a clue the bus is not continuing down 2nd, and the bus is next to the curb, would be making that right from 2nd onto Columbia.

Mike

Th

donald August 23, 2007 (8:55 pm)

Reading those comments on the slog really made me want west seattle to secede from seattle. the only reasons worth leaving west seattle are to go to work and to go to the bars in the u district to score college girls.