My bag was searched for explosive material this morning by your MBTA police at Oak Grove station.
So, tell me, was there a tip? Was there word from a local terrorist cell by way of a well-trained, well-placed MBTA counter-terrorism informant? If I get on that train is there a danger it's going to explode?
No? This is a random check? I think you're mixing up your terminology. "Random" isn't correct. The phrase you should be using is "completely and utterly pointless."
Was there a credible threat to commuters?
If so, please, please, search passenger bags. Oh, also, if you've got information that one of your trains might explode, I don't know, maybe TELL YOUR PASSENGERS! Because, you know what? I'm more than happy to walk back home on this rainy Friday and call in sick in lieu of a fiery death on the train.
If I were carrying a bomb in my backpack this morning, do you actually think I would voluntarily wait in line to let you search my bag?! No fucking way! As soon as I saw the thirty-three passengers waiting to have their bags swiped and analyzed I'd turn right around and head one mile over to Malden Center and board a train there!
Hell, you don't think some two-bit terrorist group would be coordinated enough to scout the train station before bringing a bomb in? You don't think they'd send in a guy with a cell phone before they sent in a guy with a bomb!?
"Hey, Bomb Guy? It's me, Cell-Phone Guy, they're searching bags - so, um, don't bring the bomb into the station."You're idiots.
Maybe it wouldn't be a big deal if MBTA wasn't a laughing stock. When was the last time someone's ride into Downtown Crossing was ruined or delayed by an explosive device smuggled onto a train?
Wait, wait, I know this one... NEVER!
When was the last time someone's commute was delayed by MBTA ineptitude, shoddy signal equipment, lack of repairs, or a disabled train?
OH, I REMEMBER, LAST MONDAY MORNING (20 minutes), TUESDAY MORNING (20 minutes), TUESDAY NIGHT (one hour 30 minutes). And that's just me, off the top of my head, in the last week alone.
Why bother blowing up trains that don't work anyway!?
Do you feel this anger? Do you want a way to make the morning commute safer? How about rather than spending my fare money on two MBTA pretend cops searching my backpack (which, by the way, contains a hat, a book, a pen, some coins, and my cell phone), you instead provide your passengers with a complimentary cup of coffee? Free downloadable iTunes songs on the train? Trains that work?
Wait, I've got a better idea:
Why not just get out of my way?
-Tom
6 comments:
Maybe they tell you it's random because they don't want to frighten people when it's a legitimate threat. Or maybe it was a threat and they're lying because they don't want commuters to over-react. I know I have a hard time picturing you over-reacting, but it could happen.
This is how people blow aneurysms.
So somebody manhandled your hat. Let's focus shall we? Do you really want to waste your energy yelling at the MBTA when you should really be figuring out the logistics of stuffing an entire baseball mitt in jerkface softball kid's mouth?
I'm just saying. Let's pick an enemy here. Jackass baserunner kid has my vote. :-p
Thank you for not writing about softball.
Apparently, none of the MBTA police watched Season 3 of 24 - when the police line up everyone at an LA subway station to search bags because a terrorist is going to release a virus. The terrorist escapes, steals a car, and heads to an elementary school. Nice. Of course, Jack saves the day, but there is no Jack Bauer at Oak Grove.
Sorry, sir, this is "Security Theater". As in we fuck with the citizenry in order to foster an atmosphere of FUD and inspire trust in our nascent police state.
I do turn around and go to the next stop; not just because of the search, but because it seems to take less time walking a mile than waiting for those morons to go through the eleventy-seven pockets in my courier bag.
Pfeh!
These absurd MBTA searches are why I designed a bag with the fourth amendment printed right on it:
www.cafepress.com/nosearch
GREAT post...
Same thing happened to me at Oak Grove. I think they wait for the person who looks like they are in the biggest rush and stop them.
So the idea is, when you do see the MBTA cops just start picking your nose and walk through the gate like you are intoxicate and they won't search you....
That's going to be my new strategy.
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