Ah yes, it's cherry-blossom season in Washington, DC. Spring is a lovely time in the Nation's capital. Blooms everywhere, lots of pollen, too. Oh and one other thing that comes out in hordes this time of year: tourists.
Experiencing tourists from the flip-side, as someone living and commuting with them, I have learned some good lessons on how to be a better tourist when I travel, especially when it comes to using the local transit systems in a strange city:
1. Avoid Public Transit During Rush Hour. Enduring cranky office workers who just want to get home is not exactly fun. Plus, it's of course more crowded and the crowds are experienced public transit users who have little patience for you as a novice on their turf. If you can, travel on transit slightly before or after the major rush hour times.
2. When on Public Transit: Observation and Research are Key. Every transit system has its quirks. So do a little homework before you leave for your trip so you have an understanding of how fares work (zone, flat rate) and how the system operates (do I need to know the last stop to figure out direction, hours, etc.). When you start to use the system, pay attention to locals. Are they walking up the escalators? On the bus, do they need to signal when it's their stop?
3. Be Courteous. Yesterday, a group of tourists were toting around a screaming infant. It was the middle of rush hour on a packed train and they were just ignoring the fact that their baby was screaming their lungs out. Hey, I'm not one to offer parenting advice, but it's royally unfair to force everyone else listen to screaming baby. Also, if a train is quiet (as the Metro is during morning rush hour) keep your voice down. No one else really cares about your conversation and office workers may be trying to catch a few more moments of sleep or peace before sitting at their desks. When on a subway, if you do not have to get off anytime soon, move away from the doors so people can easily exit.
Experiencing tourists from the flip-side, as someone living and commuting with them, I have learned some good lessons on how to be a better tourist when I travel, especially when it comes to using the local transit systems in a strange city:
1. Avoid Public Transit During Rush Hour. Enduring cranky office workers who just want to get home is not exactly fun. Plus, it's of course more crowded and the crowds are experienced public transit users who have little patience for you as a novice on their turf. If you can, travel on transit slightly before or after the major rush hour times.
2. When on Public Transit: Observation and Research are Key. Every transit system has its quirks. So do a little homework before you leave for your trip so you have an understanding of how fares work (zone, flat rate) and how the system operates (do I need to know the last stop to figure out direction, hours, etc.). When you start to use the system, pay attention to locals. Are they walking up the escalators? On the bus, do they need to signal when it's their stop?
3. Be Courteous. Yesterday, a group of tourists were toting around a screaming infant. It was the middle of rush hour on a packed train and they were just ignoring the fact that their baby was screaming their lungs out. Hey, I'm not one to offer parenting advice, but it's royally unfair to force everyone else listen to screaming baby. Also, if a train is quiet (as the Metro is during morning rush hour) keep your voice down. No one else really cares about your conversation and office workers may be trying to catch a few more moments of sleep or peace before sitting at their desks. When on a subway, if you do not have to get off anytime soon, move away from the doors so people can easily exit.
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