Heebie-Jeebies in the Underbelly of the Nation’s Capital
By Josh Mendelsohn on Fri 17 Aug 2007 |
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If you have taken the subway in the Nation’s Capital over the past several months, you may have noticed something new. Red flashing lights signalling the arrival of a new train at some Metro stations.
If you’re saying “huh?” then a bit of explanation is in order. Since the inception of DC’s Metro subway system, about 28 years ago, each station has had a row of white-ish floor lights along each track. These lights flash gently to alert to-be riders that a subway train is soon arriving.
These rows of gentle lights have always felt comforting, like a bunch of sweet grandmothers gently telling you to be careful. You don’t have to listen to them - but if you ignore them, you do so at your peril. See this video on YouTube (taken by “wlbeardjr,” not by me) showing these white lights in operation. Sweet grandmother-ish feeling, eh?
A few months ago, at several stations, Metro in its infinite wisdom has replaced those rows of “white” lights with garishly red-colored lights. I don’t know about you, but when I arrive at Metro Center and see that row of red lights blinking, I invariably think of the Homeland Security advisory system. I gasp, my heart rate speeds up, and then I force myself to relax. And then the row of glaringly red lights feels like a brash woman with red hair and too much red lipstick loudly telling me that a train will soon arrive. No more gentle white-haired grandmother feeling.
Metro has said that it’s experimenting with red LED flashing lights to make its subway system safer. The flashing lights are now easier to see, and people are more wary (and staying away from the platform edges) because of the red lights. Less accidents, I suppose. In addition, these red LED lights are cheaper to buy, cheaper to maintain, and use less electricity. Sounds logical.
But logic and feeling don’t always go hand-in-hand. These rows of flashing red lights are downright creepy. They give me the heebie-jeebies. Am I the only one?
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12 Comments
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I don’t live in DC area anymore (live in Indy now), but I fondly remember those soft white lights that gently flashed whenever a train was about to arrive.
I do agree with you about the questionable color choice in lighting…it’s not like DC has a serious problem with people falling into tracks, do they?
At least I don’t remember ever hearing about someone doing that while I was living in DC (and I grew up in MD).
I’m with you…I think the real reason is the pesky Homeland Security paranoia which is most likely responsible for the color choice. By the way, do the electronic highway signs (on 95, for example) still ‘warn’ drivers to keep an eye out for terrorists and to report suspicious activity to such such number? I always thought that these signs were unnecessary and a clear, deliberate attempt to instill fear and paranoia in the minds of people in DC area.
Michele - yes, some electronic highway signs still have those warning messages. At least, they did a couple months ago - I don’t rightly remember the last time I saw those warnings. You’re right, those just add to the feelings of paranoia here!
I’m split. I kinda like em because they’re more noticeable. Means that I can read my Express and clearly see the lights flashing when a train arrives! But they are a bit garish yes. Hm.
Very interesting article. By the way, a big hello to you Josh! Been ages and hope you are doing great.
Bruce Gross, Palmdale, CA
How about replacing these red led lights with strobe lights? Nah. By the way, a big hello to you Josh! Been ages and hope you are doing great.
Andy Anderson, Irvine, CA
Strobe lights in the subway? HELL NO!!!
Red lights? Come on, everybody knows that if you want to be l33t, you have blue LEDS.
Strobe lights? They would cause some people to have seizures. The soft white lights were just fine.
At first, I found the red lights to be eerily odd and got accustomed to those lights.
I was very fascinated from observing the WMATA hearing riders especially tourists, jumped instantly from the end of the platform. They got the wrong idea about the red flashing lights to be the warning lights to stay few feets from the platform. LOL!
Bobby Cox was absolutely right about how easy to notice the red flashing lights for the incoming trains.
Red lights surely make the Metrorail stations look more like the “Stalinism” design.
Robert L. Mason (RLM)
Hi Bruce, and hi too, Andy! Andy, I think you and I know that strobe lights just won’t work, ha! Maybe back in those days when we had telephones that actually rang. Hey, I miss using an actual traffic light tower as our signalling device, although I don’t miss overloading (and exploding) our plugged-in receivers.
Red? That is something I have to check, Josh! I do not think it is good idea for Deaf people who has visual problems. Soft white light is the best option. At times, these holes needed to be WASHED and POLISHED to make it “brighter”. Sometimes it does not flash bright enough.
Having red lights does not help, I think.
R-
Ridor,
You have a good point about deaf-blind individuals’ limited perpipheal problems. I never think of it before.
The WMATA get more cheapskate everyday with their diminshing revenues. I guess that the WMATA people find some way to cover up the state of their structural materials. The WMATA let its own facilities decay too fast in last ten years. How sad! We are in the Nation’s Captiol and the Captiol of the Free World.
You, Ridor, ought to write a letter of concerns to the WMATA board and management via online correspondence and let us know what is going on with the “red light” status for deaf-blind people. Thanks again.
Robert L. Mason (RLM)