Can’t You Kids Keep Down That Racket???

That’s what Mrs. Bloggerman was thinking (practically out loud) while riding the train into work yesterday morning. There is an unwritten rule on the Metro that you will be quiet and read your paper, sleep, or check your blackberry from the time the system opens at 5am until at least 9am.

I’m serious about this. There is to be no noise if it can be avoided. That means keeping your iPod volume down, putting your phones on silent and above all, no horseplay and shouting of any kind! The Pendulum of Elon University put it best when they said in a recent online post:

There is certain etiquette to the D.C. metro: a set of unspoken rules such as staying to the right when riding the escalator, standing to the side of the doors of an unloading car and keeping quiet and respectful on the trains themselves. Tourists, of course, don’t know these rules. This annoys D.C.-ers to no end.

I couldn’t have put it better myself....but there’s a twist here, it turns out these kids were actually local students apparently on some sort of field trip (complete with chaperons). Here’s Bloggerman’s new rule. If you talk on the Metro during the morning unnecessarily then you will be thrown from the train while it’s in motion. You may or may not land successfully back on a platform. Chances are usually slim, as more then likely you will either hit the electrified third rail or fall hundreds of feet to your death from an elevated track to the street below. That would shut them up quick.

I know it’ll shut me up!