Rachel Salabes

Communication & The Public Sphere

February 16, 2011

The Chronicles of the DC Metro

Everyday, I am one of the 700,000 people that ride the Washington DC Metro.1 I wait

impatiently for those in front of me to swipe their SmarTrip and pass through the gates. I am

surrounded by strangers, although we are all united by a common goal - to reach our destination,

wherever that may be, as quickly as possible. As a daily rider, I have had the opportunity to

extensively observe and analyze the metro and its riders. Not only have I observed behaviors in a

physical place, but I have also watched conversations unfold in online spaces. First, the function

of the Washington DC transit system as a public sphere will be demonstrated. Within this sphere,

the role of metro riders as part of a public, mass and various types of crowds, as well as the types

of interactions that take place within these formations will be analyzed.

Those that ride metro on a regular basis share certain experiences and observations that

others do not receive the opportunity to witness. Several situations have recently arisen that show

how the DC public transportation system functions as its own public sphere. According to Tarde,

the public sphere is comprised of four main components, including press, conversation, opinion

and action.2 Because public transportation is part of so many people's daily lives, it is natural that

people feel strongly about metro-related news and have the desire to participate in this public

sphere. For example, it was announced last week that metro may shorten its hours and close at

midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. This announcement was covered extensively by local

press with headlines such as, “Metro's second worst decision ever?”3 and “Should Metro shut

1 Statistic provided by Unsuck DC Metro. http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/

2 Gabriel Tarde’s public sphere. IN J. Lautman & B.P. Lecuyer (Eds.), Paul Lazarsfeld (1901-1976): la sociologie
de Vienne a New York (pp. 413-454). Paris: Harmattan. 438
3 “Metro's second worst decision ever?” Unsuck DC Metro. 11 Feb 2011.
down at midnight? Tell your stories”4. The press coverage sparked extensive conversation for

those that rely on the metro for transportation.

As evidenced, even the headlines encouraged readers to converse on the topic. I observed

the many opinions expressed on this issue, such as this one by a Washington Post reader,

“Frankly, it's embarrassing that the 2nd most heavily used subway system in the United States

isn't 24/7. If anything, they should extend weekend hours.”5 An opinion on the opposite side of

the spectrum included, “Metro desperately needs to control costs, and to do more maintenance

and repair on the rail system. This is one of several cost-reduction plans that should be adopted.”6

As a product of the arguments and counterarguments taking place, a public opinion on the

topic forms.7 Public opinion can be defined as, “the composite opinion formed out of the

several opinions that are held in the public”.8 According to a poll on a local blog, 51 percent of

readers said the metro should not close at midnight.9 A similar poll by The Washington Post

asked “How essential is late night Metro service to you?”, including the options completely

essential, somewhat essential and not essential. The majority, 47 percent, voted completely

essential.10 In regards to this topic, the public opinion appears to be that metro should not close

early on weekends. Although an official announcement has not been made, the next step will be

an action by WMATA, either keeping the hours the same or shortening them on weekends.

http://unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com/2011/02/metros-second-worst-decision-ever.html
4 “Should Metro shut down at midnight? Tell your stories” The Washington Post. 11 Feb 2011.
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/story-lab/2011/02/should_metro_shut_down_at_midn.html
5 Response by reader “futbolclif” to Washington Post article, “Metro eyes 12am weekend closures”
6 Response by reader “jrmil” to Washington Post article, “Metro eyes 12am weekend closures”
7 Price, Vincent. Volume 4 in the Communication Concepts series on Public Opinion. Sage: 1992, p 27.
8 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 191.
9 Results of the Unsuck DC Metro poll as of February 15, 2011. http://www.google.com/reviews/polls/display/-
901658513135485130/blogger_template/result?txtclr=%23666&hideq=true&chrtclr=%2358a&lnkclr=
%2358a&font=normal+normal+100%25+Georgia,+Serif&purl=unsuckdcmetro.blogspot.com
10 Results of the poll included in the Washington Post article, “Metro eyes 12am weekend closures”.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dr-gridlock/2011/02/metro_considers_12am_weekend_c.html?results=true
Depending on the decision, this could also be potentially followed by actions of the public, such

as protests and boycotts.

As evidenced in situations such as these, many metro riders, including myself, take part

in an online community, forming our own public. According to Herbert Blumer, a public refers to

a group of people that are confronted by an issue, who are divided in their ideas in meeting an

issue and who engage in discussion over the issue.11 Metro riders use online forums and social

networks to express their opinions and debate with others, discussing what metro is doing well

and what needs to be improved. In the past week, there have been a variety of opinions on the

Yelp DC metro forum, from issues with fare cards to the countless delays. One rider says, “Metro

is having fare card problems it is not dealing with. And their procedures for exchange or

reimbursement are customer unfriendly, and, in fact, smack of questionable business practices.”12

Another rider expresses his or her displeasure saying, “show us some improvements so that we

know that the fair increases aren't just for increasing the size of your wallets ”13 There are also

opinions on the opposite side of the spectrum. One rider says, “I think the metro works fairly

well to get you where you are going”14

Overall, Yelp acts as a modern day forum for the community of metro riders to converse

and debate. People no longer have to convene in a physical public space, such as a salon or

coffeehouse to express their opinions and debate issues, as Tarde observed many years ago.15

Online spaces act as a place where people can form a collective opinion.16 For example, Yelp

11 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 189.

12 Comment by “Janet L.” in Yelp forum Washington DC Metro. http://www.yelp.com/biz/washington-dc-metro-
washington?rpp=40&sort_by=date_desc
13 Comment by “Cameron B.”in Yelp forum Washington DC Metro. http://www.yelp.com/biz/washington-dc-
metro-washington?rpp=40&sort_by=date_desc
14 Comment by “Virginia I.” in Yelp forum Washington DC Metro. http://www.yelp.com/biz/washington-dc-metro-
washington?rpp=40&sort_by=date_desc
15 Tarde, G. (1901). Opinion and Conversation (R. Morris. Trans.) In L’Opinion et la foule.
Paris: Alcan. p 23.
16 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 191.
collects the various ratings that have been given to the DC metro, resulting in 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Although the majority of opinions may not be that metro deserves 3.5 stars, this rating reflects

various points of view held by the public, coming together to form one composite opinion.17

When analyzing the metro as a whole, riders can also be considered part of a mass. As

explained by Blumer, there are several distinguishable features of the mass.

“First, its membership may come from all walks of life, and from all distinguishable
social strata: it may include people of different class position, of different vocation, of
different cultural attainment, and of different wealth...Second, the mass is an anonymous
group... Third, there exists little interaction or exchange of experience between the
members of the mass. They are usually physically separated from one another, and,
being anonymous, do not have the opportunity to mill as do the members of the crowd.”18

Based on my personal metro experiences, I have observed that metro riders indeed come

from all walks of life. The various socioeconomic backgrounds, as well as the range of

occupations are evident to me on a daily basis. It is not uncommon to see professionals dressed

in business suits, men and women with government IDs hanging around their necks, young

adults dressed in jeans and t-shirts, as well as a wide range of ethnicities and cultural

backgrounds all within the metro system. Unless these individuals already know each other due

to other circumstances, metro riders are for the most part anonymous. This contributes to the

observation that on a typical day, metro riders exchange very little, if any dialogue. Each

individual typically keeps to themselves, safe in a bubble of their own activities. Multiple people

bury their heads in that day’s edition of the Express or nod their head to the beat coming through

their headphones.

In addition, there may also be limited engagement because metro riders do not

necessarily have to be present in the same physical space. The metro system is large, with several

lines and many stops. There are countless people that also ride the DC metro on a daily basis that

17 Ibid
18 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 186.
I will never encounter; however, each rider has a goal or objective, another characteristic of a

mass.19 For example, the objective of many riders using the metro may be to get to work on time.

This mass can also extend past being present on a train. Those that ride the metro become part of

the mass by reading the metro section of the newspaper, blogs or watching local news segments.

For example, I read a local blog called Unsuck DC Metro on a daily basis. This online space

unites metro riders by posting news and stories. Therefore, even though not all metro riders are

in the same place geographically, many consume information provided by the media about

metro-related decisions and issues that may affect their lives.

As these individual members of the mass all ride the metro, it is not surprising that

various types of crowds form, often depending on if the metro is running smoothly or if there is a

delay. Crowd formation takes place in four steps. First, something must occur that catches the

interest of the people.20 Next, the milling process occurs leading to the emergence of a common

object of attention. Finally, the crowd acts on the impulses generated from this object of

attention.21 Due to the multiple delays and large events that take place in the DC area, it is not

unusual to become part of an acting crowd. As defined by Blumer, an acting crowd is

spontaneous and lives in the momentary present.22 Furthermore, it has no conventions or

established expectations and within this crowd, an individual may get caught up in the moment

and lose self-concern.23

As a daily metro rider, I have experienced situations in which there is a delay at least

once a week. I often watch nervously as the crowd on the platform grows, increasing the tension

in the air. Usually there is limited milling as each rider already has a common area of interest, to

19 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 188.

20 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 180.
21 Ibid
22 Ibid
23 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 181.
get on the next train that reaches the platform to reach their final destination.24 It is due to this

common goal that a feeling of aggression also grows, as each person is next to someone who will

also be fighting for a spot on the next train. To an observer, it may even appear that the crowd

has formed a collective mind which involves, “the disappearance of conscious personality and

the tuning of feelings and thoughts in a definite direction”.25 As the crowded train approaches

and the doors open, everyone moves forward at once. It would appear that individual

personalities fall to the wayside, as each person moves as one to the open car doors. Even when

it seems there is no where left to go, the crowd continues to push until the doors close.

Personally, I have a very quiet, nonconfrontational personality. However, when the doors open

that part of my personality vanishes. I push with the crowd, determined to make my way on to

the train. As LeBon describes this particular phenomenon:

“Whoever be the individuals that compose it, however like or unlike be their mode of
life, their occupations, their character, or their intelligence, the fact that they have been
transformed into a crowd puts them in possession of a sort of collective mind which
makes them feel, think and act in a manner quite different from that in which each
individual of them would feel, think, and act were he in a state of isolation”.26

If it were not for being a part of this particular acting crowd, with a sense of immediacy and

adrenaline running through me, I would never act without care or concern for others around me.

A less intense form of crowd is the casual one, which can form within or outside a metro

station. This type of crowd has a momentary existence because its members come and go, and is

ultimately marked by a lack of organization.27 For example, it was not long ago that I was at the

Metro Center station waiting for my train toward Vienna. On the platform, a doo-wop group was

singing. They were talented and entertaining, causing a small group of people to form around

them, some throwing money in the open jar before their feet. However, this performance only
24 Ibid
25 LeBon (1895) General Characteristics of Crowds, p 20.
26 LeBon (1895) General Characteristics of Crowds, p 23.
27 Blumer (1946) Elementary Collective Groupings, p 178.
retained the attention of its observers until their train arrived on the platform. As trains came and

went, the crowds formed and dispersed, only to form again as more riders came down the

escalators.

Within these different types of crowds, I have witnessed consistent types of behaviors

from individual riders. During the rush hour crowd, it appears that DC metro area residents have

similar characteristics to residents of other large cities. According to Georg Simmel, residents of

a metropolis develop a blasé attitude due to the emphasis placed on money exchange.28 This

reserve is often what causes metropolis residents to come off as cold toward others.29 During a

recent morning rush hour delay, one woman got so overheated by the crowd that she exited the

train and had to take a seat on one of the steps. While I observed a couple of people go over to

assist her, the majority of riders completely ignored the situation. She was a disturbance to their

normal routine. This seems to be a common occurrence in the DC area, where many seem

unfazed by what is going on around them. As I recently read online, an elderly woman tripped

and fell on the Foggy Bottom escalator. A witness wrote, “Besides the numerous gawkers who

just stood around watching, by far the vast majority just pushed rudely past and couldn't even be

bothered to stop.”30

This also serves as an example of the civil inattention that occurs within the metro system

on a daily basis. Erving Goffman defines civil inattention as “...enough visual notice to

demonstrate that one appreciates that the other is present, while at the next moment withdrawing

one's attention from him so as to express that he does not constitute a target of special curiosity

or design”.31 I see the elderly, men and women in wheelchairs, and the blind with guide dogs on a

28 Simmel, G. (1964). The metropolis and mental life. In K.H. Wolff (Ed.) The Sociology of
Georg Simmel (pp.409-424). New York; London: Free Press, p 415.
29 Ibid
30 “Scary escalator incident watched by metro workers, most riders”. Unsuck DC Metro. 11 February 2011.
31 Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in public places; notes on the social organization of
gatherings, p 84.
regular basis. On some occasions, I have seen people give up their seats for the elderly or

disabled to sit down. However, it is unfortunate that I have also seen riders glance, then pretend

not to see these people, all so they can keep their seat throughout their ride. Extreme civil

inattention also occurs with homeless people that sit outside of the metro asking for money. I

often observe metro riders avoiding eye contact and quickly walking past. This would be

described by Goffman as “nonperson treatment”, where an individual treats others as if they were

invisible, as objects not worthy of even a glance.32

It is these attitudes of individual riders that also influence the type of interactions that

take place. I have recently experienced both unfocused interaction, as well as partly-focused

interaction. As defined by Goffman, unfocused interaction takes place when communication is

“merely by virtue of [individual's] presence together in the same social situation”.33 Typically, the

reserved nature of city residents causes them to mostly keep to themselves.34 Many individuals,

myself included, close themselves off to conversation by using some form of technology,

whether they are listening to their iPod, reading their Kindle, or holding their Blackberry. Based

on my personal observations, unfocused interaction between strangers on the metro usually only

takes place under an unusual occurrence. For example, last week I was riding the metro during

morning rush hour where everyone was exceptionally close to each other. All of a sudden, I felt a

hand on top of my own and I jumped. The man next to me apologized immediately and we

continued to chat about the inconveniences of the crowded metro for the next several stops. If it

had been an average metro ride, with a comfortable amount of space between riders, this

conversation never would have occurred.

32 Ibid
33 Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in public places; notes on the social organization of
gatherings, p 83.
34 Simmel, G. (1964). The metropolis and mental life. In K.H. Wolff (Ed.) The Sociology of
Georg Simmel (pp.409-424). New York; London: Free Press, p 415.
 Partly-focused interaction occurs when there are more than two participants within a

given area; however, the other individuals present in that area are excluded from the encounter.35

In this situation, it is common to see people trying to act polite, by avoiding eye-contact and

acting as though they are not listening to the conversation. During a recent experience of mine,

there were two people speaking to each other directly in front of me. While I looked everywhere

except directly at these two people, I managed to learn personal details about this woman's life,

including her job at the US Fish and Wildlife Service, that she lives in Court House and typically

walks to her job located at an office building in Rosslyn. Not to mention, several places that she

recommends for lunch in the area. I found myself in a situation where I had the right to listen;

however, I was not a welcome participant.36 As evidenced, I have experienced first-hand the

various types of interaction that take place between individuals, both friends and strangers.

My personal experiences have allowed me to observe the relationship between metro

riders, the various types of crowds that form, their role as part of a larger mass and public, and

ultimately their role in the public sphere of the Washington DC public transportation system. It is

evident that many of the characteristics that define these groupings are still applicable today;

however, not only has technology changed the way in which a public can form, it has also

affected individual behavior. For example, individuals can choose to be part of a public by

meeting in online spaces rather than physical ones to debate and discuss opinions. In addition,

instead of engaging or avoiding eye-contact, individuals can choose to use technology as a

method to avoid conversation. As I continue to live and work in this city, I will remain a part of

the mass created by the Washington DC metro, regularly observing the interesting behavior and

35 Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in public places; notes on the social organization of

gatherings, p 91.
36 Goffman, E. (1963). Behavior in public places; notes on the social organization of
gatherings, p 100.
interactions that occur in this space on a daily basis.