MAX: Then and Now

My family and I moved to the Portland area shortly after the completion of the Westside MAX line into Washington County.  Since then, we use both the train and bus system on a frequent basis.  Over the years I have seen my share of questionable behavior, unruly persons and felt an increasing sense of unease when using the bus and train.  I have only had one close call which occurred two years ago at Pioneer Square.

It was just after midnight and I was hoping to catch the last train back to Beaverton when some guy came up to me with a sob story about needing money for the Greyhound to get back to his family.  When I indicated that I did not have any cash on me (which was true) he pointed to a nearby ATM and said we could go there to get the money.  When I declined he became agitated and I began to walk towards the bus mall to catch the 20.  He began to follow me and again tried to get me to go to the ATM to withdraw money.  At this point he also opened the front of his jacket to reveal a knife.  Needless to say, I was a bit nervous but before things could escalate a cyclist road past us and the guy backed off allowing me time to walk to the bus which was just pulling up.

Granted, this happened to me late at night but still, the bus and trains do run late here and it is rare that I have ever seen security, uniformed law enforcement or fare inspectors on the transit system late in the evening when you would expect problems to occur.  And there is no doubt that when you look at the statistics, Tri-Met has been mostly a safe environment for riders.  But things change.  There has been an increase in violence and people need to wake up and face the facts.  Now is the time to fix things before a death occurs or more people feel threatened and ridership drops.

The fact that the buses and trains all have cameras is not a deterrent against random acts of violence.  The type of people engaging in this behavior do not care about being caught on tape.  And the cameras only provide evidence for a later criminal case, it does nothing to protect the poor sap riding home who is being assaulted or harassed.  How many meetings and discussions are Tri-Met, local government and law enforcement going to have before the recognize that things are going south for our world-class transit system?

I want to know that my children and myself will be able to continue to ride in a safe environment.

In Regards To Crime On MAX

Prior to the savage attack on the 71 year-old man by a 15 year-old hoodlum I had heard or read about several other instances of violence on or around the MAX system. Surprisingly, I am hearing a lot of feedback from people who feel that MAX is still a safe environment. Not that I am saying that things have devolved into chaos but I cannot remember the last time I saw transit police or fare inspectors on any of my recent trips, going back to the beginning of summer. And like it or not, we are seeing more instances of violence or potentially dangerous situations occurring around MAX.

Rather than wait for things to get too far out of control I feel that more needs to be done right now to protect riders and show the unsavory elements of society that our public transit system is not the place to practice their predatory behavior.

Step up patrols, make it known that law enforcement is actively engaged in protecting the bus and light rail lines. Start checking fares more often, ticket or ban habitual offenders. Show me, John Q. Public, that I have no worries about my children or other family members being in danger. I’m a borderline liberal but even I am starting to get fed up with people who think they can prey on whomever they want.

Let’s keep MAX a safe environment and let us live up to the fact that we have a world class public transportation system that is worthy of protecting.

MAX: Free Fire Zone?

Just a day after the mayor of Gresham, Oregon announced that he would be assigning city police to step up patrols on the MAX line, a 71 year-old man is brutally beaten by a 15 year-old boy.  Tri-Met has been turning a blind eye to the obvious violence that occurs on MAX.

Take the transit police out of their cruisers and place them on the MAX lines where they are needed.  I’m not saying that violent crime is totally pervasive on the trains, yet.  So be a little proactive and start regular patrols on the MAX.  Don’t wait for a tragic headline in the media before you decide that yes, there is an unsavory element that haunts the public transit system.  It doesn’t mean that Tri-Met is bad, quite the contrary.  We have a wonderful system in place and it needs protecting.

In case nobody is awake, there has been a lot of gang related violence in general here in the Portland metro area.  The boy who attacked the old man on Saturday has possible ties to local gangs.  In general I am a huge supporter of civil rights and am somewhat of a liberal but when it comes to targeting gangs I say total war.  Go out there and take these people down.  People, no they are predators.

Bottom line is this, acknowledge that violence is increasing on the MAX and at the transit stations and develop a plan of attack.

Mr. Viddy Retires

I never knew I had such important friends in Russia. Below is a copy of the email I received today. I’d be a fool not to respond, right?

Dear Friend,

My name is Mrs. Larisa Sosnitskaya, personal secretary to Mr. Boris
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the arrested Chairman/Ceo of Yukos oil and bank
Menatep SPB Russia, who is presently in jail.

I have the documents of a large amount of funds which he handed over to
me before he detained and has been sentenced to jail for not paying
taxes and financing political parties (the union of right forces, led by
Mr. Boris Nemtsov and Yabloko, a liberal/social democratic party led by
Gregor Yavlinsky) opposed to the government of Mr. Vladmir Putin, the
president thereby leading to the freezing his finances and assets.

After searching through the books of your country’s chambers of
commerce and industries here in Russia I am contacting you to assist me to
re-profile this fund and equally invest this fund in your country.

The total amount of these funds to be re-profiled is forty six million
dollars (USD 46,000,000.00) and you will be getting 20% for your assistance.

I shall furnish you with necessary information’s and my
identifications as soon I receive your acceptance which should be sent to my private
email box mlariskaya62@yahoo.com.hk

Yours sincerely,

Mrs. Larisa Sosnitskaya
NB: I advice you read more of this ordeal from:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3213505.stm

http://newsfromrussia.com/main/2005/03/29/58914.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3042850.stm

http://www.supportmbk.com