Blog calls Post on 'windshield perspective'
When a reporter covering transportation issues gets around mostly by car, it's easy to slip into what David Alpert of the Greater Greater Washington blog calls a "windshield perspective" -- a tendency to view the world as if everyone was a driver.
Alpert, who does a great job covering metropolitan Washington (and sometimes Baltimore too), tore into two Washington Post reporters for their coverage of parking trends in that area. In this case, I think he has them dead to rights. I, too, had spotted the $100-a-day hypothetical they posed for a day's parking in Friendship Heights and thought that was fanciful at best.
Reminder to all transpo writers, including myself: Not everyone drives.
Comments
Thanks for this post, Michael. I really think you've found your voice on here.
To expand on what you're saying, more and more people throughout the area are using multiple modes of transportation throughout the week depending on a variety of factors like time of day, traffic, accessibility, parking etc. For example yesterday, I had an appointment in mid afternoon in Georgetown. I drove down from Baltimore and parked in a municipal garage in Silver Spring before taking the Metro to a restaurant for lunch. I then continued on the Metro over to the West Side of of the DC business district where I picked up the Circulator bus, since Georgetown has no Metro service.
When I need to commute to DC during rush hour, I drive to Penn Station (Bmore), take the MARC Train down to Union Station, then take the Metro around town in the district.
It's good to have options. Particularly when factors like traffic and parking can make it difficult to gauge time getting around the region.
Posted by: Patapsco Jones | October 21, 2009 11:17 AM