It’s tough enough to be a bus operator. Trying to negotiate those big beasts along narrow city streets with cars, pedestrians and bicycles all trying to get ahead of you at all costs can be harrowing. The unfortunate thing is that many operators are also subjected to assault. Dena Levitz’s article on Tuesday spelled out just how dangerous this job can be.

The D.C. Council is considering legislation that would create stiffer penalties for those convicted of assaults on bus operators.

I don’t agree too often with Jackie Jeter, the president of the operators’ union, but she hits the nail on the head when she says we would not stand for this kind of thing if it were happening to police officers or firefighters. Bus operators are doing us a great service. That needs to be appreciated, and the operators need to have better protection.

Also, serving and protecting

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While we’re on the issue of serving and protecting, here’s an observation from Seth on a practice that creates safety and perception problems: “Early Saturday evening we are driving south down Rockville Pike. We pass a Metro Transit Police car in the lane next to us. I was impressed that they had computer screens in the car (like real police cars).

Driver is punching a bunch of on-screen icons. Could he be needed somewhere? Was there an emergency at the Twinbrook or White Flint stations? As we pulled up closer, we realized the source of his interest. Just a computer game of solitaire being played. While driving.

“Now, in all honesty I don’t blame the driver/transit cop for this behavior (they are providing the games in the first place!) ... but, honestly, why is Metro equipping their cars with computer games?! I guess it’s just Metro showing the latest example of appropriate management and decision-making!”

There is no excuse for that sort of thing on the part of a police officer of any stripe. Setting an example is an important part of establishing law and order.

A few miles south of that location, as the road turns into Wisconsin Avenue and goes into the District, that officer would be subject to one of those distracting driving citations … not that that would ever happen.

How long are commutes really?

All the hubbub the other week about how much time we waste during our commutes got me to pull out the old calculator. The headline was that those living in and around Washington spend 60 hours a year, or a work week and a half, commuting. That was usually followed by several exclamation points. But if someone told you he only had a 15-minute commute, you’d be envious. You’d think he lived two blocks from his work and was able to walk there. Let’s do the math: 15 minutes is 30 minutes per day, or two and a half hours per week. Assuming a two-week vacation during the year, that equates to 125 hours a year, or THREE WORK WEEKS WASTED COMMUTING EVERY YEAR!!! Now, how long is YOUR commute and where do they come up with these numbers in the first place?

Questions, comments, random musings? Write to Steve@SprawlandCrawl.com