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ChineseMetroRiderLA Proves Itself The George Clooney Of The Transit Blogosphere
Much like beloved actor/bachelor George Clooney, MetroRiderLA is disarmingly attractive and overflowing with dry charm, and because of this both George Clooney and MetroRiderLA are able to pull off some spectacular pranks. MetroRiderLA’s most recent victim is none other than the Los Angeles bicycle activist Enci, who runs the blog Illuminate LA.
Poor Enci fell victim to our charms today when she posted an item on her blog heralding the arrival of Metro L8Nite Service on the Red Line starting May 5th. When I saw this on my feed reader I was immediately reminded of the April Fool’s joke we pulled on our readers last month by announcing, with fake PDF brochure and all, the creatively named L8Nite concept in which riders could pay $8 to ride the Red Line all night on weekends. Unfortunately Enci was defenseless against my expertly designed PDF (my services are available, operators are standing by) and my witty ad copy (a second career perhaps).
I honestly feel really bad, because Enci’s write-up was so full of excitement and joy at the prospect of the nonexistent service. It’s a testament to the quality of life improvements good transit service COULD bring… if it existed in more than just my twisted imagination. But Metro, take heed, L8Nite may have just been a convoluted April Fool’s joke, but maybe the concept holds water. Enci didn’t seem to have a problem with paying a significant amount extra for a few hours of late night service, and I have a feeling she’s not the only one.
All the best pranks have a deeper message running through them, Clooney knows this and so does MetroRider. I hope the message of MetroL8Nite rings loud and clear.
Discussion
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Yes, I would pay more and as I was promoting this wonderful news all over town, people were all excited.
Your pdf document was so convincing that I fell for it. I probably should have been alarmed by your great pdf document. It does look too professional and too hip for any metro marketing campaign that I have seen in the past few years.
Maybe you should work for Metro and change things around for us! We are in need of good service and an all night service on the Red Line between NoHo and Downtown.
Looks like a good start to a people powered movement to me Fred.
Enci,
Sorry to say that even Fred would be unable to solve all of the problems (mostly financial) that are the aftermath of the consent decree.
Even undoing the service cuts that were to happen in June required postponement of such programs as the bus ridership improvement plan, and it is doubtful that there can be much more than six to twelve months’ reprieve of some of the most underused lines.
All night subway service is, sadly, a long way off.
Did I say something wrong?
I have to say Fred, I was very jealous of this April Fool’s joke. I totally hated you for coming up with it first. You are the god of public transit blogs…damn you!!!
Browne