BlackBerry Bus

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   I never get angry at a driver for picking up just 2.  It's your car, if you only want 3 people that's perfectly fine.  So a minvan picking up 6 is ok, is a 15 passenger van ok?  It falls under your 20+ statement.  I'll ask again.  Where is the line between right and wrong?  Hint, it's a rhetorical question.

	I don't mean to come off as a jerk in this.  It's mentioned that slugging is a two way street.  It is, however, it's not equal.  As I mentioned, you are in your comfy car.  I'm not.  If the opportunity arises, and I (and 20 of my fellow slugs) can get a ride, I'll take it.  However, if I'm at the end of the line, and I see other cars waiting, I will speak up and have some slugs (along with myself) get into the other cars.

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scottt Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Slug Joined: 12 May 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 106	Post Options Post Reply Quote scottt Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 8:08am
	I never get angry at a driver for picking up just 2. It's your car, if you only want 3 people that's perfectly fine. So a minvan picking up 6 is ok, is a 15 passenger van ok? It falls under your 20+ statement. I'll ask again. Where is the line between right and wrong? Hint, it's a rhetorical question. I don't mean to come off as a jerk in this. It's mentioned that slugging is a two way street. It is, however, it's not equal. As I mentioned, you are in your comfy car. I'm not. If the opportunity arises, and I (and 20 of my fellow slugs) can get a ride, I'll take it. However, if I'm at the end of the line, and I see other cars waiting, I will speak up and have some slugs (along with myself) get into the other cars.

ETC Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 08 Dec 2009 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote ETC Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Oct 2013 at 9:07am
	The slug hog that cleans the line of all riders is breaking the system. It means that the drivers who arrive after have to wait longer than normal, which means time is ticking before the bewitching hour when HOV is moot.

DriverForHire Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 05 Oct 2013 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote DriverForHire Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 Oct 2013 at 8:24am
	The answer is simple. Get together $4B and buy Blackberry and put an end to the madness

snlfam Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 01 Oct 2009 Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote snlfam Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 Oct 2013 at 2:08pm
	As a rider, I don't have any problem with it. As a driver, I can see how this would be annoying. There is no contract where a rider says "I will ride in a car from this line between X:XX and X:XX 5 days a week." just as there is no reverse contract for drivers. The whole system is voluntary and based on economic principles and maximizing utility (I think I just gave away my background) [:)]. However, it does change the system. Unless I am mistaken, there is only 1 BlackBerry Bus (BBB), and it only serves 1 of the pick-up locations each day each way. My belief is that it is solely advertising. They extend the contract of "get a ride to where your going, allow us to advertise to you". (Disclaimer- I have never used the BBB even though I had the opportunity, so it may be different than I believe.) I have always believed that there is a balance of "always drivers", "always riders", and "sometimes one, sometimes the other". Having a bus encourages that balance to shift to more riders and fewer drivers. If the bus is consistent, the equilibrium will adjust given enough time. If it is more random (as it seems to be), it will "throw a wrench in the system" by creating more unpredictability. However, I am not aware of any law prohibiting this... so everyone is free to make their own choice on any given day. My fear is that when the bus stops, the rider lines will take a long time to adjust to the new equilibrium... which will be just the opposite of the current situation... good for drivers, bad for riders.

GetMeOffOLine Members Profile Find Members Posts New Slug Joined: 23 Jan 2013 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote GetMeOffOLine Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 31 Oct 2013 at 3:21pm
	I can understand the frustration for the drivers. For the riders, it can seem like a heaven-sent opportunity especially when it's really hot, or cold, or raining. Or a Friday and it feels like nobody's going to come. But, I do see where the drivers are coming from. I don't know that it needs to get to the point of trying to take down the company or anything, but I do get the frustration. And heck, the Kent Street line at Rosslyn sometimes has drivers that will clear the line and riders or drivers have to wait sometimes. That's the nature of the game. I don't get angry about that, it's just what it is, and it's a heck of a lot better than riding the Metro.

scottt Members Profile Find Members Posts Senior Slug Joined: 12 May 2004 Location: VA Status: Offline Points: 106	Post Options Post Reply Quote scottt Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 01 Nov 2013 at 8:49am
	Snifam, There is ZERO predictability in the slug lines. I get to the afternoon slug line each day at almost exactly the same time. One day there could be 60-70 people in line, the next day 6-7. For example. Wed this week when I got to the line there were at least 55 people in line. Yesterday there were two cars waiting for slugs. The only thing predictable about the slug lines is that you can't predict them.