Photo by Mr. T in DC on Flickr.

Metro has asked passengers not to open emergency doors. One did on a recent Green Line train at Shaw, creating delays. Reader Bitter Brew posted more details of what happened, and says the biggest problem was incomprehensible announcements and no other information from Metro staff. Here’s Bitter Brew’s comment:

What should you do [on Metro] when the crackling, incomprehensible intercom says something that sounds like “evacuate”?

My girlfriend was in the car where they opened the doors. She said the intercom and speakers, as with so many Metro cars, barely worked.

They stood there in the dark for over 20 minutes, with the typical semi-comprehensible Metro announcements. First “**static** be **static** momentarily,” which we can all translate as Metro’s favorite lie. Then “***static** hold **static** control ***static***.” Five minutes later, “**static** something brakes **static** apologize **static** delay.”

Then a Metro employee came through the car from one end to the other, saying nothing, and not responding to anyone’s questions. A couple more minutes of silence. Then “**static** evacuate **static** train **static** something safety.”

At that point, a buzz went up through the car. “Did he say ‘evacuate’?” someone asked. That’s when a knot of passengers by a door began to discuss whether they should open it and evacuate. Why? Because Metro told them to evacuate.

After another minute or two with no more announcements and no sign of any Metro personnel, they began to open the door. And just after they opened it, someone from Metro finally came in from the front of the car and began giving instructions to offload that way.

If Metro is unable and unwilling to communicate with passengers during its frequent lengthy breakdowns, or is going to make unclear announcements with words like “emergency” and “evacuate,” it can’t blame passengers for following the instructions they do have. And it shouldn’t — because sooner or later, the emergency is going to be a real, life-threatening one and if passengers are punished for taking the initiative now, they’re not going to take the initiative when they need to do so to save lives.