September 11, 2007
Mayor Fenty: Man of the People, For Just One Day
D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty may be seen by his constituency as young, technologically savvy and constantly making personal appearances at even the smallest neighborhood events. But unlike his pal up in New York, rarely can he be seen riding public transportation, preferring to be whisked around town in his big, black Lincoln Navigator. And we're willing to concede that it probably makes more sense for the most part, seeing as how Fenty needs to get around quickly with staffers and security in tow.
But yesterday, reports the Post, the Mayor's office realized that Fenty couldn't show up at a press conference announcing some of the city's environmental initiatives, including the upcoming Car Free Day event on Tuesday, Sept. 18, without looking like a hypocrite.
The Metro was an option, but Fenty was running late and would have to walk several blocks. Someone offered a vehicle from the city's fleet of hybrids, but the mayor ruled that out. He countered by offering to hop on the expensive Cannondale bicycle he uses for triathlons, but then aides reminded him that he might become sweaty in his navy business suit.
Fenty ended up hopping on a No. 52 bus (see below) near the Wilson Building and took it up to Clifton, just a block away from his destination, Cardozo Senior High School. He then took the Metro back to work (see above.)
Like we said, it's understandable that Fenty would need to rely on a large vehicle to get to his various meetings and public appearances on a regular basis. But it would be nice if the Mayor and his staff had the sort of conversations about public transportation options like the one in Post story just a little more often. Making decisions to skip the car and take Metro or a bus sometimes is exactly the kind of behavior events like Car Free Day are meant to promote. We're not saying give up the Navigator, Mayor Fenty. But when it turns out getting to a meeting is as easy as hopping on a No. 52 bus, why not do it?
Photos by Lateef Mangum, courtesy of the Mayor’s Office
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When he's wearing a suit, does he scale down to just one Blackberry?
What I'd like to know is how long he had to wait and how many buses showed up at the same time, some overfull and some totally empty.
Metrobus, you're so wacky!
It's a good idea for Fenty, as well as other officers in his administration, to take public transport at least once in a while. Query whether Metro admin ever does?
I've been waiting for the right thread to post this, and I guess this is it: what the FUCK is up with the 42 bus lately? Did they cut service in half all of a sudden? It used to be that they came regularly and quickly in the mornings, but now they're far scarcer, with large crowds of pissed-off commuters trying to squeeze in at every stop between 16th Street and Connecticut Ave.
i wonder how many pedestrians the metrobus hit on the way?
I'm fairly certain I saw Anthony Williams on the Rosslyn escalator this morning.
Fenty ended up hopping on a No. 52 bus (see below) near the Wilson Building and took it up to Clifton, just a block away from his destination, Cardozo Senior High School.
Nice. A whole freaking block. But it's nice to see that a guy in a suit can walk up Clifton without getting a rock thrown at him. I guess that's progress.
Are you sure it wasn't Orville Redenbacher on that escalator?
Guest 6,
That would make sense. He took a job with FBR, and they're in Rosslyn.
"It's a good idea for Fenty, as well as other officers in his administration, to take public transport at least once in a while."
It's a better idea for them to use public transportation on a regular basis, as most people do.
Seriously, with the bow tie they could be twins.
i was in the metro when he and jim grahm had their great "photo op" with the "people"
fenty- if you'd like us to use the bus (as i'm want to do) can we get some motherfucking regularity with it?
i'm tired of waiting for buses that are 20+ minutes late at 10 pm.
Meanwhile, I saw the Mayor's black Lincoln Navigator (illegally) parked today (at a Metrobus stop) out front of Ruby Tuesday at Wisconsin and Van Ness. It was lunchtime. Driver nowhere to be seen.
I thought Fenty dropped the security details and drivers in order to drive himself around. There was a news story done about it recently. Has this changed?
Re your reference to Bloomberg, did you even read the post you linked to? He doesn't take the subway every day and he gets a nice cushy ride on his way to a subway stop so he doesn't have to ride too long with the rabble. Incessant NYC comparisons are so 1880.
He still uses the security detail some days, according to the Post story today. But yeah, he usually drives himself around.
Wait wait there's more! Fenty AND HIS WIFE get to use "sirens" so that they can run red lights. Apparently he couldn't get the police escort on this day?
Check it out: http://www.wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1070798