COTA CRIMES: Our Filthy Bus Stops (an occasional series): The southbound No. 2 stop across from the OSU Kroger store (1301 North High Street)

All Aboard COTA Crimes!

A veteran commuter, including almost two decades riding the coaches and rails of New York City's Metropolitan Transit Authority, I have been amazed at the lack of accountability on the part of the Central Ohio Transit Authority, particularly when it comes to the ineptitude and inconvenience of the system, and treatment of its customers. Unlike most metropolitan newspapers, The Columbus Dispatch barely covers this beat--I guess it's readers all are safely ensconced in their earth-killing machines and don't ever have to bother with riding the bus. Even now, most people look at me strange when I explain that I'm a bus rider and don't have a car. But even more astounding to me is the riding public's apparent willingness to endure rude drivers, bad service, nonexistent transfer procedures, and fare increases, just to name a few injustices. This blog will serve to document the abuses, highlight service lapses and shortcomings, and put the word out about discourteous drivers. Kudos will be provided when earned, and readers are encouraged to contribute accounts of their own experiences. It is hoped that the effort will result in the establishment of a commuter-advocacy organization like New York's Straphanger Campaign, to put the system's wheels to the fire. WE DESERVE BETTER!!!

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Our Filthy Bus Stops (an occasional series): The southbound No. 2 stop across from the OSU Kroger store (1301 North High Street)

A number of "jammin'" bus stops exist along North "High" Street, especially around the city's historical Skid Row district (known in old Columbus as "Flytown," now known as the trendy Short North, and chock-full of expensive boites, overpriced boutiques, and craft-beer joints that now cater to the area's uber hipster elite.) Despite the efforts of well-meaning, quality-of-life-citin' gentrifiers who want the area made safe and sterile for boyfriends and baby buggies, ragtag bands of resilient disciples of Bacchus and his liquid libations regularly still can be seen having an impromptu wine-bottle tip at several of local COTA stops.

Two weeks ago, I was coming home from a poetry reading at a gallery in the neighborhood and had to fjord a lake of puke assumedly left by the bedraggled wino leaning on a nearby wall at the southbound No. 2 North High Street and West Fourth Avenue stop.

While I took these photos last fall, conditions are still pretty ripe at the stop, which also caters to clients of the mental-health center just behind it, as well as shoppers spree-spending their blood money at the Kroger liquor store, having just sold their life fluid at the nearby plasma-prostitution establishment.

Here's some recent scenes:

Southbound view.

Overturned newspaper racks litter the scene.

Inside the shelter, a passed-out casualty of the afternoon's festivities snoozes on. Earlier, he had been chugging out of a brown paper bag with a buddy, then started to nod off. The buddy tried to rouse him to no avail. Eventually, a kind cop gently succeeded in getting him up, and Dude tottered on down the street--dazed but otherwise unharmed.