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The first online-only news site in state history to get media credentials to cover the state capitol and Seattle city hall, PubliCola has been called a “must-read” by the Seattle Post Intelligencer and a hot “New Media Mover and Shaker” by Seattle Magazine—which also cited our own Erica C. Barnett as the city's No. 1 news nerd.

See, I Told You So

News   August 14, 2009 at 10:22 am Erica C. Barnett

Apropos of my earlier post about ORCA card malfunctions (Metro and Sound Transit say they haven’t heard of any major problems), I snapped this pic at the Columbia City light rail station this morning:

23

It took a few tries, but I finally got the other reader (which kept saying something like, “please try card again”) to work.


  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Note to Metro & Sound Transit: Don’t sweat this. It’s definitely a problem on the user end. Erica has a catastrophic history with technology.

  • http://publicola.net/ Josh Feit

    Note to Metro & Sound Transit: Don’t sweat this. It’s definitely a problem on the user end. Erica has a catastrophic history with technology.

  • Dan

    Which interface did you request? Dumbass newbie? Or experienced commuter?

  • ap

    Give Metro a break, it’s hard to hear of problems when its head is being chopped off due to lack of funding.

  • ap

    Give Metro a break, it’s hard to hear of problems when its head is being chopped off due to lack of funding.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    So, that ticket doesn’t support the full cost of the system? Huh, that is strange.

    Anyway, looks like Erica is not getting her vote counted, er, transaction counted.

  • http://manywordsforrain.blogspot.com/ Mr. Baker

    So, that ticket doesn’t support the full cost of the system? Huh, that is strange.

    Anyway, looks like Erica is not getting her vote counted, er, transaction counted.

  • Adam

    I find it strange that ST managed to place the ORCA readers in the worst possible places at most stations (aside from there not being enough of them). Last night, at Stadium station on the way to the ballgame, a downpour ensued and it was plainly obvious that the readers had insufficient cover and were getting rained on. This summer’s ridiculous weather notwithstanding, this is not going to work in the long run.

  • Adam

    I find it strange that ST managed to place the ORCA readers in the worst possible places at most stations (aside from there not being enough of them). Last night, at Stadium station on the way to the ballgame, a downpour ensued and it was plainly obvious that the readers had insufficient cover and were getting rained on. This summer’s ridiculous weather notwithstanding, this is not going to work in the long run.

  • http://www.topichotlist.com/ Daniel K

    From yesterday:

    Metro spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershock said, pretty unequivocally, that she hasn’t heard of any problems with the readers or the cards.

    Maybe Metro hasn’t “heard” of problems, they’ve just “seen” them or “read” about them.

  • http://www.topichotlist.com/ Daniel K

    From yesterday:

    Metro spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershock said, pretty unequivocally, that she hasn’t heard of any problems with the readers or the cards.

    Maybe Metro hasn’t “heard” of problems, they’ve just “seen” them or “read” about them.

  • Lee

    I realize those things need to alert you when your card didn’t scan properly, but do they really need to be loud enough to be heard two blocks away?

  • Lee

    I realize those things need to alert you when your card didn’t scan properly, but do they really need to be loud enough to be heard two blocks away?

  • LinOr RgBe

    @5,

    Perfect.

  • LinOr RgBe

    @5,

    Perfect.

  • Barnerd

    May I be so bold to point out that ‘We have not heard of this problem’ is employee-speak for, ‘Actually, we know all about this problem…but we cannot really admit to it’.

    All I have to say is that next time (in my case) that Sprint tells me that my phone’s error is one that they “have not heard of’, I have to remember to go easy on the Sprint employee…they surely feel their soul blackening each time that they tell that lie…

    Yes. I know that I should get an iPhone. Thanks.

  • Barnerd

    May I be so bold to point out that ‘We have not heard of this problem’ is employee-speak for, ‘Actually, we know all about this problem…but we cannot really admit to it’.

    All I have to say is that next time (in my case) that Sprint tells me that my phone’s error is one that they “have not heard of’, I have to remember to go easy on the Sprint employee…they surely feel their soul blackening each time that they tell that lie…

    Yes. I know that I should get an iPhone. Thanks.

  • Dan

    Which interface did you request? Dumbass newbie? Or experienced commuter?