Rush Hour Race pitted the three transportation modes in a battle to the death, um, fastest commute this morning between Davis Square and Kendall Square. LivableStreets reports bike won, followed nine minutes later by the T. The car sputtered in last.
Steve Annear reports that, yes, the bicyclist stopped for all red lights.
Last year, Jack DeManche put together an unusual resume.
Via Almondette.
MBTA Transit Police report that even after two shots of pepper spray yesterday afternoon, a Chelsea man collared for trying to steal an Orange Line rider's phones managed to flee an officer - who managed to catch up with him and finally subdue him on a commuter-rail platform with his baton.
Police say an officer on routine patrol inside Back Bay station noticed two men holding down a third just inside the fare gates to the Orange Line around 6:40 p.m. According to a police report, one told the officer the man had tried to steal his phone down on the platform but that he and another Orange Line rider grabbed the guy, later identified as Jonathan Pagan, 20, and marched him upstairs in search of police.
Police say that after hearing their stories, the officer told Pagan he was under arrest. According to his report:
MBTA Transit Police report a train on the Fairmount Line hit somebody this evening in South Bay by Massachusetts Avenue. The person died; train service was halted for about an hour as police investigated.
Jessica Orndorff tweets:
Just saw an MBTA bus in Andrew with "!*%?&$" on its display.
The state reports on a data deal with Google in which about two dozen T stops will show up on Google Maps for Android and show you some of the innards of those stations, such as where to sit and where to get an escalator. Sadly, however, the maps do not show you the locations of underwear vending machines or Dunkin' Donuts, thus ruling out the possibility of plotting the quickets route from buying underwear to grabbing a medium regulah at Back Bay.
Boston Police today found and arrested Rafael Guzman, 21, charged with spitting at a driver on a 28 bus last month.
Guzman faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and assault and battery on a public employee. His alleged accomplice, Maurice Jones, 18, of Roxbury, was arrested three days after the incident, in which Guzman allegedly responded to requests to pay his fare by spitting at the driver after which Jones made motions as if he had a gun and cursed out the driver.
Innocent, etc.
Erin Sullivan reports from the Blue Line today:
Dude next to me on the MBTA had an iguana on his shoulder and I didn't notice until it tried TO CLIMB ON ME. There goes 10 years of my life. I fear reptiles as much as I fear birds only I SHOULD NEVER ENCOUNTER A REPTILE.
Alert New England reports somebody was stabbed in the throat by the Old State House entrance to the State Street T stop around 9 p.m. The T shut down the station to let police investigate the incident.
Christopher Baer tweeted not long after:
I saw a man holding a cloth to his throat getting into an ambulance outside State St. T station a few minutes ago.
The MBTA reports it will be running buses between Blandford and Babcock streets on the B line on Saturday to allow for track work near the BU Bridge.
Spitting images.
MBTA Transit Police today identified the man charged with spitting at a 28 bus driver on April 23 as Rafael Guzman, 21.
The Department of Homeland Security says the moves will ensure the tests, planned for this summer at Harvard, Porter and Davis on the Red Line, pose no risk to riders with immune problems, according to a DHS report - unlike fellow riders or snakes.
Channel 4 reports Homeland Security wants to test how well biological-warfare detectors in the T work by releasing actual bacteria in Red Line stops in Somerville and Cambridge.
The government assures us the Bacillus subtilis is perfectly harmless. Well, perfectly harmless for healthy people, at any rate. There's a public hearing for government officials to pretend to listen to your concerns on May 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Central Square Y.
In addition to the track work north of Harvard, a train broke down at Park Street just in time for the evening rush hour. Riders are not amused, except for the ones sitting next to adorable French-speaking little kids.
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