Letters to the Editor: A modest proposal for transit safety: Every rider gets a gun

To the editor: I can’t believe that nobody has come up with the obvious solution to violence on public transportation yet. There’s a sublime solution that doesn’t require more police officers on trains and buses and at stations. (“They want to ride buses and trains, but they’re afraid. For riders old and young, Metro must be safer,” column, May 9)

You simply have an armorer on each train and bus hand out a gun to every passenger who gets on and then collects the guns when they get off.

Except for the children of course. They will get knives. And the driver is allowed to carry a flamethrower.

Problem solved.

Robert Joseph Narlian, Escondido

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To the editor: The “concern” expressed by city and Metro leaders over how lawlessness on buses and trains makes riders feel unsafe rings hollow to me.

I often see people jumping over the ticket gates at the stations without paying, which helps create an atmosphere where there are no rules. It starts making me feel foolish for paying my own fare.

I rode the BART system in San Francisco recently, where there were employees checking that riders had paid fares before boarding. I also saw security guards who did not allow loitering or misbehavior at the stations. Of course, the increased revenue from riders actually paying fares helps fund these safety services, which are welcomed by the public.

I would like to see our political leaders take charge of the general chaos in our Metro system and begin serving the taxpaying citizens of Los Angeles.

Doug Weiskopf, Burbank

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To the editor: I would like to express my gratitude to columnist Steve Lopez for his recent articles highlighting the Metro system and its impact on seniors. For more than five decades, my husband and I have enjoyed using public transportation worldwide.

As in places such as Mexico City, Los Angeles should implement designated seating areas for seniors, women, disabled riders and children to enhance safety and comfort by reserving sections painted pink for these vulnerable groups.

This would address concerns about disruptive behavior and lack of courtesy on L.A.’s Metro. Implementing reserved seating sections, potentially with stricter monitoring and enforcement, would directly improve the riding experience for elderly and disabled passengers as well as women and children.

Paulette Greenberg, Culver City