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A lawsuit wouldn't be primarily to bring attention to the problem (although it would be a nice side benefit) but rather to get the system changed. There are countless examples where people who are harmed by the government or a corporation are banded together (or a test case is chosen) in a lawsuit to make a real difference. Brown vs. Board of Education is just one example of the power of lawsuits to change society for the better. Class action suits against the tobacco companies is another good example.

The bottom line is that money talks. If you want a dysfunctional organization like WMATA to change you have to sue them (or have congressional hearings) because they're too dysfunctional to change otherwise. A recent analogy is the Department of Veterans Affairs which is too dysfunctional to provide the services and benefits veterans have earned. There is a continual string of lawsuits against the VA demanding that they process applications in a timely manner, diagnosis veterans fairly and accurately, keep track of graves at Arlington Cemetery correctly, etc..

On the other hand, I think Falls Church's stance is disturbing and doesn't address any of the problems that were presented in the scenario

What's disturbing is the utter lack of regard for human life in the scenario. The problem is either a lack of training or a lack of willingness to abide by the rules of the road. Some organizations will never change unless they're forced to by the legal system or political power...WMATA is one of them.

by Falls Church on Jun 7, 2012 6:36 pm • link • report