The Metro system, once a reliable point of pride for D.C.’s boosters, has had a rough few years: Safety problems, escalator outages, and rising prices have made the subway a regular subject of local griping. At times, it can be hard to keep up with the torrent of unflattering Metro-related scoops. As a public service, Washington City Paper is offering beleaguered riders this irregular round-up of recent media lowlights:

• Do you get motion sickness from Metro’s manual train control? Get ready for more of it.
• A China Daily writer says Metro beats Beijing’s subway in a race to the bottom.
• Mitch Hedberg once joked, “An escalator can never break, it can only become stairs.” It’s not funny anymore.
• Speaking of escalators: toes beware. “Metro keeps a box of flip-flops, sneakers and sandals pulled from escalators as reminders of what can happen.”
• Metro launched a new online store featuring a shirt that says “Safe, Reliable, Effective, Mobile.”
• Here’s a safety tip: stay the hell out of Metro’s rail yards.
• Local officials are fighting over the Dulles Silver Line project, and not even U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood can get them to play nice.

In better news this week: Metro’s glossary of broken escalator terms will give you something to contemplate while you’re huffing and puffing your way out of a station. And police have recovered the vehicle that was involved in two Metro parking lot carjackings.