Subways are for sleeping: NYC Transit survival thread

had the most uncomfortable subway experience in a while the other week. just another crazy guy, but this one was really angry. he started out by ripping apart a loaf of bread he was carrying and throwing it piece by piece against the door opposite him. the car was crowded and people just kind of edged away as much as possible from him and the growing pile of bread bits. he was muttering at first but got louder and louder until he was almost yelling each time he threw the bread, "motherfucker i TOLD you, you wanna fuck with ME?" etc etc. then he jumped up and slammed his hand really hard against the door and kind of looked around like he was daring anyone to say anything. the whole car studiously avoided eye contact with him, and he basically shoved his way down the car to the next door and got off at the next stop. then a few people kicked all the bread off the floor and out the door. but it was pretty tense for a few minutes. there were a good number of good-sized guys in the car, and i'm pretty sure that if the guy had actually tipped over into violence, he could've been taken down pretty easily. and you could see everyone sort of bracing for that possibility. but the crazy guy seemed to know that too -- he was pushing right up to the edge, but he didn't really want to get his ass kicked.

anyway, i hate that shit.

(oh, and it wasn't just bread. it started as bread and then became bits of turkey or whatever lunch meat he had with him.)

Seem to recall that kind of stuff happening on a daily basis back in the 70s and early 80s.

well, there are things to like about the new new york.

Well maybe you were getting a taste of the new old new york.

does that mean i hafta get a gun?

Yes, if you don't feel your drunken master tipsy mothra powers are sufficient.

via adamschefter:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xopwmval2jY

(oh, laurel first, I guess)

Indeed.

beautiful video.

Riders of 18 lines royally screwed this weekend (take the F & G shuttle bus, yeah right):

http://gothamist.com/2009/10/08/widespread_subway_interruptions_com.php

http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/2930

Afraid to click.

Last night I went down to 5 & 53rd E/V platform and waited so long I started hallucinating that I was seeing Harry Lime running out of the tunnel. Finally I looked around for the advisory- no Queensbound trains from 10PM to 5AM. 10PM? Didn't this kind of thing used to start at midnight?

Morbius: get a bike. It has made my weekends so much better.

I've never ridden one.

Let's hear some good shuttlebus stories on Monday.

never?!?!

I might have gotten on one now and then, but it didn't go anywhere.

No matter what I wear, even if I slightly underdress for the cool walk to the subway, once I get on the super-humid terrarium-like F train, within two minutes I have full upper body ring-around-the-collar.

Anyone wanna share in my happiness that this is the last weekend for the fucked up L train? WE'RE SO CLOSE GUYS.

Aargh. How can you be damp and cold and sweaty at the same time?

http://ga3.org/campaign/mtabudgetcut

Carry On, Brave Soul!

goddam, lady. bloodcurdling horror-movie shrieking is for when you see a baby down on the tracks. not a rat, ffs.

having had the opportunity to observe NYC: The Dinkins Years up close and personal, let me just say: LOOOOOL

Jesse, you don't know what you will be missing.

I'm confused.

M.T.A. Proposes Severe Service Cuts; 2 Subway Lines May Be Eliminated

the MTA finance com'tee approved it today.

exactly how would the G be reduced?

It will now be horse-drawn.

http://council.nyc.gov/html/action_center/mta.shtml

when i heard that story i was shocked to know the Z still existed!
xpost

gabbneb's fave guv strikes again:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2009/12/17/2009-12-17_gov__pols_derailed_students_free_rides_hidden_deal_revealed_as_mta_unveils_propo.html

i suppose it doesn't really matter because money is short everywhere, but it kinda seems like the funding for students' transportation ought to be coming out of some other budget besides the mta's

I heard on WNYC this morning it used to be split 3 ways by state, city, MTA (Giuliani put a stop to that).

ok, fancypants guy in expensive-looking tie and overcoat, we really are flattered by your presence and we can tell you don't often frequent subterranean transit. but, some friendly advice: if you are really so freaked out by the hoi polloi or swine-a-phobia or whatever your problem is that you can't even bring yourself to touch the poles or handrails, you should really have some gloves. because tottering around like a drunken landlubber on stormy seas, careening from side to side and almost running into everybody around you because you refuse to put out a hand to steady yourself, is not a very good look.

Anyone know what was up with the 4/5 today? First they said it was because of someone requiring "medical attention" then later it was "debris on the tracks" then it was a fight at one of the stations.

all i know is this weekend was the most dumbest weekend for brooklyn trains in a while if you asked me

no 2/3, not even at fulton street? 4 train running local? a/c on a shuttle bus btw jay and utica?

All was fine in the F/G/Q corridor over here.

Except I ran into the No Pants Riders on Sunday. I only stared at the ppl with really nice thighs and glutes.

The subways were RETARDED this weekend. I avoided them completely. Buses all the way, holler.

Somehow I have avoided all the bullshit this last week or so. The week before the week of Christmas I was late to work every day, even when I started to get up earlier. Of course, Christmas week made up for that. Had the 2/3 practically to myself until Atlantic Ave every day going in.

Now its back to suck I guess.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/19/nyregion/19brake.html?hp

im glad someone finally cleared up what the emergency brake is for

next up: how exactly do i contact a member of the train crew in the event of fire/medical emergency? thats the first recommended step but what am i supposed to do, walk five cars down to find the conductor?

hey, most weekend subway work cancelled due to snow panic! including the G?

It was a bit of a mess last night. Went drinking with a friend in Queens but we live in Crown Heights. Thankfully, one of the random bars I went to in LIC had ALL of the service cancellation information printed out so we read through it, and, a random free bus ride later, made it back to the Q and eventually Atlantic Ave and the 4 and home...

so IS the G running?

MTA Board Approves Widespread Service Cuts

Is this sposed to kill the V train? Wdn't mind that actually...

Is it just me or does that mtauser person in the comments sound looney-tunes?

"MTA should cut back more. All lines to bad areas should be cut...No need to have the train running to a lot of locations it is now available in as well as the bus."

"New York City only needs a transit system for 1/10th of the footprint it has now. Most of the locations on the map are locations one wouldn't even want to go to."

I...uhh...

https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/1306/t/4418/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=3443&;tag=mtashirt