The only blog written from the NYC Subway system

I witnessed a funny encounter today on the subway.

It was just a typical morning like usual.  The train was fairly crowded.

There was a girl sitting down and another girl standing in front of her with her iPod in reading a book.  The girl sitting down looked up, and with a somewhat puzzeled look on her face when she saw the other girl.

“Hey Stephanie,” the girl sitting down said.

She said it a few times because “Stephanie” didn’t hear her due to the iPod.  Finally, she did and popped out a an earbud.

“Sorry, I’m not Stephanie. She’s my sister.”

Turns out that this girl is an identical twin.  The girl sitting down works with the sister apparently.  That’s why she was so confused that this girl didn’t say hello when she was standing right in front of her.

The girl appologized laughed and apologized.  The twin said it was no problem and it happens all the time.

Yeah that’s right.  Strippers.

There’s a shocking amount of videos online of people treating the subway poles like stripper poles.  I mean a LOT. Here’s just a sample.

Not enough?  There’s more.  Continue Reading >>

Wow was I off my subway game today.

I swiped at the turnstile and walked right into the bar.  My Metrocard expired and I totally forgot.  So like an idiot, I had to squeeze back out and get one.

Then the Metrocard machine I went up to was not working for some reason.  It wouldn’t read any of my credit cards.  So I had to try another one.

When I finally got through, I got to the bottom of the stairs just as the train was leaving.

Once a train came, and I got on board, I was completely out of my normal position.  I kept getting caught in the flows of people getting off at each stop.  Normally I get into a spot where I can stand still all the way with minimal movement.  This time, it was in a different spot after each stop.  Annoying.

Then at my stop, I walked all the way to the end of the concourse only to find that my normal exit was closed off for construction.

It was an all around nightmare.  Glad its day one.

Here’s some beautiful photos from the New York City Subway I found. Feel free to post links to others in the comments. (Note: Comments with links often get held in the moderation queue. I will check and approve them though!)

Did you ever walk into the subway station an notice that a lot of people (including yourself) are having trouble swiping through the turnstile?

I’ve seen it happen three or four times before, and had it happen to me.

We’re regular New Yorkers that swipe through the turnstile everyday without problem.  Then all of a sudden, you try to swipe through just like any other day and you get the dreaded “Please swipe again at this turnstile.”  You swipe again…nothing.  Again…nothing.  Then on the fifth or sixth try, it works.   What the hell was that?  It’s like you’re a clueless tourist or something.

That happened today, but it wasn’t just me.  It seemed that people were having issues at all the turnstiles.  We were all looking at each other like, “Are we being punked here?”

I mean, people were getting through, but it took everyone swiping a few times each.

What’s in store for the state of public transportation in New York City?  With how fast things happen, it is hard to say.

What we do know is that 2009 is likely to be the most dramatic we’ve seen in decades.  The MTA is litterally falling apart with over a billion dollars in budget deficits.  Even the current talks of fare hikes are starting to be seen as only the first wave in hikes.  By the end of the year (or even 2010), the fare increase could double.

The system continues crumble around us due to the bare bones maintenence done, and service cuts are to be expected.

One thing is for certain: SUBWAYblogger will be here to chronicle the insanity for the rest of us.  Your contributions are always welcome.

So now it is time to take a look back at our most popular posts from 2008:

1. New MTA Subway Fares: (March 2008) If you went to the MetroCard machine today to buy a new monthly card and felt an odd sensation in your rear, that was the MTA raping you.
2. MIT Kids Please Come Hack Us: (November 2008) Apparently, some students at MIT made it a class project to hack the Boston subway system (aka the T).  As a matter of fact, the title of the project is: “The Anatomy of a Subway Hack: Breaking Crypto RFIDs & Magstripes of Ticketing Systems.”
3. Ads Promoting Islam on the Subway: (July 2008) Let the drama begin. Apparently this September, straphangers will see ads on the subway promoting Islam. (Oh nooo !!) How can we protect our children from these ads that will surely turn them into terrorists instantly?
4. Man Falls on Tracks, Train Runs Over Him, Survives: (May 2008) An unidentified man fell onto the tracks today at Delancey Street while waiting for the F train.  Luckily he fell in a way which allowed his body to fall into the cutout ditch between the rails.  Lucky?  Definitely, because an F train was just seconds away and ran over his body.
5. It’s Baaaaack.  Congestion Pricing.: (August 2008) Just when you thought congestion pricing was dead, a weak heartbeat is heard.  In light of the abolutely astonishing deficit facing the MTA next year, the state is starting to get desperate in it’s search for funds.  Let’s back up and review.
6. Jumper DOA at 49th Street on the N Train: (February 2008) There are reports this morning that there was a person under a train that was dead on arrival at the 49th Street stop on the N train.
7. The Most Disgusting thing I’ve Ever Seen:  (July 2008) So I’ve seen a lot of gross stuff happen, especially in the subway.  Gross, smelly, oozing homeless feet.  Fat, sweating, pigs of human beings in airconditionless subway cars.  Really, it takes a lot to make my skin crawl.  However, this put me over the edge.
8. NYPD Flaunts $32,881 Salary?: (August 2008) Is the NYPD really flaunting the new starting salary for recruits?  It’s $32,881.  Where in Manhattan can you live for $32k a year?  Hell, it hard to make ends meet with twice that.
9. Russian Girl Gets Smacked in the Face on Subway: (June 2008) Video of Russian girl getting smacked.
10. Bed Bugs Attack Subway: (May 2008) As if we don’t have enough things to dodge in the subway, like homeless bums. Now we have to watch out for bed bugs.

I’d like to thank everyone for supporting SUBWAYblogger over the last three years.  YOU are why we keep this site going, and we love your comments.  Here’s to keeping our jobs and having a happy 2009!

Times Square Wishing Wall

Shockingly, the Times Square subway station was not really crowded at all today around 3pm when the area was being closed down for tonight’s festivities.

Generally speaking the Times Square subway station is always crowded in the middle of the way.  It gets even more so when there’s a major event going on up on street level.  It actually can get a little overwhelming.  If feels like a flowing river almost.  You get stuck in a mass of people moving one way, and you have to strategically move into the proper flow to get where you’re going.

But as always, even the worst weather never keeps the insane revelers away.  Even complete downpours won’t scare them off.  So a little cold and snow certainly won’t.

Sometimes I think how much money you could make selling flasks to people as they come out of the subway on New Year’s Eve.  Think about it.  You could probably get $20 per flask of rum or whiskey easily.  Just buy boxes of $5.00 flasks and cheap booze, and go to town selling.

Ehhh…I’ll stay in this year.

The first of eight public hearings to discuss the proposed fare hikes and crossing tolls is coming up on January 14th at the Hilton right here in Manhattan.

Are any of you planning on attending?

I have a meeting during the hearing, so I don’t think I will be able to make it.  Wish I could.

If you are planning on attending, and you use Twitter, let SUBWAYblogger know by posting comment.  You can find SUBWAYblogger on Twitter already. We’ll post a link to your Twitter feed for live updates from the hearing.

Maybe you plan on live blogging it…we’ll link to that too.