The MTA is testing some new verbiage on the subway aimed at getting rid of the term “last stop.”

Normally, when you come to the end of the line, the announcer says that “this is the last stop.”  Believe it or not, those words are dangerous.  No, we aren’t kidding.  Apparently, people flip out if the suddenly realize that they are still on the train at the last stop. 

The riders panic and try to get off the train, when in reality, the train is just going to go pull a U-Turn and end up on the opposite side of the platform.  But people don’t realize that when they hear, “last stop.”  They must think the train is going to the rail yard for the night or something.

Also, the annoucement is being modified to advise riders that choose to stay on board that they must stay inside the cars until it as come to a complete stop.  Obviously?  Not really.  Some people walk between cars while the train is in “the loop.”  At that time, the train is making a sharp turn.  The cars spread apart and come back together pretty quickly. That’s how a guy died back in January.  He was standing between the cars taking a leak when the train made the sharp City Hall loop.