Another MTA Fare Hike

So SUBWAYblogger has been waiting for the rumors of yet another MTA fare hike to shake out before passing judgement.  And her it is…

You’ve gotta be f***ing kidding me.

They haven’t said what the details of the proposed hike are yet, but there are some initial reports.  Those reports say there could be an 8% increase next July, and another 5% hike in 2011.

The need for the increase in fare has been attributed to higher fuel costs and lower real estate revenue.

The city needs to do better negotiating for it’s gas reserves then.  And the state should remove the tax on that gas (maybe they do already…who knows).

So if that is the case, then just the bus fares should go up, sorry grandma.  You’re going to need to carry more quarters in your purse.

Old Cars with Old Ads?

DVD of When We Left Earth
DVD of When We Left Earth

I don’t know if they had to reactivate a car on my train today or what, but all the ads were out dated.

The first car I got in had no air conditioning (or passengers for that matter).  So I broke the law, and walked between the cars while the train was moving.  I know, I’m a bad ass.

In that car, the air was running but it was skinned in Discovery Channel ads for the “new” series, “When We Left Earth.” The ad says it premiers June 8th.

Ummm…it’s July now.

This thing had ads for this show on the ceiling and EVERY available ad position.  It was a complete takover.

Maybe this car had been sitting in the yard unused, so they didn’t bother swapping out the ads.  Then all of  a sudden, it was reactivated due to other cars breaking down.  Who knows.

It’s the only thing I could come up with to explain the month and a half old ads.

Turns out that part of your body sweats too

Nothing beats the feeling of sweat running down your leg while you stand perfectly still on the train platform.

And how about those train cars you walk into without air conditioning.  It’s like walking into an oven.

At first you get in the heat car and you’re a little shocked.  Then you think to yourself, quick…switch cars!  Just then, the doors close.  Damn.

“Well, this isn’t too bad,” you think to yourself.

Then the panic sets in.  All you can think about is the mad dash you are going to make at the very next stop.

Finally, the train gets to the next stop, and you bolt out.  Hopefully you are spry enough to make it to the next car before the doors close again.

The Most Disgusting Thing I’ve Ever Seen

Nail Clipper

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.

I was on a 3 train coming from downtown.  It was pretty crowded, and kinda hot.  The AC was working, but not too well.  The trains were also slow, so there was a slightly higher number of people in each train.

I was standing at the end of a car, standing over the little two-seater.  There was an 16 or 17 year old couple (guy and girl).

Just to paint the picture…

Her: Tight, tiiiiight black acid washed jeans.  Halter top that didn’t quite make it over the muffin top.  High tops.  Little acne problem.

Him: All black clothing starting at the top with the Yankees cap and do-rag.  Cap at the standard 45 degrees, but also askew like a beret.  Black t-shirt long enough to go past his knees.  Fake silver chain with a cross and skull.

Here comes the grossness…you’ve been warned.

At first I look down, and she is picking the dirt out from under his fingernails.  Already, I’m grossed out.  She gets to his thumb, and starts having issues.

Her fake acrylic nails are getting in the way.  And he has one little corner on his nail that is a little sharp.  She starts to try to pick the sharp corner off to no avail.

So then (cue drum roll), she puts his thumb in her mouth to bit his thumbnail!  I shit you not.  She starts biting his nails like they were her own.  Just chompin’ away.

She nibbles an entire strip as if she were a nail clipper, and spits it out at my feet.  Then moves on to the next finger.

He’s just sitting there, too hardcore for life, like nothing odd is going on at all.  Meanwhile, his fingernails are getting a mouth manicure right before our very eyes.

Possibly one of the most retarded things I have seen to date. y

Bon Jovi Subway Changes

Bon Jovi Subway Sign

You know you are a rockstar when your concerts cause the New York City subway to reroute in advance.

Apparently, there won’t be any C trains running along the Upper West Side.  Concert entrances are at 72nd Street.  Your ticket says which side (Central Park West or 5th Ave) you have to enter.

You can only enter the concert on the side on your ticket.

Photo orangejuicy.  Story Gothamist.

Striking Similarity or Pink Copycat

You Be the Judge…

Fat People:

Subway Gal and Here
SUBWAYblogger
and Here

Homeless:
Subway Gal
SUBWAYblogger and Bums Category

Sleeping on Subway:
Subway Gal
SUBWAYblogger

Emergency Exits
Subway Gal
SUBWAYblogger

Pee
Subway Gal
SUBWAYblogger

Fare Increase, Same Crappy Service
Subway Gal
SUBWAYblogger

Heat and Air Conditioning
Subway Gal
SUBWAYblogger and Here (same headline) and Here

I mean, I’m just sayin’.  🙂

Hero Reports

I promise this is not an advertising plug.  I legitimately think this think is pretty cool, so that’s why I’m posting about it.  It just so happens, they are an advertiser this week.

Anyway, check out “Hero Reports.”

It’s by MIT about the people who “See Something, and Say Something.”

The idea is to track down the 1,944 people who “saw something” last year, and map out their instances of heroism.  It turns out, the stories of these can be pretty interesting.

Some of the stories are legitimately security related, but most are stories of kindness.  Strangers doing something to help other strangers.  It’s worth a look.

You can also post you own stories.  I have a feeling if SUBWAYblogger started posting stories there, the site would get overloaded.

Lean On Your Best Friend

…for the $50 he owes you, but don’t lean on the subway car doors. It’s dangerous–and you block other people. We’re serious about safety. (But clearly not about our public safety ads)

The little nugget above is brought to you by the subway ad I am standing across from right now.

I think I may have seen this one before because the guy in the photo leaning on the door looks familiar. I don’t think I’ve ever read it though.

Wow.

So just when you think the MTA’s ads couldn’t get any more lame, WHAM! There’s another one.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

The Price of Being a Cheapskate Just Went Up

NYC Subway Turnstile

Ever thought of just jumping the turnstile when your Metrocard stopped working for some unknown reason?  You know you have plenty of cash/rides left on it, so it must be something wrong with the machine.  So screw it, just jump over and move on with your life.

Well, that little maneuver is going to cost you a lot more if you get caught.  The price of bouncing over the bar is now one-hundo ($100), and the new price kicked in Monday.

It used to cost you $60, but apparently that was too affordable for the homeless guys and neighborhood teens that just jump over without even a hesitation.  So upping it to $100 ought to do the trick.

They even have a special division of court that handles fare jumpers, called the Transit Adjudication Bureau.  Aka TAB.

Subway Security Bag Checks are Optional

In case you get stopped by an officer to search your bag on the subway (chances are extremely low), just keep in mind that letting them check is completely optional.  You don’t have to let NYPD officers go through your bag.  It’s totally up to you.  All the police can do is refuse to allow you on the train.

I always knew that…hell it says so right on the sign they have at the table.  However, I never really thought about it that much until I read this from a SUBWAYblogger commenter.

So if a terrorist were to get stopped for an inspection, all they would have to do is say no, and get on the train somewhere else.

Kinda scary.