Author: subwayblogger

Ooo that smell…

subwayblogger3 Comments

I think that’s a song.

Stumbled across another interesting blog today.  This might become an addictive habit of searching for blogs to which I can relate.

Anyway, the blog in question,  The Odd Broad, had a post about subway smells.  Obviously, SB was attracted immediately.

Do you play the “What’s that smell game?”  SUBWAYblogger sure does.  However, it’s not always that easy to play.  During peak commute times, it hard to move around to explore and trace down the scent.  However, on a not-so-crowed morning, it may not be that difficult to locate where your local bum has taken a leak on the platform.

In case you didn’t know, the drains along the platform (usually where the wall meets the floor), bums use as their private urinals.  Also, they tend to head to the ends of the platform.  They will walk all the way to one end or the other and let loose off the edge.  Just an FYI for the next time you stand near the platform edge or near a drain.

So yeah, playing “what’s that that smell” can be fun.  However, when all you want to do is get away from people after a long day at work, smells can push you over the edge.  Nothing like standing face to face with a sea of humanity on a hot summer day with the smell of rotting Indian food lingering in the air.  Yum.

Funny New Discovery: I hate Duane Reade

subwayblogger4 Comments

It looks like a fairly new blog, but I hope it stays around. It’s so funny, that there’s probably no reason it won’t take off: I Hate Duane Reade: Service From Hell.

Basically, the blog rails on how poor the service is at DR, and how absolutely trashy the people are that work there. It’s one of those, “It’s funny because it’s true” blogs.

I stumbled across it because the author also sprinkles in a few NJT bashes every now and then. So of course, SUBWAYblogger loves those too.

As far a Duane Reade…yes, they are as bad as the blog says. I think the only reason they stay in business is because there’s one every 3 step in NYC. They have almost as many locations as Starbucks. Also, if you are a Chase Bank customer, there’s an ATM inside every DR location.

Other than that, the place is a complete nightmare. The stores are nice, but the people are morons. Here’s what you need to work there:

-A pulse
-One working eye
-Really long, fake nails
-A bad attitude
-Pants 3 or 4 sizes too small (women). Pants 3 or 4 sizes too big (men).
-Preferably no work ethic or customer service skills whatsoever
-5th Grade diploma (optional)

If you have any of the above, you’re in. Give it 3 weeks, and you’ll be regional manager.

Tribeca Film Festival: Subway Ads

subwaybloggerLeave a comment

Tribeca Film Festival 

The Budweiser Select subway ads are back promoting the Tribeca Film Festival again.   They always make me laugh because you don’t think of beer and movies.  You especially never think of the sophisticated film arts crowd and Bud Select.  But there they are, all over the subway.

Clearly, Bud pays for the ads as part of their association with the Film Festival.  So, the Film Festival is just happy go get whatever free advertising they can.  Completely understandable.

So here’s an idea.  I think they should promote that you get a free beer with your ticket when you come to see the films.  Granted, I don’t think that they have much problem selling tickets.  It tends to be a celebrity hotspot.  Even celebs not involved in a specific film show up to “support the art.” 

Last year’s ads are the exact same ones they used this year.  Instead, they should have on there that you get a Bud or two for free during the movie.  I’d probably go…even though it’s cheap beer. 

Who drinks Bud Select anyway?  And what ever happened to Zima?   I digress. 

Here’s why strollers shouldn’t be on the subway

subwayblogger1 Comment

Finally, someone makes my case for me without even knowing it.  This happens more than most people notice, but it’s exactly what is getting in the way of the rest of us.

Example:
The 6 train has been my subway for over 10 years, so it’s quite embarrassing that it took the station manager’s voice finally announcing the next train to make me realize that we were waiting for the wrong one. THU-THUD–the stroller caught on the turnstile on our way out. “God-dammnit” I grunted as I wrenched it over. “Yes, gentleman who is shooting me a look. I did just swear two inches from my child’s face. She doesn’t speak English yet, so get over it.”

However, I will give this mother credit because she was taking this little adventure in the middle of the day around 1pm.  That’s the appropriate time to be out and about with all your baby gear.  8am and 5:30pm are NOT the right times to be out.

Here’s why strollers shouldn’t be on the subway

subwaybloggerLeave a comment

Finally, someone makes my case for me without even knowing it.  This happens more than most people notice, but it’s exactly what is getting in the way of the rest of us.

Example:
The 6 train has been my subway for over 10 years, so it’s quite embarrassing that it took the station manager’s voice finally announcing the next train to make me realize that we were waiting for the wrong one. THU-THUD–the stroller caught on the turnstile on our way out. “God-dammnit” I grunted as I wrenched it over. “Yes, gentleman who is shooting me a look. I did just swear two inches from my child’s face. She doesn’t speak English yet, so get over it.”

However, I will give this mother credit because she was taking this little adventure in the middle of the day around 1pm.  That’s the appropriate time to be out and about with all your baby gear.  8am and 5:30pm are NOT the right times to be out.

Congestion Pricing: Friend of Foe of the Subway

subwayblogger1 Comment

Good or bad?  Let’s hope good!

Let’s backup.  What is congestion pricing?  Good question.  Congestion pricing is the theory of charging a fee to drive in congested areas of NYC during peak traffic times.

In this case,  rumour has it that Mayor Bloomberg is looking to have everywhere below 86th Street fall in the “fee” zone.  Right now, the proposal may be $8 to get down there.  How the fee would be collected is still up in the air.  Boy would toll booths suck!

Anyway, the idea is to 1) relieve traffic, and 2) improve the environmental quality of the city.  It is forecasted that by 2030, an additional million people will be in the city.

But, people still need to get places, right?  So that means people will be more likely to take public transportation.  That’s the goal anyway.  And everyone’s favorite public transportation method is the subway.

So is this a good thing or a bad thing?

On the bad side:

-More people means more crowds
-More wear and tear
-Slower commute

On the plus side:

-More subway revenue
-More an implied need for more service
-Perhaps delay a fare hike
-More focus on upgrading/maintaining the system

So yeah, it could suck that there would be a ton more people riding the subway.  But it could be a good thing because maybe that would draw more attention to repairing and fixing the subway.  Also, it might require more frequent service.

Ohh, and there’s the plus side of cleaner air and less horns on the road to honk.  So that’s good too, but the straphanger in me is a little scared!

BlackBerry Crash: SUBWAYblogger down for the count today

subwaybloggerLeave a comment

Blackberry

For once, it was not a MTA failure that caused drama in SUBWAYblogger’s morning commute. This time, it was BlackBerry!

As you may or may not be aware at this point, SUBWAYblogger writes most posts from the subway while actually riding the trains. Then, the posts are published remotely via BlackBerry.

Not today though!

BlackBerry had some major issues today. Most New Yorkers were without their hip-mounted friends for most of the day. Actually, the problem started around 8pm yesterday!

But I guess there’s worse things than a lack of subway related postings. The Canadian Parliament almost came to a screeching halt today. Politicians were throwing their handhelds against the wall.

Can you imagine Wall Street? People were probably wandering around like zombies, not knowing what to do with their lives!

“Please, help keep the subway clean.” I must be missing something

subwaybloggerLeave a comment

You know what always makes me laugh? The announcements that say, “Ladies and gentlemen, please help keep the subway clean and litter free. Dispose of trash…”

Keep the subway clean? That implies that the subway is clean in the first place, and that all we need to do is help maintain it. Clearly, that’s no where near the case.

How about, “Please help keep the sewer system clean…” Yeah, doesn’t make much sense either.

Maybe if the subway stations and trains were cleaned on a more regular basis, more people would feel obligated to chip in by cleaning up after themselves.

You have to figure that more regular cleanings would help make the system last longer. Parts of the system start falling apart because years of corrosive grime start to pile up. The trains themselves would probably suffer less wear and tear if they were cleaned top to bottom.

In the mean time, the announcement should be changed to something like, “Please help keep the subway from getting worse…”

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

“Please, help keep the subway clean.” I must be missing something

subwayblogger4 Comments

You know what always makes me laugh? The announcements that say, “Ladies and gentlemen, please help keep the subway clean and litter free. Dispose of trash…”

Keep the subway clean? That implies that the subway is clean in the first place, and that all we need to do is help maintain it. Clearly, that’s no where near the case.

How about, “Please help keep the sewer system clean…” Yeah, doesn’t make much sense either.

Maybe if the subway stations and trains were cleaned on a more regular basis, more people would feel obligated to chip in by cleaning up after themselves.

You have to figure that more regular cleanings would help make the system last longer. Parts of the system start falling apart because years of corrosive grime start to pile up. The trains themselves would probably suffer less wear and tear if they were cleaned top to bottom.

In the mean time, the announcement should be changed to something like, “Please help keep the subway from getting worse…”

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Wet enough for you?

subwayblogger3 Comments

 Subway walkway under water

(that’s what she said!)

Don’t you just hate when people say that?  Hot enough for you?  Cold enough for you?

No, thank you.  I prefer much wetter.  I enjoy sitting at my desk all day with wet shoes and pants.  The squishing sound when you walk is my favorite!

So yeah, as we all saw today (and the photo illustrates), the rain was bananas.  Where did you see the most flooding?

Today, I was at the 59th Street/Columbus Circle station today, and it was looking pretty rough.  The entire station is undergoing the most ridiculous looking renovations you’ve ever seen.  The street above the station was tore up all winter long.  Actually, it started back in the fall.  Anyway, there’s many areas where the street is ripped up exposing the subway platform/tracks below.  Naturally, the rain just pours in.

Then there’s tons of other construction going on there.  They are removing tons of asbestos. Yummy.  They also have these stupid “shacks” set up everywhere.  They spend weeks building these temporary rooms in the open areas of the station.  The walls are plywood painted blue, and lord knows what the are storing in there.  All I know is that every time I’ve been there in bad weather, everything is soaking wet.

Then there’s the under water tracks.  With all this track replacement work going on every weekend, how come more drainage isnt being installed?  You would think that since they have the entire trackbed pulled up, it would be pretty easy to add some drains.