Author: subwayblogger

Portable Reading

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Isn’t it great how the Wall Street Journal is now a more commuter friendly size? SUBWAYblogger thinks so.

In case you didn’t notice, the WSJ recently trimmed about three inches or so off the width of the paper. The result is more of a “travel size” version.

The paper claims they did it to make it easier for the typical public transportation user to carry the Journal with them. However, we all really know that it’s the $15 million $18 million + that they will save in paper costs that really inspired the move. Still, it was a great move.

SUBWAYblogger has seen more (or maybe we’ve just been looking more) WSJ’s on the train the past few weeks. How long before the NY edition of the New York Times does the same?

Also, did you catch the Wired Magazine predictions for 2007? They predict that a “major” newspaper will switch to an online only operation this year, leaving their print operation behind.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Can you hear me now?

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cell.jpgYou can always spot a subway newbie when they think they can chat it up on their cellphone. Not so much sweetie.

This girl to my left is completely confused over why she keeps dropping her call. Helloooooooo. We’re a few stories underground. What makes you think you’ll get service down here?

Yeah yeah, we know subways in other cities get cellphone service. However, look around. What part of your surroundings right now screams “technology?”

Maybe it’s the 1930’s lighting that makes you think it will work.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Pumping the brakes

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Some subway drivers make me want to vomit by the time I get off the train. most of thr time, it’s fine, but then there’s the drivers that pump the brakes.

Did you ever notice yourself jerking forward 8 or 9 times as you pull into a subway stop? That’s a brake pumper.

Instead of applying constant, gradual pressure on the brakes, the driver instead brakes and releases. Brakes and releases.

It’s just like riding in a car with someone like that. They see a red light and instead of slowing up, it’s brake and release.

People all over the train start losing their balance, falling all over eachother. The first pump is usually pretty sudden and sharp so straphangers don’t see it coming.

There’s no real reason why the motormen need stop that way. It would be one thing if the tracks were slick, but they do it in all weather.

The best motorment glide the train to a nice gentle stop. That’s when a ride is relaxing and pleasant. A ride on a brake pumper’s train is like riding a bull to work. Grab hold and try to remain upright until we get to the next stop!

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Here! takes over the subway

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Here!, the new all gay TV channel, has taken over the 8th Avenue at 14th Street subway station.  The new channel has purchased all of the stations available signage.

The thought of some tourist family from Iowa walking through that station cracks me up.  Can you even imagine some family from the sticks seeing these signs?  Their reactions would be priceless.

As for the rest of us, New Yorkers probably won’t notice.  However, there is an odd feeling at that station because every sign is the same.  It’s just a strange feeling. 

Subway Footlicker Gets Four Months

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Joseph Weir, 23, was sentenced to four months in prision for sucking the feet of female subway riders.  I guess that’s fair.  He’ll have four non-stop months of big, hairy man feet to suck.  That’s justice served, right?

I know, I know…back up, and tell the story.

Ok, so this guy spent the last three years going up to random women on the subway.  He would grab their feet and suck on them while saying, “I’m not worthy.”  Yeah, gross.  Sometimes shoes on, sometimes not.  We would assume that there was more direct toe contact in the summer with sandals and all. 

Anyway, he was finally caught and now he’s off to prison.  Plus plenty of probation and fines.

Just gonna go out on a limb and say that this is really weird

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Bravo TV, the new home of “Top” everything, has joined up with the MTA to promote its latest reality program, Top Design.  Designer Jonathan Adler is one of the show’s judges.  In a strange promotional move, the show has set up three fully designed rooms on the shuttle subway platform (aka the “S” train platform) at the Grand Central end of the line. 

Smack in the middle of the long concourse, there you will find living rooms complete with carpets, furniture, and accessories now through February 7th.

The MTA even did a TransitTrax podcast on the new show. 

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NYC Transit is Getting the Shaft

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Dirty Subway

Transit within New York City is (and has) been getting shafted for years.  The LIRR and MetroNorth have been receiving a disproportionate amount of funding from the MTA.  WTF?

City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. issued a report on the MTA’s “State of Good Repair.”  Turns out, much of the systems in place for the subway and busses are anything but “good repair.”

Vital repairs to the city’s subway system are routinely postponed as suburban projects hog the MTA gravy train, the city comptroller charged yesterday.   —Says the Post.

Here’s the facts:

  • NYC Riders = 94% of the passenger load but only get 75% of the MTA’s budget.
  • 76 of the subways’ 201 fan banks, which are supposed to clear tunnels of deadly smoke in case of a fire, are not in good working condition and should be quickly replaced with newer, more powerful devices.
  • Many tunnels are poorly lit with 1930s-era incandescent lighting.
  • More than 40% of the lettered subway lines have 70-year-old signal equipment. Faulty signals are the second leading cause of delays.

So my fellow subway riders, that throbbing sensation you feel in your rear is the MTA bending us over and having their way with us.

Nice chin hair

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Nice chin hair…LADY. Wow. This woman has almost a full beard on her chin. The things you notice when you stand 6 inches from complete strangers…

Know what else is nice? Coughing guy. You know, Mr. “I have bronchitis” and want to stand right in front of you.

Yes sir, please share your wet, throaty, coughing with me. Let ME breathe in all your healthy goodness. Mmm…the taste of flu season.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Bubble Jacket

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I lucked out this morning. I managed to catch a train with next to no one on board, so there were a handful of open seats. There was hardly anyone standing.

So, I sat next to a lady in a black bubble coat. It was one of those huge, puffy coats that’s stuffed with down or somwthing. Anyway, the lady was a pretty petite woman, but the coat tripples her size.

I sit down and her puffy coat is taking up half my seat. No big deal because my shoulder just pushes the coat over.

Well, she flips out. Meanwhile, I haven’t touched her person, just her coat that is spreading into my seat. Normally people are squished in together on those seats.

I turned to her and said that she was fine, but her coat was all up in my shit. She didn’t seem to get that. I didn’t really care that her coat was on my seat. It wasn’t like I was sitting on it. So I told her that if it bothers her soooo much, then she simply needs to keep her coat off the other seats around her and it wouldn’t be a problem.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

MTA Not “Turned On” by City Condoms

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rubber.jpgThe MTA is totally pissed that the City Health Department is planning to release subway themed condoms.  For that matter, they aren’t sure if that is even legally allowed since the “brand” belongs to the MTA.  As you may recall, the city wants to release “fun” NYC rubbers for free to help combat the city’s HIV/AIDS problem.

The Transportation Board claims that they never saw any type of proposal for the condoms.  Oops.

“I don’t think it’s the appropriate thing for the MTA to be involved with,” board member Frank Powers said. “We have enough trouble servicing our clients, doing the right thing, making sure the buses are on time … that’s what the MTA’s mission is.”

Agreed. When you think “reliable brand,” the MTA is not one that jumps to mind right away. 

Then the Straphangers throw this one in the MTA’s face:

And Gene Russianoff of the Straphangers Campaign questioned the effectiveness of linking the subways and condoms.

“Whose going to want a subway-themed condom?” Russianoff said. “Why the subways? It does raise in my mind issues about whether they [the condoms] will work.”

Ohhh ZING!  How ’bout that little dig. Hahaha.