Is that 17 Sacagawea’s in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?

June 29, 2009 subwayblogger8 Comments

Happy fare hike Monday. Actually, the fares jumped over the weekend, but most of us wouldn’t have noticed until today.

So now that we have a $2.25 fare, your pants just got heavier. How so? Well, if you buy a single ride with a $5 bill, you’re going to get back two dollar coins plus 3 quarters. Awesome.

God help you if you paid for it with a $20. That’s 17 dollar coins plus 3 quarters.

$20 bill goes in, 20 coins come out.

Granted, even a few days ago, it still would have been 18 dollar coins…but still. It’s pretty insane.

The bigger problem is going to be the little old ladies that have to break out their coin purse full of nickels to get up to the 25 cents. You know there ain’t no damn way grandma is going to break another dollar if she doesn’t have to.

At least the machines don’t take pennies!

The Greatest List of Subway Tips Ever Created

May 12, 2009 subwaybloggerLeave a comment

(coming soon)

For the first ever SUBWAY Monthly newsletter, I’m thinking of creating the greatest list of subway riding tips ever. I’m not sure how I’m going to aggregate it just yet. Or even how it will be arranged. Luckily, I have a lot of ideas.

For one, I’m going to reach out to as many transit experts as I can to see what they have to say. I’m hoping I can get some pretty big names.

Secondly, I’m thinking of aggregating great tips from riders like you. If you’ve got a good tip, let me know using this form. It will send an email directly to the SUBWAYblogger team for review. If we like your tip, you’ll get full credit in the newsletter.

These transit tips can include things like maximizing your MetroCard usage and bonuses. How to time the perfect ride and hit all of your transferrs. Where’s the best place to wait on the platform for the train? Are there such things as “free rides.”? Etc.

Use this form to submit your tips for SUBWAY Monthly. If you’d like your name or website linked to with your tip, be sure to include your info.

If you’ve got the scoop, we’ll make it known and give you full credit.

Anyway, that’s just one of the ideas we’re working on. I think it could turn out to be pretty awesome. Of course, only subscribers (free) will get a copy!

Predicting the Heat’s-A-Coming

May 11, 2009 subwayblogger2 Comments

I’m to lazy to go and look up the temperatures from last May, but I feel like we’re getting off easy this year temperature wise. I have a feeling these relatively mild weeks are going to quickly come back and bite us in the ass.

I’m predicting that we get our first sustained heat not this week but next week. This week will be the last week of the nice mild weather. I’m just going on a hunch that next week is going to be the official beginning of the balls hot weather.

Of course, I have absolutely no scientific data to back that up. It’s just a feeling.

As with everything on the subway, I get really jumpy when things go too well for too long.

Being able to leave home without a jacket and not sweat my ass off on the platform is delightful. But I’m used to only being able to do that for a few days a year.

Now, remember SUBWAYblogger’s three day theory. It takes a full three days for the temperature underground to totally catch up to the outside temp. One day of 98 degree weather won’t do anything down below. We need three back to back days in the mid eighties for it to become totally unbearable underground.

I’m really not looking forward to the heat in the subway this year, not that I would any year. This year particularly though. There’s a really distinct smell of urine ripening at my stop that just gets worse by the day. I can only imagine what the heat is going to bring.

There’s clearly some homeless guy that keeps making a daily deposit there because there’s no way that one quick piss could be persistent this long. That ammonia smell is getting pretty ridiculous. It’s almost to the point where you can taste it. I’m considering walking all the way to the other end of the platform from now on.

Anyway, mark my words. Heat’s a comin’.

Snow in New York City

March 2, 2009 subwayblogger5 Comments

Snoooooooooow.

This morning’s snow really pisses me off. I was totally getting into the thought of it becoming spring. Even on Friday, it was really nice. You barely needed a jacket. Then, wham! All this snow.

It’s total bull.

So it should make this morning’s commute a gem. Actually, what will really be interesting is when it all starts to melt and flood the tracks. That will be really pretty.

In the immediate sense, all we have to deal with is falling down the stairs as you enter the subway. No biggie.

Unfortunately, the subway stairs have these metal plates on them that have diamond patters cut into them. They also have a somewhat abrasive texture to them.

In wet conditions, they work pretty well. It adds a little traction to what are otherwise tile (freaking stupid) stairs. However, when it snows, the metal plates tend to cling to the snow. Under foot traffic, snow gets tracked onto the stairs and then gets packed into the textured plates. It builds up over time and then gets really slick. Read More »

Subway iPhone Game

February 1, 2009 subwayblogger4 Comments

Subway Shuffle iPhone App Have you played Subway Shuffle for iPhone/iTouch? It’s pretty damn addictive.

It’s sort of Rubik’s cube like. Maybe not. It’s sort of hard to describe, but I will try.

Basically, you have to move your “train” from one end of the puzzle board to the destination. Along the way, you can only travel on your own line (color). Meanwhile, there are other trains in front of you that must be moved out of the way for you to pass.

So on each board, it gets more and more tricky. Eventually, you have to start thinking multiple moves ahead of time. Read More »

Going to Be Chilly This Week

January 12, 2009 subwayblogger2 Comments

Welcome to Monday boys and girls. Get back to work!

It’s going to be cold later this week. With the exception of a quick spike to 42 degrees on Tuesday, it is going to gradually get colder. Friday, we could be looking at a high of only 13.

I for one say GOOD! I’d like to go at least one winter this week where I don’t regret my choice of outerwear. The temperature lately jumps and falls more sporadically than the stock market. It makes planning your clothes for the day difficult.

You’ve got to factor in that the subway platform and train is going to be warmer than the plain outside air, right? So you try to do your best.

You don’t want to have a heavy coat on only to get down to the platform and need to peel all that off before you stroke out.

You go outside expecting it to be cold only to find out it’s not quite as cold as you thought. Then you’re standing there sweating your behind off. And you know, you never want to be that a-hole with the giant parka on, taking up all the extra space. People can’t get by you because you’re trying to stash away your mittens without dropping your coffee.

So outside it will gradually get colder and so will the platform/trains. Don’t forget your hat!

Photo Credit

Times Square Not So Crazy

December 31, 2008 subwayblogger1 Comment

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.

Poll: Wishing for Subway Luxuries

December 18, 2008 subwayblogger13 Comments

On my way to work, I was thinking about what I would wish for if I was able to get one wish from the subway. If I could make any subway related improvement at the snap of a finger, what would it be?

[poll id=”11″]

If you can think of any others, please drop them in the comments.

I think cellphone reception might be my first choice. Then again, the simplicity of everything being nice and clean would be a great change of pace.

Of course, most of these are just pipe dreams. Maybe there’s still hope.

Subway Cheapskate Makes Out on Leftover Fare

December 16, 2008 subwayblogger11 Comments

Turns out it’s not just the homeless guys that pick up the tossed Metrocards to try and to use the leftover values.

The Post reports that Georgette DiFini, an F line resident of Brooklyn, regularly picks up discarded Metrocards. She claims that roughly 40% of all tossed cards have at least some money left on them. Not enough for a ride though.

You might be asking yourself how on earth would anyone be left with anything less than a whole dollar on their Metrocard. Well, it’s that tricky 15% bonus you get on any fare purchase over $7.00. If you get a $7 card, you’re going to get bonused $1.05. That damn $0.05 is going to carry over.

The MTA says simply refill your card to use the leftover bonus. So in this case, you’d have to add another $0.95 to cover the remaining balance of a $2.00 fare. It’s like the MTA is getting their ideas from the crack dealer’s handbook. Get just a little taste extra to keep them coming back. The $1.05 isn’t worth a damn thing. They’ll need to spend another $0.95 to be able to use it.

Anyway, this woman finds these cards everyday. How many you ask? Try around 45 a day!

The then takes her loot up to the tokenbooth to rollover the balance onto her card. She’s making about $10 a week she says.

Not a bad idea if you don’t mind fighting the bums for their finds.

What happens to all the “change” that never gets used? The MTA keeps it of course. That change adds up to about $4 million a year. That’s a $4 million donation New Yorkers make to the MTA a few cents at a time.

Welcome to New York, Get Out of the Way

December 1, 2008 subwayblogger11 Comments

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back after a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. SUBWAYblogger’s back in business, sorry for the lack of posts.

Without further adieu, we believe it is time for our annual public service announcement for tourists visiting our fair city for the holidays. Here goes:

Get Out of the Way. Thank you.

To harsh? I think it is short and too the point.

First, you must wait for passengers to get off the train before you try to get on with all your shopping bags. Yes, you will see other people doing it, but those are experienced New Yorkers that know when they can jump on a train early. Do not attempt it yourself.

Stopping at the top or bottom of an escalator is not ok. Take at least 10 steps off the escalator before you try to turn around and look for your friends/family. Stopping at the top to put your mittens on will guarantee that you get mowed down.

Yes, he’s touching you. Those other people on the train are going to be in your personal space and probably touching you. Get over it. Or take a cab instead.

Ask for directions ahead of time. Waiting until the last minute to jump out of your seat and run for the door is not cool. Pay attention to the stops, and don’t be afraid to ask someone.

If your 20 blocks or less away from your destination, just walk. I know…exercise is not what you are used to. Trust me, it’s not that far. No need to pay the $2.00 for a ride and crowd the trains even more.

Last but not least, keep moving or get out of the way. There’s very little area in the city (approximately 13 square feet) where it is ok to just stop and stand still. So always keep moving.

Good luck.