Category: Rider Strategy

No Holiday Fare This Year :-(

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After a little light digging, SUBWAYblogger has discovered that there will not be a special Holiday Fare offered this year.  Ok, so maybe this isn’t breaking news, but it is something that people are going to start asking about soon.

Since the decision was made back in July, people weren’t really worried about a December fare bonus.  Now that we are headed for the holidays, our fellow riders are starting to wonder, “What ever happened to that special holiday MetroCard?”

Originally, the plan was to have another holiday special.  Last year, the MTA set aside $50 million of the surplus to fund the holiday special.  Last year, you could buy a 30 day unlimited MetroCard that actually lasted 39 days.  So, you got 9 extra days for free.  The plan was to have the same deal this year.

However, with the all around fare hike issue, they decided to cut the program.  By keeping the $50 million for 2006’s holiday special, the MTA thinks they can delay a general fare hike until September 2007.

So, while we won’t get to enjoy a little holiday subway cheer, we do benefit from not having a fare hike…at least for now.

No AC in two cars?

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Talk about bad luck. I just got into a subway car and there was no air conditioning. With cat like speed I darted out an got into the next car. No air in their either!

A train car without air conditioning is like walking into hot death. I don’t know how people managed to ride the subway in the pre-AC days. I would sooner kill myself.

Anyway, I am now in the process of playing train car leap frog. The cars are too crowded to use the end doors between trains. So at each stop I am having to run down the platform as far as I can and then jump back on.

Almost there. Next stop I should be able to make it into a new car. Hopefully is isn’t the whole train that is without AC.

Safe. Ok, sweet sweet coolness at last.

Oh wait. Damn it. Here’s my stop.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Do you like it in the front or in the back?

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SUBWAYblogger has observed that there are two types of subway riders:
People who wait at the edge of the platform and people that stand against the wall.

We’ve all seen them. There’s the people that always need to stand on the bright yellow part of the platform…right at the edge. They are always looking down the tracks to see if the train is coming as if they could get it here faster with their mind powers.

Then there’s the people that always stand to the back or lean against the wall because I like to casually read the Times while I sweat my ass off too.

We could even get into the people that always stand near the front of the train versus those that always go to the back.

What does this say about a rider? SUBWAYblogger’s completely accurate yet shockingly unscientific reseach shows that people on the front edge of the platform are always high strung individuals. They are the ones that always walk in 5 minutes after the board meeting has begun. This is why they are always looking down the tracks in a panic.

The back of the platform people are either hippies who could give a crap if they are on time OR they are the CEO running that board meeting. He/she could care less. If they get to the meeting on time because who’s gonna argue?

Front or back of the train? You be the judge.

SUBWAYblogger is a front edge / front car rider. (Assume what you will) 🙂

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Mailbag – Meeting women on the subway

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From a SUBWAYblogger reader: 

I just found your site and I’m psyched.  I’ve done a search and can’t find a post on this, but I’ve had, for years, a burning question about the subway. I’ve asked everyone I know ­ guys and girls ­ and no one has come up with anything resembling a workable  answer.

Question:  How can you approach and meet a cute girl on the subway during the morning or evening without getting maced or arrested or having your picture taken with a cell phone and it ending up in the NYPost?  Obviously, you could just walk up and say hi.  But that¹s likely to freak out anyone.  The trick is to get past the “I hate everyone in this car” attitude.

It’s mostly academic by this point.  I feel it’s not actually possible but it’s a large universe with infinite possibilities, so there should be something.  It’s also fun just to hear what kind of answers people can come up with.

A related question is how do you approach and meet a cute girl jogging in Central Park?  This one I actually got a semi-workable answer: jog along near her and purposely trip/stumble and in the process knock her down. Obviously that’s probably some sort of crime and, more importantly, you have to make REAL sure she doesn’t get hurt.  But it does afford the opportunity to chat.

 – damien.

Hey dude, thanks for the email.  First off, we don’t do Central Park.  It’s not our thing.  Sorry bud.

As for talking to girls in the subway, always look for the out-of-towners.  They are the most likely to talk to you.  Especially if it seems like they lost or confused about where they are going.  From there, you can help them out and tell them where they can “find a good time.”  Regular New Yorker chicks are going to get you put on the sex offender’s list.

SUBWAYblogger has a strict “don’t give up the seat” policy.  However, for an attactive little dish, the rules can be broken.  This too can serve as a nice ice breaker.  Give up your seat for her and that might be your ticket in.

Lastly, on an over crowded train, always try to keep a little extra space around you.  Don’t let anyone in unless it is a girl you want to talk to.  If you “all of a sudden” can squeeze a little extra space for her to slide into, you’re in!  Not only are you a nice guy, but now you are inside her personal space.  Nice opportunity to make some small talk.

From here, we will leave it open to the SUBWAYblogger readers.  Leave a comment if you have more ideas!  Thanks again for the email.

Packed like cattle

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Can you tell it is back to school season or what! Holy smokes.

It has been a while since my regular afternoon train has been this packed, and it is quite obvious why: students. The colleges are back and so are the high schools. Tons and tons of young people on board.

I say young person as if I wasn’t one too!

Of course I am not complaining that I have to be pressed up against some hott little dish. That’s not bad at all. If you play your possition right, you can “enjoy the scenery” during your ride. Play it wrong, and you’ll be stuck behind smelly dude while he gets the coed pirks.

Although, I must say that I do luck out in the morning in that the high schoolers are already off the subway by the time I need to get on. That’s a very nice benefit to having the public schools start nice and early.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Note to self: Don’t drink 3 Snapples before leaving work and then get on subway

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Holy crap, if you gotta take a leak once you are “in the system,” you are SOL. I had a Snapple too many at my desk today (it was that sorta day) and didn’t hit the head before leaving. Wow was that the wrong move of the century.

I am literally in pain right now as I type this into my Blackberry.

You can find the occasional bathroom at certain stops. But in most cases, stick a cork in it!

You would thing with everything needing to be so handicap accessible, childsafe, elderly friendly, and void of sharp edges that there would have to be bathrooms all over the place. Although I guess for many of us, the entire subway is a toilet.

Actually, I am sort of glad I didn’t find one yet. I am sure you immediately get herpes just by walking into a subway bathroom. [Note that I say this as tears begin to form…that’s how bad I need to go]

Gotta cut this short. I need to focus all my mental power on not peeing in the baby stroller in front of me.

Let ’em off people

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Gothamist had an interesting story yesterday.  Every now and then, they do an “Ask Goth” feature.  This one was about the subway.

“Here is what happened yesterday, which is pretty typical: I was trying to change to the express train from the local, and as we pulled into the station I saw my train across the platform. I was not the only one. There were a whole bunch of us at the door eagerly waiting to leave the train and jump on the express across the tracks. I just happened to be in front, at the door. So anyway, by the time the doors opened, there was a fair-sized guy standing right in the middle in front of the door, with two other people standing at the sides but just blocking enough of the door so that no one could get out.

So I said “excuse me,” and he did nothing. Not a move by anyone. So, having no choice really (I certainly couldn’t back up, there being all those people behind me, and besides, we want the express!) I had to push between the big guy and the others, at which point he LAUGHED AT ME.”

Read the 100+ responses at Gothamist.

Of course, I have a few ideas on how to solve this:

  1. Do what I do.  As you pull up to the station, get down on the floor like a track star waiting for the pistol to fire.  Or get into the ready position like a football defensive lineman.  Just as the train starts to slow, count down, “Ok here we go.  5…4…3…2…1…GO!”  I promise, there will be no one that stands in your way.
  2. As the train slows, start to get yourself psyched up like a boxer about to go in the ring.  Talk loudly to yourself, “Ok man, let’s do this.  HERE WE GO.  Get fired up!!”  Then start to bounce around.  A little shaddow boxing probably wouldn’t hurt.
    Try this stuff.  If people are still in your way, they are even more nuts than you!