Category: Rider Strategy

Here come the lights in NYC

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Part of the holiday cheer in NYC comes from the many nightly holiday events. Moments ago, the tree was lit in Lincoln Center.

SUBWAYblogger hoofed it over to check it out. The spread begins all the way down at Columbus Circle with many of the Time Warner Center’s business giving away stuff on the streets.

I made sure to strategize my viewing location. I planned out which corner to stand on in order to allow quickest access back to the downtown 66th Street platform. As soon as I arrived at Lincoln Center, I knew planning was needed.

It was standing room only. People were crowded across the street! So I knew as soon as the switch was flipped to light the tree, it was going to be a battle of humanity to get back to the subway.

Strategically, I got into possition. A good enough view of the dark tree and a couple performance stages. Lights go on, look at the tree, and I was off…along with 2,000 other people.

Luckily, I beat the bulk of the crowd back to the platform. Five minutes later, it would have been super ugly as the thousands of other people and families exit Lincoln Center Square at the same time.

Here comes Christmas

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(There was a bit of an email glitch this morning that held up the morning posting.  Sorry for the delay, we’ve fixed the issue!)

Well, the end of Thanksgiving weekend marks the start of Christmas in New York City. Sure, most stores have had the decorations up since…ohh…4th of July or so. But now we are really into it.

Soon, shopping bags will out number passengers on the subway. Black Friday weekend was our first look at that.

There will be a little slump as people get back on track. However, as early as this weekend, the shopping surge will be back in full force.The subway pretty much becomes a cargo train during the month of December. People schlep their purchases all around town.

Folks, keep in mind that it is an official violation to carry an item(s) that inconvenience other passengers or cause a safety hazzard. We’re not making this up. It is official.

So don’t get pissed when people squish the 14 Macy’s bags you are trying to carry on board during rush hour. YOU are breaking the rules, not us.

Guy in wheelchair calls 911 to get out of subway

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elevator.jpgMichael Harris, and his motorized wheelchair, got off the 5 train in Brooklyn last week only to find that the elevator to street level was out of service. First of all, big freakin’ surprise. Anyway, he went to the station agent to told him to get back on a train and go back three stops. From there, he should have been able to find another station with a working elevator.

Harris got so pissed that he instead called 911. Firefighters showed up to carry him and his wheelchair to street level. First, they strapped him to the stretcher, and carried him up. He got a little dramatic with his description saying that they strapped him to gurney that “they use to carry out dead bodies.” A bit much we think.

They then went down to lug up his 300 pound wheelchair.

Mixed feelings about this story. Did this guy take it a little too far?

After all, it is no secret that the subway system is not at all handicap accessible. Only 23 stops in Manhattan have ramps and elevators. The whole system only has about 50 of the 400+ stops that have been converted.

Here’s a stat for you: There were over 1,000 service outages per year reporter for the 23 elevators in Manhattan from 2002 to 2005. Holy crap! Did they ever work?

Apparently the problem is that the homeless and drunks use them as toilets. And they tend to get vandalized a lot.

Here’s a solution. Install MetroCard swipes at all the elevators so that only the elderly and handicap can use them. That’s fair, right? If for some reason you have a temporary need to use them, go to the token booth agent and get a temporary card to swipe. That way, the bums and drunks can’t get on the elevators. Maybe then they will last longer.

Otherwise, the handicap get a special fare, and all the busses are handicap accessible. So don’t complain too much. You might have a case sometimes, but don’t push your luck.

Nice, comfortable wheelchair gloves can be very important for those who use them.

How’s that for holiday traffic?

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Brothers and sisters, we are reminded yet again how much better the subway is for getting around this island called Manhattan. As if the pre-holiday rush weren’t enough, there was a major crash on the West Side Highway just after 4pm. A car headed north bound crashed and rolled over the divider into the south bound traffic in the area of 90th Street.

The West Side Highway is still closed hours after the accident. Only one lane of the north side is open, and the south side is completely closed. There were hours that both sides were completely shut down.

For all the bitching we all do, the subway is still hands down the best way to get around the city. When things go wrong, SUBWAYblogger admits that we do tend to go off the deep end a bit, but that’s just good office entertainment…right? Anyway, still the best.

As a result of the accident, the other bridges, side streets, and tunnels were packed with drivers. Over an hour to get through the Lincoln Tunnel. I’d sooner swim across the river.

As for us subway riders, we all got home on time. As a matter of fact, the system was pretty quiet tonight. Let’s hope it’s still quiet in the morning!

A short but ohhhh so tastey week!

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This week is pretty much a waste of a week. Today, Monday, is a normal day but that’s about it.

Tomorrow, a few less people on the subway. Wednesday, for get about it. The subway will look like a ghost town (compared to a normal weekday).

Honestly, how much work is possibly going to get done this week? Everyone is just thinking about the last day they have to work. “All I gotta do is make it to Wednesday, and I’m home free!”

Also, Thanksgiving is a very suburbian holiday. Most folks head out of town to visit family outside the city. If not, you’re at least heading to the outer boroughs. So, the subway shall be empty for a couple days.

Then, there’s Black Friday. LOOK OUT! All of a sudden, everyone will be back at the exact same time…all headed for Macy’s.

What a genious marketing move since the 1920’s. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a multi-hour long commercial for Macy’s the day before Black Friday.

Just counting the days for now.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Beaujolais Nouveau makes it hard to type

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So I stopped to pick up 4 bottles of Le Beaujolais Nouveau.  Then, I continued on my way home, and jumped on the subway.  I quickly realized that it was going to be nearly impossible to type on my Blackberry with only one free hand.  The other was holding the bag of wine.  So, I gave up after it took 5 minutes to complete a single sentence.

On that note, I got the wine all the way home only to hear on the news that this year’s batch SUCKS!  Some wine critic was on the radio talking about how much this Beaujolais isn’t worth the bottle it comes in.

So I got off the subway, ran home, and opened it up.  I don’t think it sucks.  Last year’s was better, but it doesn’t suck. And it is still a fun tradition.

Anyway, carrying a lot of stuff home on the subway makes it hard to blog from the subway.  I would probably have to steal a seat to be able to get it done. Or maybe I should practivce working with one hand…so to speak.

Not looking forward to the holiday rush

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As I stand in this already over crowded subway car, I can’t help but dread the coming holiday rush. Starbucks has already rolled out the red coffee cups! So you know that means it is downhill from here.

Soon, the out of town shoppers will be here. They will start to invade the transit system. Just being there isn’t really the problem. I think most of us can handle the crowds. Instead, the problem is their complete lack of direction.

The out of town shoppers don’t normally ride the subway so they have no idea where to go. They can’t tell uptown from downtown…an express from a local. It is a nightmare all because they stop right in the middle of everything to figure out where they are going. They don’t know to squish together when the train is crowded. They walk 4 people wide down the halls at very slow paces.

All together it slows the entire system down. That is why I call on YOU to inform these people. Help tell them where to go so we can get things moving! Otherwise, we will all suffer.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

At least I did not have to kill anyone

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When it takes 4 trains going by before you can get on one, you know it is going to be a long day.

A broken rail at the 28th Street station threw thousands od us for a loop this morning. Trains were being redirected all over the place.

As a result, there were no trains at my staion for over 20 minutes. When the trains finally did start to come, they were already at capacity. People further up the line already had filled the train. By the time it reached me, only 3 more people could fit into each car. 3 more people out of a couple thousand waiting on the platform.

A train pulls up. A handful squeeze on. Another train pulls up, a couple more get on. I finally made it onto the 5th train.

I love how people show up on the platform and think they are going to get on the train before you when you have already been there 30 minutes. Back of the line pal!

One woman finally got shoved off the train because her ass was litterally blocking the doors. They kept closing, and her butt was so big that it got stuck. Finally, a guy gave her a hip check which made her step out. Then the doors closed with no problem.

Again, I say when one of your ass cheeks weighs more than a 12 year old, you should have to pay double or tripple the fare. The MetroCard machines should have scales in front of them. Pay by the pound!

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

As if people using their phones on the subway wasn’t annoying enough

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Now, you can use your cell phone to pay for your subway fare on the Lex 13752_456_circles.gif line. A while back, SUBWAYblogger told you about the latest contactless fare program where you could earn free subway rides. Now, it is going to the next level.

Just look for the little green star symbol at the turnstiles of the 13752_456_circles.gif Lexington Line. You have to sign up ahead of time, I guess to make sure your phone and billing arrangements are kosher. Once it is up and running, you will be able hold you cellphone over the sensor at the turnstile and walk through. From there, you will be automatically billed.

We would love if there were a monthly unlimited version of the same thing. It would be cool to be able to program your monthly pass into your cellphone so that you could do the same thing. Right now, it only looks like single fares. Anway, we are excited to see how it works out. If anyone has experience with it, please post a comment to let us know how it worked!!

You might need an answering service for your business–even universities use telephone answering services. You can research various answering services online before making a choice on one.

Oh Friday, please get here soon

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The blah weather of the past few days starts to take a toll on a person after a while.

Couple that with a long subway ride and it gets hard to keep your eyes open! I’m standing here typing this as the subway rolls along. It has that constant vibration and the sway back and forth. Add in that it is a little warm on board, and I am ready to doze off.

Sure, I’m not affraid to admit that I have fallen asleep and missed my stop. I think every New Yorker that has been a regular subway rider has done the same at least once in their lives.

It’s easy to just let your eyes close. Before you know it, you’re knocked out.

Well, I’m off the train now, and it is time to head home for a nap.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…