Category: This just in

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.

Research finds that the subway is loud. Second study says, “yeah…no sh*t.”

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So, some smarty-pants at Columbia say that the subway is loud.  So loud that it may be causing people to lose there hearing.

Uhhh how about the people that have their iPods peaked out.  Few things are more aggrivating than people who have their iPods so loud that everyone around them has to listen to their crappy music.  So could the research be flawed?  Could it be that the subway isn’t really that loud, while instead it is just the increase in iPod usage?

Maybe.

But yeah, the trains are a little to loud most of the time.

It is official, ground transport is safer

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So what’s up New York. Slow news day?

Not so much.

In case you were under a rock or something today, you missed a headline that you probably wouldn’t believe anyway.

“New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle crashes plane into building on the UES”

That’s right. Lidle flew his small plane smack into the side of a high rise apartment building. He and a passenger did not survive.

Thankfully, no one else was killed. There were some injuries, but only two deaths.

This just confirms that ground transportation is the way to go. Or, in this case, underground transportation. The NYC subway is never going to be crashed into a building.

One can imaging that transportation over on the east side was a little nutty during all this. People left work early out of fear of another “9/11 style” attack.

My butt is staying underground. Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Holy crap, FREE subway rides!

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Mastercard and Citibank are giving away free subway rides next week.  If you ride the  you could be riding like 20 times for free.  It is quite the promotion…at least we think.

Unfortnately, there are a couple obvious catches.  You have to get into the system through the  lines, and you must have a Citibank card.  Dear people at Chase: Please get with the program!

You may have seen the little touchless sensors on the turnstiles at these stations.  The technology is what really gets SUBWAYblogger excited.  This would totally be a better way to go than the MetroCard.  If this worked for all cards, it would be awesome.  Just pass your credit/check card over the sensor and go. 

Only so much a person can take

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This morning I wrote about how much it sucks to miss a train by only seconds. This afternoon, it happened yet again! There’s only so much a person can take.

This afternoon, it was caused by stupid people. Yes, that’s right, stupid people. Folks, don’t walk up to the turnstile and THEN start looking for your MetroCard. Ladies, I’m talking to you. The bottomless pit that is your purse needs to be searched well in advance. We all know that at the moment of truth, you are never going to be able to find the thing.

THIS JUST IN

Ok, if you’ve ever watched The Simpsons, you’ll know what I am talking about.

The guy on the intercom on this train sounds like the fastfood employees on The Simpsons. You know, that nerdy voice. When they talk, their voice cracks. I seriously thought this guy was doing it as a joke because it is so horrible. But he has been doing it every time. Everytime he says “Bronx bound” his voice cracks on Bronxs. It squeels along at other points too.

People on the train just start laughing when he talks, but I don’t think he’s trying to be funny.
Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Get your Toussaint Gear!

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Yeah, that’s right.  Roger Toussaint, Transit Workers Union President, is selling gear to raise money for his reelection campaign.  We kid you not, he is selling those stupid rubber bracelets, shirts, and even autographed photos.

It gets so much better.  He actually has a website:  RogerToussaintVictory2006.com.  Interestingly, the site won the “Holy Crap That’s A Long URL” award. 

His slogan:  “It’s about respect.” 

Not the kind of respect as in self respect…otherwise how to you justify the rubber bracelets?  No, a person deserving of respect would not be selling autographed pictures of themselves or rubber bracelets to raise money for union election. 

By the way, why would anyone want to keep doing the job that landed their ass in JAIL for any lenght of time?  “Yeah, I know, this job could get me placed in jail, but “it’s about respect.””

Danger!

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I was out and about town on business today, and I found myself heading for the Columbus Circle station. Just as I arrived, so did 5 FDNY trucks.

Only about half of the trucks actually had their fire fighters get out. That’s usually a sign that there’s nothing major going on.

I followed right behind a crew of guys as they headed down the stairs. They didn’t seem to be in a hurry or care that I was right behind them.

The firemen gathered at the bottom of the stairs and I walked by. False alarm I figured.

Well, from the platform, I can now see that they are moving around. They have their little gas detector machines out. A couple are taking readings at the bottom of the stairs. A couple others are walking around the turnstiles.

This makes me feel real safe. They are looking for some sort of gas obviously, yet people are allowed to just stroll right by them.

Don’t worry folks. Just looking for potentially deadly gasses. Nothing to be alarmed by. Ohh, yeah, other than the airborn cancer. Other than that, you’ll be fine.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Goodbye Daylight

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It is no wonder suicide rates spike during the winter months. The darkness can get a little depressing.

You go into the subway in the morning, and it’s dark. You come out of the subway at your destination…still dark. Leave work at the end of the day, aaaaand it’s dark again. Hopefully you have a window in your office otherwise you may never see the light of day until the weekend.

I was reminded of this as I made my short walk to the subway this morning. The darkness is approaching quickly. I guess it doesn’t help things that our commute runs underground…more dark.

AAAaaaaahhhh!

THIS JUST IN

I’m standing behind the kid with the long hair again! Shoot me in the face. How is my luck this bad?

Ok, I could not make this up if I tried…here we go. He’s in highschool so he’s probably 17 or 18. Again, with the Hanson Band long hair. Stone washed jeans. A turtle neck ZIP UP sweater (zipped 3/4 of the way up). Two light blue rubber bracelets. The gay chrome dog tags. And a silver coffee mug.

Do kids not get beat up for being lame anymore? It would be one thing if he just stood there in his oddness. Instead, he has this princess attitude whenever someone comes near him. WOW.

Here’s my stop.

Live from the subway, back to you in studio…

Subway crime hits 37 year low!

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Subway crime is at the lowest it has been in 37 years!  Even though we tend to hear about the crimes more often, the numbers actually show that things are much better.

Through the mass media and NYC blogs (like this 🙂 ), people tend to hear more about the crimes throughout the system.  However, as the Daily News reports, things are looking up.

Did you know…

Today, there are about 7 felonies committed every day in the New York City subway. 

Back in 1990, there were 49 a day! 

So, obviously the situation is much better.  You’ve also got to figure that 7 felonies doesn’t necessarily mean 7 felons.  One guy could commit a few felonies at once.  All he’s gotta do is rob someone at gunpoint (felony #1) and then punch the arresting officer as he tries to get away (felony #2). 

A lot of the improvements also have to do with big brother.  That’s right, you are on camera.  There are more cameras today in the subway than ever before.  In out post 9/11 times, the MTA has been installing new cameras all over the subway.  This makes apprehending suspects easier.  As soon as you start rounding up your repeat offenders through video tape, the crime levels are sure to show a dip.

Check out Gothamist too.  They have a cute little graphic that spells out S-A-F-E-R in subway line letters.

Uptown 2 train stabbing

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A man was stabbed on an uptown 2 train last night sometime around 3am. 

He and another man allegedly got into a bit of a dispute just south of the 23rd Street station.  The suspect stabbed the man, and fled on foot from the station.

The victim managed to get off at the 28th Street station to call 911.

Note to self:  Ride subway alone late at night at own risk!