The music is good and everything, but I’d tip them more if they were handing out margaritas. I’m just saying.
If those kids can sell candy bars for their “basketball team,” these guys should be able to shake one up on the rocks for me.
NYC Subway Maps
We thought it would be useful to put together a list of the best NYC Subway maps available on the Internet and beyond. If you have any to add to the list, please post a link in the comments, and we’ll add it to the main body of the post.
Since our last post about NYC Subway maps (back in 2006), there’s been a lot of new ones, and some improvements to the old ones.
- Gypsy Maps – A Google Maps mashup of the subway lines. Nicely color coded and information about each station.
- On NY Turf – Similar to Gypsy Maps, but is actually the original Google Map mashup. Also includes the PATH trains. Available in many languages because the people that need the maps most are often from outside the US.
- MTA Trip Planner – The MTA finally got off their butts and put together a route planner. They also teamed up with Google to get it done. They also offer a widget for you to put the planner on your own website.
- Public Routes – A Hop Stop like site that offers routes and maps for transit systems all over the country, including NYC.
- Hop Stop – One of the more commercialized subway and transit mapping systems on the web. Put in your location and destination, and Hop Stop gives you the detailed directions of how to get their including subways, buses, and good old walking.
- iPhone Map – One of a couple iPhone subway maps. This is one of the better ones, and it is free.
- iSubway – Another iPhone subway maps. A bit more simple. Just an image you can download and save to your phone.
- DadNab – An SMS based subway direction service. Text your location and destination to get directions txt to your phone.
- Trips123 – Subway and transit maps from around the country, including NYC. Also has up to date information about on going construction and incidents for each subway line.
Do you have one to add to the list? Let us know!
Peace Out W and Z Lines
Due to a complete cluster f*ck of the MTA financial systems, the Daily News reports that the MTA has drawn up plans to shut down the W and Z lines as well as turn the J into a local train.
These plans are not official, but they seem like they’ll have to be put into place.
Additionally, as many as 1,500 jobs could be cut, overnight waiting times up to 30 minutes, and a fare hike making a single ride $3.00 seems to be right around the corner.
Here lies the problem. The MTA is a bureaucracy controlled by the State up in Albany that really only impacts the lives of people in New York City. (Yes, I know the MTA runs services in the burbs such as buses, etc. But I’m concentrating in the bulk of the issues which are here in the city.)
So there really isn’t enough outrage on behalf of the citizens of New York. For example, people living in Utica, NY could give a crap if the subway runs on time, or if the W and Z lines continue to be around. So they aren’t going to say anything. Actually, they’re probably against financial support of the MTA because it has nothing do do with them really.
Mark my words, major sh*t is about to go down.
Fat Woman Hissy Fit
So a fat woman and a gay guy walk into a bar. (Just kidding)
Instead, a skinny gay guy sits down next to a biiiiiiig hunk of woman on the subway. She’s easily a seat-and-a-halfer. Her thighs are just spilling over into the seat next to her.
She was all the way at the end of the row, so her other side was oozing out under the bar into the doorway. I’m not even kidding when I say that people had to be careful walking through the door on that side. One guy’s leg rubbed up against her and scared the crap out of him. It startled him as he got off the train.
Anyway, big momma is reading the paper. The New York Times I believe, surprisingly not the Food section.
So skinny gay guy is just minding his own business. He’s a little squished in his seat, but doesn’t seem to mind. He’s reading a book and listening to an iPod.
Then, big momma goes to turn the page. She nearly smacks him in the face. She’s so round, she can hardly get her hands around in front of her. The bottom of the paper keeps getting hung up on her breasts as she tries to fold the page back. So with each page turn, she’s flapping her flippers arms out and getting all in the gay guy’s business.
To his credit, he didn’t say anything the first two times she did it. He just made a face and rolled his eyes. People around us were smiling, trying not to laugh because she made a big deal about every turn of the page.
On the third turn, she bumped his book. The pages of her newspaper were covering his book as she was turning the page.
Finally, he had enough. Read More »
Demand Action on MTA Budget Failures
Please excuse this brief public service announcement. It’s time the MTA officials get off their asses and solve the MTA budget crisis. It has been sitting around not getting fixed for way too long.
Your readers have already read all about MTA’s budget meltdown and the possibility of drastic fare hikes accompanied by severe cuts to bus and train service. But have they heard what they can do about it?
On November 19th, the Campaign for New York’s Future is organizing Keep New York Moving Day. We’ll have volunteers at subway stations throughout the city, asking commuters to sign giant postcards to local leaders, telling them that now’s the time to invest in transit.
We need your help getting everyone’s attention, so our decision makers take action and save New York from our transportation crisis. Unless our leaders take immediate action, the MTA’s severe budget shortfall could soon lead to fewer trains, cuts to bus service, and double-digit fare hikes.
You and your readers can click here to find out what they can do to help Keep New York Moving and send a message urging our leaders to take action at www.keepnewyorkmoving.org. We’ll deliver the signatures on November 20th, when the MTA is holding a decisive meeting about the transit system’s desperate financial crisis.
Please feel free to also write with any questions or concerns,
Matt Derby,
On behalf of The Campaign for New York’s Future
Signage to Promote Express Metrocards
Did anyone else see signs, literally put up on easels, at your subway station advertising the new EasyPay Express Metrocards?
At Columbus Circle, they had a bunch of them printed up and set up at the main entrance.
In case you don’t know already, the MTA has set up a Metrocard that automatically refills itself when the balance gets low. It’s kind of like an EasyPass for your car. Once your MetroCard balance gets down to $30, it will aautomatically refill itself with $40 more.
For the pay-as-you-go crowd, this is probably a great idea. It will certainly save you time, and you’ll never really have to worry about refilling your card again. I only wish they did the same thing for the monthly unlimited cards. They should have one that automatically renews itself each month.
Anyway, this is the first time I’ve seen the MTA set up these little sign boards to promote a new program. Wonder if it will make a difference.
3 Year Old Subway Cop
No, that’s not a typo. Here’s some footage of the NYPD’s youngest officer. No joke, that station is probably safer than if an adult cop were patroling it.
Cold Outside, Hot in Subway
This transitional period is always tough when it comes to planning your outfits for the day.
The cold has finally started to come. Yeah we had a quick cold snap earlier in the fall, but then it warmed back up again. Now it seems to be finally settling in.
So when you are walking to the train, you’re all bundled up because it can get pretty nippy out. Then as soon as you get underground you realize it is hot as b*lls. You’ll just be standing still on the platform and break out in a sweat.
It all has to do with that two to three day turnaround SUBWAYblogger always talks about. Once it is finally cold once and for all above ground, it takes about three days for it to cool down underground. The opposite is also true in the spring.
So it’s SUBWAYblogger’s advice to wear things that you can easily peel off once you get to the subway, then put back on when you get to your stop. Complicated coats with lots of buttons and fancy scarfs might need to wait a few more weeks.
Of course, if you’re over 65 years old, and have more than two grand children you’ve probably had your winter parka on for about 6 weeks already. So these tips are not really for you.
Hat season? We’re going with no. Not yet. Scarfs? Ehhh maybe. Gloves? Suck it up you wuss. Hat’s with ear flaps? Never ok.
Crazy Drunk Subway Dancer
You never really know what you are going to see on the subway. That’s why I think everyone should carry a camera at all times when riding the train. You never know what you might find.
I guess the same goes for the Internet. Found this video on Scuzzy TV. Never heard of this site before, but I like it.
Turnstile Foils Tourists
Turnstile 1 Tourists 0
This is the stuff that drives us all insane. Swipe your damn card, then walk through. No green light, no go. That simple.
If you’re too slow to figure it out, then you’re a hazard and shouldn’t be on the train.
SUBWAYblogger 