Wesley Card: Metrotard

Lloyd Grove gets political and examines Wesley Clark's recent subway journey. And it's official: The Democratic presidential hopeful is a Metrotard (TM The Morning News). After claiming he was riding the subway "Simply because it's the best way to get around the city," Clark tried to swipe his Metrocard at the turnstile, only to get "PLEASE SWIPE AGAIN." Then his aide tried a few times to work the Metrocard. Grove asked if the general had ever taken the subway before, and Clark replied, "I've taken it lots of times. My wife [Gertrude] is from Brooklyn. She's from Park Slope. Then, her family lived in Flatbush for a while. And so we used to ride the IRT all the time. But I haven't been on since they got the new ticket machines. I'm used to the old tokens." Okay, but still, if he gets elected, Gothamist wants a check on his motor skills.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on November 11, 2003 2:29 PM

Comments [rss]

guest

Takes some of the bite out of Rudy's attempt to make Hillary look anti-military. General Clark would make a terrific Vice President, or Secretary of State.

jen h.

Look, at least the man didn't fall off a Segway.

MetroPicard

The ideal swiping speed has to do with your self-confidence. Timid people swipe slower. Nervous people swipe too fast. Confident people swipe at the ideal speed.

I think that the ideal swiping speed is the same as the average walking speed. If you extend your arm with your MetroCard in hand, and just walk at normal speed into the turnstile without hesitating, you'll get through every time.

This is why people get caught up at those revolving iron maiden-type turnstiles. The swiping speed is the same as the normal turnstiles, but people hesitate because they wait for the bars to stop rotating. Just swipe at normal speed and walk into the thing, even if the person ahead of you is still going through the bars and has her/his green GO light still active--it won't eat your fare and you'll get through every time. If you have even the slightest bit of insecurity and act nervous, you'll get the PLEASE SWIPE AGAIN message.

onwisc92

Please, Howard Dean wouldn't take the subway...

Little known fact... the Dubya and Dean's grandmothers were in each other weddings...

billy

i bet howard dean would get right into the subway on one swipe!

Jen

Hey, I walk into walls - my motor skills are seriously unquestionable. But we don't want another president who will be choking on pretzels if you know what I mean.

Rob

Ah, geez... I take the subway two or three times a day, and today even *I* got four PLEASE SWIPE AGAINs. Then again, questioning my motor skills would be only fair...