July 2, 2004
Second Subway Incident This Week
Gothamist knows that some people are getting exasperated by the subway shootings ("Again?") but it doesn't mean it's any less disturbing. News that a man was shot in the face at a 7 train platform last night in Queens is crazy. But it might not be as random - the 23 year-old victim said, "I think I know him," after being shot, according to the police. Police are checking video cameras in nearby stores, as well as examining Metrocard records. Apparently they are hoping to find witnesses who fled the scene; Gothamist has always wondered about how Metrocards can be traced to individuals. One thing about the NYC subway system is that you only swipe your card when you get in - other subway systems, like London and Hong Kong, you swipe both when you enter and leave, leaving a clearer record of where you've been.
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Please don't make me swipe my Metrocard when I leave.
Ahhh! That's practically in my backyard! I live off the 36th Ave stop on the N/W and go through Queensboro Plaza everyday. This is freakin' me out man!
I think while the spike in these subway incidents is alarming, it appears that in most of these cases, the victims knew their assailants. I take comfort in knowing that this doesn't appear to be a spike in random crime, just a coincidental spike in this kind of crime. It's like when people thought a couple years ago that water bottles were being poisoned around the city because a few people got sick, but it just ended up being a big coincidence.
People who use credit cards to buy their MetroCards can be tracked down pretty easily. If you want to retain your privacy, stick to cash purchases.
But Mr. Money Bags keeps telling us crime is down...
Not trying to start a flame war or what ever the term is, but is "do-rag" code for black at the NYTs? Seems odd that they leave out what may possibly be the most evident perp discription (white, hispanic, black, etc) but add that little detail.
i once had to get a record of my metrocard use - it had every trip i had made with that card for six months - all the times i was late for work - when i left early - morning trains home after too much partying...
and all that someone needs to learn your comings and goings is the number off the back of your metrocard - cash or credit doesn't matter - if you have the card now, those trips are assumed yours - cheating spouses beware....