I don't think a position on an incompetent token clerk and flawed policies are mutually exclusive LIC. The NYCLU's webpage has some prattling about the dangers of having security cameras in subways stations. While I don't think security cams are the answer I don't see getting worked up about them being installed and don't think they're an infringement on my civil rights. While the NYCLU gets agitated about silly issues the elephant in the room is the union & mta apologists for the token clerk and flawed policies and the politicians inaction.

First you're blaming the token booth clerk and wondering aloud why he hasn't been fired yet and NOW you're saying it's the fault of the policy and the officials? Your logical fallacies ascend to new heights, bob!

policies do not turn people into heroes. you're simply trying to push an agenda. the police are the ones trained to deal with these situations but you're blaming a union for standing by their members. incompetent cops and faulty security measures... maybe, but unions? nyclu?

It's not a matter of civic duty. It's a matter of obviously flawed policies that no one is aggressively questioning and others are defending. You can't tell me the status quo is acceptable. Over the long run it will shake itself out. Oddly, I think the average token clerk probably would have a sensible take on how to reform the policies, but the only voices you hear are from union and MTA officials and politicians who claim to speak for them.

i'd be most ashamed of twisting someone's awful rape to make a political grandstand. seriously... unions? the mayor? nyclu? cyclists? you're clearly not interested in making this situation any better so much as making everything else go your way.

so the guy didn't try to take on a crazed criminal... not everyone is equiped to handle these situations. i'm sure he is tortured by his lack of heroicism, but he's quite obviously not the one to blame here. and don't give me this civic duty garbage... you know if he had jumped in you all would be calling him just that, a hero. heroicism is not civic duty, it's a personal trait.

Um, pardon me, "no excuses," but what would have been the ideal outcome for you in this situation?

And the NYCLU? What are you on about, here? This isn't a civil liberties issue, bob.

Where are the NYCLU and the bike activist drama queens when you need them. They stay in silent collusion and would rather tilt at straw men.

SD...are you the clerk or are you related to him? You are completely missing the point. Whatever this clerk did or did not do does not matter. It made no difference. So if he did nothing, he should be ashamed. And if he did something and nothing happened from it, he should also be ashamed. If he spoke to the police....great but then what? Did he yell to the guy, "hey, the cops say stop now and they'll be here in 10 min to arrest you." The bottom line is that his actions or inactions did not help this poor girl and as far as we can tell, it was inaction.

Just because a police force exists whose job it is to protect citizens does not mean the rest of us raise our hands helplessly and say its not my job. This sort of malaise is emblematic of our society in general. Shareholders dont bother to vote on boards that scam them, voters dont bother voting for their elected officials. Come on - its every human being's decent civic response to help out another in whatever way they can - everyone who saw the crime and did nothing other than token measures is at fault that this young girl got raped just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Here we are on day three and the token booth clerk still has not been fired. The TWU claims that he acted properly and the MTA say they have no intention of changing policy. The politicians make fuzzy statements about changes being made without being specific. The mayor is AWOL. What's wrong with this picture.

the MTA union should be disbanded and the MTA board replaced with elected representatives. MTA workers are the laziest pieces of crap around.

Well, N.E., How do you know that all he did was push the Button? The News Articles are missing a lot of details (Weapon, why it took them 10 minutes, did he use the PA system, etc.) Was he NOT in contact with the Police? Since those booths have Phones, I bet either the police got on the line to him when he hit the buttin or he got on the line with them.

Did the Panic button set off a loud Alarm? Was it a Silent Alarm or Not?

You want to Assume that he only hit the button nad nothing else, ok.

No, he did the equivalent of screaming "help". To summon help is to actually get it. Did he really think that panic button worked? It must have been the longest 10 minutes of his life until the flash-like cops showed. And yet that was all he did. If he was being attacked inside his booth, would he simply lock the door with the perp inside and press the button? After all, that's what the rules are. Lock yourself in the booth and press the panic button. Pay no mind to logic or emotions, just follow the rule.

Live and Learn.

The reference to the last Seinfeld is, IMO, Off. The Token Booth Operator did do something, he summoned help.

You are incorrect. Assaulting a booth clerk or conductor is no longer considered the same as assualting any other citizen. The union fought to make sure that it is now the same as assaulting a police officer. Their argument for gaining this distinction was that MTA workers are there to protect the customers of the MTA. My statement should be read as thus....anyone can press a button. While an MTA worker may not be afforded extra "protection" in the course of an incident, they have fought and one that distinction in the eyes of the law. That distinction should be taken away if they do not fulfill their part of the deal.

And let us not forget that we are customers of the MTA. If this happened in a McDonalds, how much money do you think they would lose in the lawsuit. Fortunately for the MTA, they are already so mismanaged they will just go through bankruptcy instead of paying any damages if the victim decides to sue.

As an aside, anyone remember the final episode of Seinfeld? Quite apropos.

If you hit an MTA worker, it is now the same as hitting a cop. So guess what, if they're afforded that "protection" then they should earn it with their actions.

An Interesting statement. I would have thought that Assaulting any city employee would have the same penalty as assaulting any other citizen, but It may carry heavy penalties.

So, since you think that assaulting a MTA employee gets the same penalty as assaulting an armed police officer, Therefore, the MTA Employee is Now Deputized as an unarmed "cop"? Did I interpret your sentence properly?

What an idea that is...

Stop hiding behind the rules of the MTA and unions. If you were walking by someone who was getting raped would you 1. stop and yell/hit the perp, 2. call 911, 3. run the other way and say "good luck"? I would hope it's 2 and then 1. It's harder for a perp to fight two people than just one. And if you answered anything other than 3, I commend you because you're not being paid or forced by rules to do it. You do it because you know that you should. I would argue that if this booth clerk had any dignity, he/she would have helped.

I pay $2 a ride to be given attitude at the booths, watch conductors close doors on the local as the express pulls into the station, have no AC on cars, wait 15 minutes for trains during rush hour, and have the subways shut down every time it rains. Now I get to be raped with an audience. Lovely!

If you hit an MTA worker, it is now the same as hitting a cop. So guess what, if they're afforded that "protection" then they should earn it with their actions.

i'll repeat: why did it take the cops over 10 minutes to get to a station that's less than a 10 minute walk away?

The Evil Still-No-Contract PBA Union?

Um, Sorry, it was just too easy...

i'll repeat: why did it take the cops over 10 minutes to get to a station that's less than a 10 minute walk away?

They should really shutter the 21st Street station, the Court Square stop is literally 1000 feet away.