November 21, 2005
Battle of the Germophobes
Back in September, we reported on Transtrap, which allows germ-fearing subway riders to latch themselves on to subway poles without any hand-to-pole contact. Transtrap is made up in Boston, and we regret that when we did the original piece, we missed out on a home-town competitor: the Metrogrip. New York Magazine reports on Metrogrip this week-- invented by a 25-year old model, it folds over the pole instead of latching on, and seems like it might be easier to fold up and drop in your coat than the Transtrap. However, Transtrap does have some snappy accessories, including this very helpful Metrocard holder! Which is better? Probably depends on your subway riding style. And if you ask us, true germophobes don't even ride the subway-- they only leave their houses wearing a full-body condom lubricated with generous dollops of Purell.
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Out of curiosity: Does anyone actually know how many "Germs" exist on a steel Bar??
Agreed. I think the big sanitation worry is breathing the same air as sick people on crowded subways. Touching the poles is secondary. Where's my subway scuba gear?
While the air is rather bad, it's touching 'infected' items then touching other parts of your body and face that you get a whole host of flora that cause disease. I'm more bothered by the stuff that is left behind on the poles. I can't tell you how many times I've grabbed a pole and there is usually something slimey, sticky, or gooey there waiting for my bare hand. It's enough to make a generally non-germ-phobe into a germ-phobe.
People--you're just making life easier for multi-drug resistant strains of bacteria! Just find a way to wash your hands when you get off the train.
In all seriousness, though, if you're tall enough, always hold the handrail running down the center of the car in the R-142s and R-143s. Most people can't hang there comfortably for the duration of a subway ride. It's not a ticket to good health, but it's a comforting delusion.
this mornings commute involved watching a woman coughing - the cough with the phlegm gurgling in the back of her throat - sure, she covered her mouth but great, she just put the hand right back onto the pole..oh the nastiness of it all - she just kept doing that and then found a better spot and moved over to another handrail...and then i watched another woman put her hand on the same spot where the woman coughing was...YUCK!
In a few words -- GET OVER YOURSELF AND GRIP THE POLE. Thank you.
I shouldnn't even mention the homeless guy I saw adjusting his ballls then holding the hand rail.
Pleasant
to each his / her own, but i think that if you're that worried about a few germs then you're probably living in the wrong city.
A little hand sanitizer before meals is the extent of my routine. There's no practical defense against the rest of it, and you'll just drive yourself insane worrying about it.
Germophobia aside (really, if you don't just wash your hands when you've been on the subway you deserve whatever kind of nastiness you get, as far as I'm concerned), these seem like they'd be much better to market to short people who have a hard time reaching the bars above the seats. I try to stick to the vertical poles, because whenever I have to grab the higher horizontal ones I feel like my arm's about to get pulled out of the shoulder socket every time the train lurches.
This posting brought up another issue, people holding the vertical poles. I don't care if people use them if they leave room for others but most times I find some person hugging the pole like there a few moments away from an intimate moment with it. Why is this? I ride the 1, A, C, E and it is almost always someone with more money than sense and who does not move out of the way even when asked politely.
damn that metrocard holder is totally REI/gay
Seems to me the Metrogrip would be easier to carry and store since there's no rigid hook. (Ladies, repeat after me: Is that a Transtrap in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?) It's also half the cost despite both being on sale.
Here's an idea:
Wear a surgical mask on the subway like they did in SARS countries. Not only will it keep you comfortably germ free when somebody coughs or sneezes, it will also guarantee you a bit more personal space on the subway.
People coughing in their hands and then putting their hands on the poles is gross. Cough into your arm. It's not complicated. Also, avoid sticking your fingers in your mouth and nose or touching your eyes until you've washed your hands. Germs are all over our bodies everyday - we need them. But cold-causing germs can be eliminated by washing your hands and face after potential contact. And even then, you can't avoid everything. Do you know how many shit microbes are on the handle of an average public restroom? Well, into each life a few shit microbes must fall. Accept reality, folks. It's a dirty world.
hmmm. let's see. If you use these straps then the straps themselves must accumulate germs on the hook sides. They must pick up a whole bunch of germs from sliding left to right on the pole. Then you must touch that side and put the strapin your purse and bag where the germs will spread in there. SMART!!!! dumbest product ever
diabolix,
i lean against the vertical poles for exactly this reason. I would rather my hands not come in contact with ANY subway surface. If they do, the first thing i do upon exiting is wash them. Sneezing into your hand and then grabbing the pole is a prime way of spreading flu and colds. The way most people catch them is touching a dirty surface and then touching their mouth or eyes, not by being coughed on. Obviously washing your hands before you eat is good, but sometimes you forget and rub your itchy eye or bite a stray cuticle or nail before you get a chance.
I do try to give up the vertical pole space when more people get on the train, but if possible I will put my arm around it and hold it with the inside of my elbow rather than my bare hands.
i trace back my NYC subway germophobia to reading the book "hotzone" by richard preston. eek.
i purchased a METROGRIP a couple of weeks ago and I use it everyday. I love how convenient it is and its now part of my daily routine. Thank you METROGRIP. According to the picture, METROGRIP WINS!!! CONFIRMED GERMAPHOBE
DirtGirl, espousing your philosophy -- that it's okay to either hug the pole or wrap your elbow around it, to avoid having to touch it like the rest of us suckers -- is the public transport equivalent of hovering above the toilet seat in a public restroom. You might walk away thinking you've spared yourself contact with germs, but you're inconveniencing everyone else. Buy some Purell, or just wear your gloves on the train, but don't give me that "I'll just hold it with my elbox" crap.
First, I don't know why so many people were taught to sneeze into their hands, you're supposed to sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
Second, exposure is the only path to resistance. I'm not saying get out there and lick the seats, but I am saying that I used to work with a woman who always wore gloves 365 days a year when underground. This delicate flower would come down with a debilitating, nasty cold/flu thing every year that wouldn'nt end till the Spring. Me? I drink tap water and don't worry too much about the subway and I've had one cold and one sore throat ... in 5 years. (both of those can really be blamed more on weather-inappropriate clothing choices) Granted, I was pretty constantly sick my first 6 months here...
Dirtgirl, with anything as virulent as Ebola or SARS, hugging the pole isn't going to save you. Have you ever seen the plume from a cough? Photographs using polarized light to make it visible show it's as much as 6-7 feet long. Just learn to live with the fact that bacteria are all around us and use the pole the way it was meant to be used.
Janine, I'm with you on that sneezing/coughing technique. I've used my elbow for many years and nobody told me to do it. You shouldn't have to be taught this. It's common courtesy, not brain surgery. Still, you are being a bit harsh about your former co-worker. It could well be that she had a weak immune system and would have gotten even sicker if not for her precautions. There are just too many factors in play here to just dismiss her illnesses as self-inflicted.