Wild Wednesday Weather, Watch Your Commute
MTA Says, Avoid the Subway

Speaking as a professional thread comment arbitrator and facilitator, the high points of this comment thread thus far have been:

1—Commenter #138 refuting commenter #143, who DID NOT YET EXIST, realizing his/her mistake, and not only issuing a gracious and public mea culpa, but doing so IN THE #143 spot.

Sheer wizardry.

2—The sly flirtation aimed by #196/#201 toward #191/#199. I'm assuming that the commenter knows the E.Harlem to DUMBO biker, and I hope the heroic biker has caught on. Of course, I could be wrong, and it could just be more wizardry. either way, bravo.

Well done folks. As for the rest of you, good luck with your commutes. I'm in Amsterdam, where, believe it or not, people bike to work in suits, with kids, and at advanced ages.

However, they don't act like self righteous jerks about it.

Reality Czech, it's easier to convince people to try your great idea if you don't tell them first how stupid they are. Unless, of course, your goal is just to make yourself feel important. "Suck it cause you like it" is a fun expression, but makes you look like a fool when you use it as a debating tactic.

#243.. where'd that come from?

Here is the story of my commute this morning:

I live in Brooklyn only about 2 blocks from the Utica Ave station on the 3 & 4 line. When I got to the station this morning, people were milling about OUTSIDE the station (this was about 8:20 am). They said that there was no 3 or 4 train service.

So I walked to Utica Avenue and took a bus towards Williamsburg. I had to wait for a few buses to pass that were full, but then I got a seat on a bus. I got off at Fulton Street, planning to take an A C or E train. Of course, there were no announcements on the bus about where there was or wasn't service, and of course there was also no A C or E service.

I saw some MTA officials standing outside the Fulton St station, so I asked one if I was able to get to Downtown Brooklyn, were any trains running to Manhattan. He did not know.

He said MAYBE I could take the LIRR out to Jamaica and then from Jamaica into Penn Station. I asked him if I did that, were there any trains running in Manhattan. He did not know. So I told him I wasn't taking the LIRR to Manhattan if I could not be sure of trains running from Penn Station.

I tried to call my wife to ask about a ride to Manhattan, but I was not able to get in touch with her.

I decided to take the bus down Utica Ave to Williamsburg, hoping that in Williamsburg I could either get a bus to Flatbush Avenue and walk over the Manhattan Bridge or maybe just walk over the Williamsburg Bridge or something like that (my plan was kind of vague at that time). Again, I got a seat on this bus as well.

I overheard some woman on the bus saying that she was going to get on the M train, and then I saw a train go overhead when I got to Broadway in Brooklyn, so I changed my plan. The bus stopped at Myrtle Ave and the bus driver told people they could connect to the subway, so I got off there.

I went up to the subway station. The express in the station was packed to the gills, but a local train came in next and was pretty empty -- again, I got a seat. I got off at Canal St in Manhattan, which is only 2 blocks from where I work.

I would have gotten to work at about 8:50, instead I arrived at about 9:30 -- not so bad (except for the heat and the humidity).

I have to tell you, though: Its bad enough that the MTA did not provide any sort of buses or increased bus service or bus service to replace trains, but the LEAST they could have done was to provide information to people so they could figure out what their alternatives were.

my favorite part of the morning was when i was at vernon/jackson waiting for the 7. Station atttendant came on the PA - "Go to Queens Plaza, the N/W is running". So I do. When we got there, what was the very first announcement? "N/W is not running". The platform for the manhattan bound 7 was so crowded that there was no room to stand. people were waiting on the stairs. i just went home at that point.

Artimus,

we did not say that it rains like that all the time... we said that the subway shuts down because of rain ALL THE TIME. This is absolutely true. If they can't handle a normal day of rain, which they often can't how can they even begin to handle a day like today?

MTA New York City Transit

Service Alert

Posted on:8/8/2007 7:09:34 PM

Subway service has resumed on most lines following this morning's severe flooding. There are still extensive delays and suspensions on some subway lines. We are working to restore full service to all the affected subway lines. This is the current status of subway operations:

1 train service is running.

2 and 3 train service is running.

4 and 5 train service is running .

6 train service is running.

7 trains are running local only.

a train service is running.

b train service is running.

c train service is running.

d train service is running.

Service on the Queens Blvd corridor is slowly returning to normal, but there are still disruptions.

e train service has resumed with residual delays between World Trade Center and Parsons - Archer.

f trains are suspended in both directions between 71st Street - Continental Ave Station and the Jamaica - 179th Street Station.

Shuttle Bus service is available from Briarwood-Van Wyck Blvd. to Jamaica-179th Street for f train customers.

g trains are suspended in both directions between the Long Island City - Court Square Station and the Bedford - Nostrand Station.

g train service is operating between Bedford - Nostrand and 4th Avenue - 9th Street Station.

Shuttle Bus service is available from Bedford - Nostrand g Station to Long Island City - Court Square Station

v trains are suspended in both directions between the 2nd Avenue Station and the Forest Hills - 71st Avenue Station.

s Franklin Avenue Shuttle service is running.

s 42nd Street Shuttle service is running.

j train service is running.

l train service is running.

n train service is running.

m train service is running.

q train service is running.

r train service has resumed with residual delays between Bay Ridge - 95th Street and 71st/Continental Avenue.

w trains are suspended in both directions between the Astoria - Ditmars Boulevard Station and the Whitehall Street Station.

Due to street closures in Mid-town Manhattan, the following diversions will be used until further notice:

Staten Island-bound X2 and X5

From 57th Street, south on Lexington Avenue to 42nd Street, west on 42nd Street to 5th Avenue, south on 5th Avenue to 34th Street, east on 34th Street to Lexington Avenue and regular route.

Buses should pick up at X1 bus stops on 5th Avenue, there is no stop at 41st Street and Lexington Avenue.

M98, M101, M102 and M103 South-bound

Regular route to East 42nd Street, east on 42nd Street to 2nd Avenue, south on 2nd Avenue to 34th Street, west on 34th Street to Lexington Avenue, south on Lexington Avenue and regular route.

While the frozen zone is in effect, please expect delays in service on the X2, X5, M98, M101, M102 and M103.

the MTA has a nerve to ask for a fare hike after all this.

mind bogging to say the least.

GOTHAMIST:

Since we all have the option of "hiding guest comments", can you please dump the gray so we at least have the choice TO read them should we want to?? And just make the off button larger. Or just shut us off entirely.

PS, my experience with the subway this morning: every MTA subway stop was telling people to go to a different one "where trains are running", instead of telling people the truth, that nothing was running. Everyone ran in circles and got pissed off, walked across central park, etc, unnecessarily.

All of you whining about how MTA couldn't handle the rainfall this morning: this does NOT happen all the time. We got anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rain per hour, which was as much as, if not more than, what Hurricane Floyd dumped on the city in 1999. So let up on MTA. Yeah they should improve their pumping capacity, but throwing a semi-anonymous temper tantrum on a blog is not going to help matters.

http://www4.ncsu.edu/~nwsfo/storage/cases/19990915/

I understand if the train tracks are flooded that there can be no trains running. But why the hell are there no buses either? I give the MTA an F- for today. God help us if we get another bad storm. I'd hate see what would happen if we had a real disaster someday...

can they not predict it sooner?

Sometimes they can, sometimes they can't. It's not easy to get lots of good data from a tornado.

"THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAD ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING FOR THIS

STORM AT 6:28 AM."

"THE TORNADO PATH WAS DISCONTINUOUS AND STARTED IN BAY RIDGE

SOMETIME JUST AFTER 6:30 AM"

can they not predict it sooner?

Nick S. is another asshole.

NOAA/NWS has confirmed EF2 Tornado passed over Brooklyn:

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/okx/pns/tonado_NYC.txt

Dadoc

Here's some more coverage of the storm, from Bay Ridge:

http://rightinbayridge.blogspot.com/2007/08/kansas-right-in-bay-ridge.html

let me clarify, I know the 4,5,6 is running, but how insane is it?

okay, back to the matter at hand people.

Can anyone tell me about the 4,5,6 going uptown?

I'm about to try and go home.

thanks!

According to the MTA's site, last updated at 4:40 there is no R service to Astoria-Ditmars Blvd... the R doesn't go there. The screen capture above has what I assume is the correct information.

I like how the MTA says people should stagger their work hours.

Yeah, I'll just get in touch with all the other commuters and we'll work out a schedule.

the only people that use sports analogies for any comparison are slack-jawed simpletons...

ITS NOT APPLICABLE OR RELEVANT!

CoOOoOol LeTz TuRRRrrN THis INTO a Sp0rtZ ThReAD!!!!!

REALITY CZECH - EAT MY NUTZ!!!!!!!

Yes T Kaisen, Parity is not measured by who wins the championship, but by which teams have a chance in hell of getting there. In baseball it's always the same teams. In hockey, basketball or football, any team can make the playoffs. The better team has won each time. Unfortunatley, for a Yankee lover like yourself, you may eventually learn that you can't buy a championship.

Does anyone know what's going on with the Ronkonkoma line eastbound (LIRR)? They are not posting any delays, but I find that hard to believe...

hey 196 - an hour from e. harlem to dumbo is sexy?

try wash hts/inwood to battery park in 35 mins!

call me.

Hockey has parity, basketball has parity, football has parity, baseball has the NY Yankees spending as much as they want because they can just raise ticket prices next year.

I guess that explains the Patriots winning 3 of the last 6 Super Bowls?

Or Spurs winning 3 out of the last 5 NBA titles and the Spurs and Lakers sharing 7 of the last nine.

And the... six different world series champions since the Yankee Dynasty ended.

I give your troll a B+. Extra points for using sports to make a completely incorrect analogy and for ignoring the fact that most people don't want to spend all day smelling like a shady strip club mixed with BO. Well played.

- Though the idea of biking through midtown traffic is a bit harrowing to those of us who are just not so good at it, i'd certainly try to get over it..... Iiiiiiif i wasn't commuting from NJ for the summer. So, yeh, biking is not an option for everyone.

- Reality Czech... your comparison of economies to the way sports leagues work is so asinine it's almost adorable. A salary cap does not equate to socialism. Nor does it equate to parity (parity in the NBA? really????). There COULD be more ECONOMIC parity in baseball even without the salary cap... some teams/owners are just too cheap. And where did those ridiculous salary numbers come from anyway? Oh right, the players union....

Nor does money equate to success/happiness (particularly in sports. When was the last time the Yankees won a championship? And look at the random teams which have won or contended for the last couple).

- "Suck it cause you love it" ....real classy sign off you got going there. I can tell Reality Czech is an individual who has put a lot of thought into things......

that was for this Reality Czech dolt

-228

The only thing to be "gotten" from your post are that you are a pinhead

Some more updates from the MTA and lots of finger-pointing.

So what Nick S. You registered and your are a moron of previously unknown proportions. Suck it cause you love it.

Just got through reading thru the last 200+ posts.

Some folks just trying to share info, lots of the usual mass transiters, Bike Nazis, Starbucks Wi-Fi'ers etc. After >200 posts, nobody said it's Al Sharpton's or W's fault? Come on, guys you're gettin lazy here!

I hereby sentence all all of the malcontents to the following (with a special place reserved for anybody with the name reality in their tag):

You win!

You get a one-way ticket to the outskirts of Mumbai, where you can sit on a roof surrounded by 3 meters of water watching corpses float by. That's what's happening right now in the world.

And you won't have to worry about anyone in your precious "bike lane", but you might have trouble getting a good Wifi connection, and I don't hink you'll be able to get your favorite "juicy syrup" for your Latte. But feel free to complain (in a loud and strident voice). Those surrounding you on that rooftop only speak Hindi.

Ah, I revel in that vision!

Get some perspective. Have some compassion.

It could be much worse.

Salaam Namaste!

Dadoc

Here's a look at socialism: hockey, basketball and football have a socialist system where each team has a salary cap, baseball doesn't.

Hockey has parity, basketball has parity, football has parity, baseball has the NY Yankees spending as much as they want because they can just raise ticket prices next year.

Got it?

point is, Paul, if there was competition, the service would be better. This is obviously hard-impossible to accomplish in New York, but that point was stated in the post you are referring to

if you had the most basic reading comprehension, you might be able to understand the context of that statement. I did not call the transit system socialist. I was comparing the lack of competition..... bigger idiot

"This is why socialism doesn't work."

Yea, um city run transit systems aren't socialist. In fact, they're the standard. Idiot.

[144]

I was not aware jeans and a t-shirt indicated "slack ass job." The irony is my work brings in the money so you number crunching chimps in the cubicles can continue what you do...

Probably F0-F1 (mod Fujita)

Spoke with my Mom this AM, lives near 61st & 6th.

She was down the basement, checking for flooding.

Had the basement door to backyard open.

Around 6AM she heard the "Freight Train" sound rolling over the house her words, not mine.

Took her & my sister's full weight to push the door shut.

Her house OK, one broken window from a "twig", furniture blown off the back porch. Sections ripped off the Storage place on 63rd & 6th & damaged surrounding buildings.

Be interesting to see the pattern of the fallen trees, differing angles of fall may indicate rotation, therefore tornado.

Dadoc

Yeah, I'm self-righteous

OK, just so you're aware of it.

and be prepared to pay more for that fantastic bullshit soon enough...

What I find frustrating with the MTA is that there seems to be no protocol in place for days like today. Or, if there is a protocol, it's a poorly executed one. I'd have imagined a command-central post, where each station calls in with hourly updates. Command-central makes calls on which lines do what, call stations back. Employees at the stations are posted at the ENTRANCES and update commuters on the situation with real information. Even if I couldn't get to work, at least I'd know which trains/buses were actually running!

Instead, I got a different answer from every MTA employee I spoke to. I know they're trying their best, but since heavy rainfalls seem common enough in this city, and the subway system is so widely used, I'm surprised that MTA leadership hasn't come up with a better way.

I got off the A at 125 after taking it from 181, looked for a cab or a bus then went back to 181, got my bike and rode in. Yes, it was hot and nasty, and a headwind the whole way. But fun.

did reality czech seriously just try to insult somebody by calling them a "guest"

you weren't invited to comment here, you took the extra minute to register. big. fucking. deal.

210, that doesn't make any sense. They simply could have chosen to pay the 8 bucks and drive in today. Or they would not have attempted it at all.

Also, the system would have already been improved from the extra revenue. (if used properly , of course)

Most of you guests are fat assed jerk-offs who are ruining America but are too blind to know it. Yeah, I'm self-righteous because I know better than you dumbass. Wake up. No, I will not lighten up and JMH suck it you turd.

Interesting that the G train is listed as suspended between Court Square and 4th Avenue, given that it's not even supposed to run as far as 4th Avenue.

yeah, would have been great to have a few hundred thousand extra stranded riders thanks to the congestion pricing... what a joke. and on top of all this they want to raise the fares?

Does anyone have any sense of how accurate and reliable the MTA updates are? Are the trains they say are now working actually working?

By the way, that modified subway map showing only areas of lines with active service is great. The MTA should publish those for weekend disruptions as well.

I mean, the LOLcats version of the map was great too, but in a different way.

The MTA issued an update at 2:20. Things are slowly getting back to normal.

#205, why?

Bicyclists should be forced to use the Manhattan bridge.

90 degree weather, air quality poisonous, sure I'll ride a bike. Sounds like a great idea.

It's all well and good that there's an option to hide guest posts, but what this forum really needs is an option to hide Reality Czech's posts.

what about buses, are they still packed? i'm going to take the m101 or m103 from grand central downtown

191/199 - I was totally serious... you sound like a man with a fabulous brand-new hardwood floor. Call me!

Yes, ride a bike in the city and risk being run over by a taxi, or better yet, getting squashed underneath a bus. The mayor should recommend this route for all NYers!

191 here. oh yeah, I totally rolled into DUMBO drenched in sweat. I work at a gallery which is closed today, so I get it that an hour bike ride for a suited person is just not in the cards.

I know how the other half lives, I've been both halves.

I get just as sweaty standing in the crush on the L and Q platforms as I do humping my bike over the Williamsburg Bridge. The bike gets me there just as fast on the subway's best day, and HOURS faster on a day like today. The MTA monopoly can go F*@K itself.

Hey bike hippie, we can all smell you, we're just too professional to SAY ANYTHING.

#191, you sound sexy.

@181/187: I have had jobs before where I could have done the same thing. Not so much these days. Just wanted to make sure you remembered "how the other half lives."

You know if everyone was as smart as you and biked, RealityCzech, then you would be stuck in a bike jam! And some of us fatasses WALK instead of bike. How lazy of us.

Also, some people's jobs think it's "unprofessional" to show up in non-work clothes or with hair wet with sweat.

More people walk when this happens too, that's why they take over the bike lanes. Pedestrians will ALWAYS have the right of way in this city (even though they legally have it EVERYWHERE), so get off your high horse (or bicycle) and deal with it.

Fantastic...no 4/5 from Fulton street...so I go and try to wait for an M1 bus for two hours and the only ones that come are too crowded to get on...so I call work and let them know. Guess what, they're writing me up (I'm a college student, so this is a retail gig) for failure to show up...after I called them several times earlier explaining the situation. Rich Bitch Boss from who comes in from Westchester says "Take a cab"...right, what part of college student doesn't she get...I don't have $20+ for a cab ride (I live pretty far from work). So I'm writing a nice, big letter to the HR department right now...fucking retards.

so are you being sarcastic or not?

what kind of work do you do? without being overly complicated.

East Harlem to DUMBO in one hour on the bike.

Wish I knew this before I waited for the R in Brooklyn. I reverse commute (I work on L.I.) and it was still hellish. B63's up 5th Ave were jam packed and all the traffic made walking faster anyway. Once I was on it, the trains were packed with people trying to get from Flatbush to Penn Station. Had to deal with a tall guy holding the pole above my head with B.O.

There's nothing quite like a brisk walk on a hot and humid day to really make you wish you worked at home.

incredible repartee Reality &^#@!

Any update on the Metro North service on the harlem line?

mike D. yes, totally being sarcastic. starbucks solution worked for me b/c i have a laptop and a job where i can get a good amount of work done on email, IM and cell phone. it worked for me and probably a small percent of others in the city today.... but, just like those who suggest riding a bike is the answer, it's not really practical for the masses... (181)

Hey Reality Czech - do you realize you sound like a self-righteous prick?

Do us fellow cyclists (and fellow Czechs) a favor and lighten up.

No, you're a guest and a moron. Suck it, because you like it.

181,

because great numbers of people have jobs that cannot be accomplished simply by sitting in front of the computer

@181: Please tell me you're being sarcastic...

how did this storm not wake me up last night? I barely knew it was raining

i cant figure out why all of the stranded commuters didn't do what i did. get off the bus / train, go to the nearest starbucks. power up your company provided laptop, connect to starbucks wifi internet, then vpn into your company network and work just like you were at your desk. seems so easy and logical. it is a nice, air conditioned atmosphere with food, drinks and a clean bathroom. it's weird that everyone else in the city is not doing this.

Shit happens. But, I can't deal with assholes who try to force their way into already over-crowded subways - especially when it's so freakin' hot out.

If it's that important for you not to be late, get up earlier or take a cab on days like this.

Storm Damage in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn 8/08/07:

http://flickr.com/photos/jnforte/sets/72157601308620213/

Enough with the bike bragging! Some people don't feel comfortable on bikes, get over it!

Reality Czech is a moron

nice empathy for your fellow humans, Reality Czech!

I thought this is a Manhattan/Billyburg blog, who cares about the rest of NYC?!

Biked in from Forest Hills to Wall Street. No big deal. I do it pretty much year round. Brooklyn Bridge was pretty crowded and lots of very angry people.

HAHAHAHAHA, I take the bus to work, suckas!

Oh, and socialism does work, but not in a place where you can be as greedy as you want to be!

"Yes...a bike would be nice, but what about those of us who live 80-90 blocks from where we work? Doesn't work out too well for us."

Bullshit. It takes less than an hour to bike 80 - 90 blocks which is only 4 - 5 miles. Get off your fat ass.

"a bike in the summer... not all of us can show up to work drenched in sweat and stinking for the rest of the day"

Bullshit. Get there early and give your self a little wipe down and spray yourself with cologne/perfume. No one will know the difference.

"How many people don't have room in their tiny apartments to store a bike?"

They have things called bike racks, they also make fold up bikes.

"How many people are too old or don't feel comfortable riding on city streets?"

No, but they feel comfortable walking like zombies on the streets. You should ask how many are lazy fatasses, I think that will get more replies.

"i am an avid cyclist. however i don't bike to work for a myriad of reasons. 1.) it's too dangerous to ride through Midtown at 8am. 2.) I actually wear a suit to work and need to appear presentable. A lot of people would ride a bike to work if they didn't have these two problems. Just because you get to wear jeans and t-shirts everyday at your slack-ass job doesn't mean you have a right to shit all over everyone else."

You could always change at work. Too afraid of midtown traffic? Do this city a favor and move you spandex/lycra wearing dumbass.

"Have some sympathy for people other than yourselves."

Bullshit. No vehicle has one bit of sympathy or respect for bicyclists, no pedestrian has one inch of sympathy for bicyclists, they get none from us!

Hey good point #35 - those two guys the other day with their homemade sub were visionaries, as it turns out. And like all true visionaries, they're being crushed by the man!

dude! no more flud on the map??!!

wtf!

Hot map, Zach!

Nice job.

161,

this is what they would like you to believe. They have mis-allocated millions of dollars over the years due to incompetence and corruption... and politics. That is why there is cause for anger.

Also, most of the money for projects comes from local allocations.... public funds.

I strongly agree that we should have congestion pricing, but garbage local politicians like sheldon silver are obstructionist for any type of change at all. It's all because the public does not take an active enough role in knowing the facts

a car in manhattan is NOT an option

better yet, where were the "shuttle buses" taking the place of suspended train lines. like MTA usually does when it doesn't run the L train on weekends.

F train in Brooklyn is running. I picked it up at Fort Hamilton (after a handy call to Crossroads Cafe) and took it to Jay Street to catch the A train. Seems normal, except for the sludge of water at Broadway/Nassau, yech.

This is a little late, since most trains seem to be running better now, but re: Brooklyn to the UES, I took the bus downtown and caught the F from Jay St to 63rd/Lex. It was incredibly slow (took about 2 hours total) but no diversions/rerouting or anything.

Just wanted to share since I'd heard rumors the F wasn't running at all. It is running, though when I got off at 63rd/Lex the conductor was announcing there would be extensive delays in Queens.

Not everyone stays home because not everyone is on a salary, and maybe that day of work is important. So please stop with the "why don't you just stay home?" Of course people would like to stay home, but sometimes that is just not an option.

Also, it is not defending the subway to acknowledge how much water they pump out on dry days. It is important for people to know that it's not JUST the rainwater that they're dealing with.

#157, presumably the MTA would need to spend lots of money to make the system more rain proof. Where will that money come from if they don't raise fares?

you do have options.

its called a car.

have fun getting anywhere today.

oooooooh better yet get a helicopter

This is why there are anti-monopoly laws.

When there is no competition, the quality of service and innovation in any business crumbles.

This is why socialism doesn't work.

I'm not saying that it would be easy to have competition in the nyc transit system. It's probably not workable. But nonetheless, that is why the entire system is broken and thy still want to raise fares.

Due to the fact that the MTA has no rival, it is the job of the city to make damn sure that the subway system is top notch... but they have not done so.

"Thank you for riding the MTA, New York city transit.... like you have a choice"

Wow, that commute sucked. Me and the Mrs was on the "Express" Bus from 7:30 to 11:30...

Our Bus had a revolt with people freaking out demanding to be let off for a Bathroom Break.

The Underpass on Queens Blvd being flooded was the problem for us.

#119, I totally agree. It's a fucking rainstorm, not a nuclear bomb or a volcano. It's rain. It happens a lot. Surely the most-ridden subway system in the world should be able to figure out a way to deal with a lot of rain. And yeah, I think it's totally insane that they want to raise fares on us again. I think X million people paying roughly $4 a day ought to be able to deal with the problem.

Does anyone know the best person to write to to demand better service?

We've got updates at 11:56 a.m. on the service.