"Ten Plagues" of the Subway Set Forth by Straphangers

Photograph by Sacha Lecca, which Gothamist published in 2006. Today it’s on the cover of amNY.

Flooding. Crowding. Filth. These are just a few of the “ten plagues” being visited daily upon New York commuters, according to transit activists at the Straphangers Campaign. Unlike the ten plagues that cursed the commute of ancient Egyptians, New Yorkers have – so far – been spared swarms of locusts on the L; though bed bugs have been sighted on subway platform benches.

Gene Russianoff, lead gadfly for the Straphangers, tells amNY that he’s already been “chastised for leaving out rats, cockroaches and subway preachers.” But watching your train pull away just as you get to the platform made the top ten, as did commuting with children. A spokesman for Pharoah – er, MTA – responded to the plague list by reminding commuters that they're continuing to work hard to serve “the greatest city in the world.” And at least when the subway floods it isn't blood in blood. The Straphangers' full plagues list after the jump.

The Straphangers Campaign thinks there are many other challenges frequently facing riders in the subways. So we are releasing our list of "ten plagues of the subways." Bedbugs don't make the list. While city transit has improved in many ways, riders must deal with these problems all too often. These are the subway curses of:
Overcrowding
Delays
Long waits
Flooding
Summer heat
Dirty seats
Garbled announcements
MetroCard mis-swipes
Just missing a train
Traveling with your newborn

But what about 'Dead rat in the change chute' of the Metrocard machine'?

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

By John Del Signore in News on May 9, 2008 10:11 AM

Comments [rss]

suepart

don't forget to mention the actual low lifes who take the train, speak loudly, take up seats, throw their mcdonalds bags and seeds on the floor, fatsos who hog up two or three seats, etc etc. these are the real problems of the system which can be solved if decency was reintroduced.

striker79

Just came across this very funny blog, Commuter Outrage, which lists a whole bunch of additional plagues on the NY subway. Here's the list.

I don't agree with all of them - like "Complete lack of customer service," for example. There's always someone working the booth at my stop. But the rest are all true from my experience......

Pretty damn funny what we put up with every day - and to see it all there in one list, hahahaha.

sonyactivision

Smelly food and the mind-numbingly idiotic jerks that sit there smacking that shit like they're in the back of a minivan.

Gwinny

Hey #5, if you were with someone who was sick, wouldn't a cab (or an ambulance) have been a way more obvious option for all concerned??

The Green Cat

How about the endless track work on the A and C lines which makes weekend and late night travel a nightmare for those of us who live above 168th Street. I hear now that the weekend disruptions will continue through 2009??? I appreciate keeping things maintained but how much track work is needed there?

jaja007

For #5, I hate it when the old people or pregnant ladies rush into the car, push other people aside, and right in front of me.

Do you think I'm an undercover cop or used to be a boy scout? I'm not giving you my seat. I saw how rude you were to the other person and tried to push them out your way assuming because I'm in shape and clean cut I must be some good old farm boy tourist or something, feel some sort of guilt, and offer you my seat. It ain't happening.

jaja007

I hate it when I'm sitting in an empty or nearly subway car and someone decides to sit right next to me! This happens too much. Do they think I'm going to protect them from the black thugs or something.

It's so freaking annoying. Thank god for Ipods or they'd try harder to strike up a conversation or something.

drewo

I recently took the L train out to W'burg and experienced the "conductor-less" ride on that line - and I liked it. The ride was smooth, no jerking back and forth as the train maintained a steady speed, and it stopped smoothly. I'd like to see this technology applied to other lines.

Georgina

Who should be banned during RUSH HOURS: People with Buick size baby carriages (some of these kids are big enough to walk) and lazy asses taking their bikes on the subway. RIDE YOUR BIKE.

Kojak

* Overcrowding: Better signaling systems that allow for more trains to run on the line more efficently. Actually in the works.

* Delays: Same as above, has improved. Delays and accidents happen, but they should work on a unified system to let subway riders know what the hell is happening and how to cope.

* Long waits: Same as above

* Flooding: More Pumps? Better Drainage? Rafts for people, rats, homeless.

* Summer heat: Good question. The heat I can live with. Its the heat + the urine smell in some stations that kills me.

* Dirty seats: Clean your stinkin ass.

* Garbled announcements: Arrange proper english classes for train crews. And better announcement system.

* MetroCard mis-swipes: RFID chips as Eric said, already deployed as a test on the Lex Ave Line. I tried it and it works great.

* Just missing a train: Sucks to be you. But its nice to have electronic signs to let you know when the next one is coming like whats on the L line.

* Traveling with your newborn: Stuff the child inside a well ventilated, but soundproof box. And place holes on the bottom for urine and feces to flow.

Alex

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8AnEHKZM1I

If only our trains had more people like this.

lower manhattan

Why on earth does NYC allow eating and drinking in the cars and stations?? In no other city do you have to sit and watch some family chowing down on their saucy platters, balancing drinks between their knees, or someone spilling a bag of M & M peanuts that commence to roll all over the car for the remainder of its shift... It is simply unfathomable.

As for the preachers, has anyone tried standing up to one and asking them to please spare everyone the message?

Michael

i'm the witness to the dead rat in the change chute. just another way for nyc to surprise you.

rbeshenk

11. Guy sitting next to me this morning who decided to whip it out and urinate on a crowded train during my commute to work.

EricRoberts

@politburo - oh no, millions of dollars! What's the MTA budget again?

And I know it's a novel concept, but spending now will save money later. Remember when some switching closet caught fire and there was only one company still making the switches? And the MTA said they wouldn't have it fixed for years?

Elderta

I kinda like the Mariachi Brothers, and there's a Doo Wop Trio sometimes, too. They always make me smile. The Preachers, I'm no so fond of.

Love that photo, Sacha Lecca, congrats!

Dude69

Street News Dude, kids selling candies for their "basketball uniforms", stinking bums who sleep across the seats, people who push in without letting passengers out first..the list can go on forever.