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With some new signs, the MTA is trying to remind subway riders that trying to push through a train car's closing doors slows subway service down. CityRoom describes the graphic, "The image above shows a rider wedged into the door, his body awkwardly positioned as the panels slam shut. (Whether he made his way into the train car, and succeeded in getting to his destination, remains unknown.)" If only the other people on the train car were shown with their annoyed expressions!
The Post reports, "Last year, more than 9,000 trains were late because of door-blocking, city officials say. That number is on track to be even higher this year, because 7,500 door delays occurred in just the first eight months of 2009. A train is considered late if it arrives more than five minutes behind schedule." Ha, lately it seems like five minutes is "on time." Anyway, you know how it goes—when you're already on the train, you hate the door holders but when you're rushing for the train, you appreciate the folks who hold the door open for you ('cause who knows when another will appear!).
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There's a difference between holding the doors (rude) and thrusting a limb into an already-closing door (stupid) which they're not addressing.
On a side note, how do they know the number of trains that are late because of door blocking? If they know the number they must be keeping records, and isn't this record-keeping also slowing things down?
Don't think they're keeping scientific records, just whatever the train crew reports.
And the difference to riders trying to get home is...?
Isn't it obvious? New York is freakin tiny, the subways stops are too many in between, the platforms are f'ing tiny, and the people and especially tourists from buttfuck nowhere are idiots.
Really, people consider it so rude that another person tries attempts to save themselves 10 - 20 minutes of waiting by preventing the train from leaving for... 5 seconds? I'm fine with a person prying open the doors with their fleshy outcroppings - a few seconds don't register on my wasted-time clock, plus their struggle can be entertaining.
When a person holds the doors open for someone not even close to making it onto the train, like running down the steps to the platform, well, that can be obnoxious.
And if a train is considered delayed if it is five minutes late, something other than last-minute comers-on is behind the 9,000 delayed trains. To the people inside the train, the red man is a minor annoyance. But to the people surrounding him, red man is a hero.
I'm sorry. I can't read past "fleshy outcroppings". I am laughing too hard!
I replied to Hymietownhero, I don't know why it showed up here...
I think you have to hit the submit button twice, like everyone else does.
Lets face it People are rude and selfish and infact typically do hold the doors on occasion and hold up a train for a someone that delays a train full of thousand passengers. It happens everyday!!! But is it worth starting an argument over it????
I think it depends on time of day and the line in question.
If it's rush hour, yeah, you're being a douchebag if you hold or pry the door open because the next train is a few minutes away.
But between midnight and 5AM when the trains have 20-30 minute headways? No way, go for it. They should add more fucking service.
I can see how there could be cummulative delays from all the holding at all the stops throughout the system. Why not just put some nasty grease or something on the door edges? Warn everyone, they will gave to decide if getting the goop on them is worth not waiting.
The "nasty goop" might seem like a good idea -- right up to the point when the doors close on you while trying to get off a crowded train.
If it's that big a deal why aren't they issuing tickets for violations? They're ticketing people for putting feet on the seats in the middle of the night, but not this?
I agree. They should be issuing tickets for this instead of just giving them to people who put their feet up on the seats.
Maybe if the doors stayed open the required amount of time (anyone know what that is)? - then there wouldn't be people risking life and limb to get on. Typically, I see those doors open for mere seconds before they slam shut and the train then sits for a while before leaving.
There's a "schedule"? I thought the subway operators just drove the things around and hoped for the best vis-a-vis efficiency and people-moving.
No, there's a schedule. http://mta.info/nyct/service/schemain.htm
haha that "schedule" is just for shits and giggles.
Yes, there is a schedule that the public is not shown. The public timetables show some of the schedule, but not the entire schedule.
Holding doors doesn't bother me nearly as much as idiot behavior like entering the train and stopping one step inside so all the people behind you can't get on, or pushing your way on when people are still trying to exit. A little more entry/exit order would probably reduce the time, and certainly the frustration, of each stop. It's hard to imagine that Japanese people actually line up single-file to get on their subway cars.
Holding the doors is the least of it -- the biggest problem is people stopping after they step into the train, blocking anyone else from getting in. This situation just gets worse by the day. When I first started riding the trains daily (in the mid-70's) -- everyone knew to hustle their way in as far as you could to grab a metal strap -- even the machos characters who refused to give up their spot at the door had the courtesy to turn sideways and let people in and out. Now everyone is in their own Ipod fueled world ignoring everyone else; and what I really don't get is how slowly people walk now. When I was a kid (raised in Mass but child of NYer's -- spent lots of time here) it was a point of pride that NYer's hustled. My mother always gave us the "here in NY we have to move fast" spiel. Now everyone saunters like their in the DC metro -- it drives me insane!!!! It's called the 'rush hour' people --- get with the program!
Not only do Japanese people line up single- file. When the doors open, they wait on either side until everyone has exited before boarding. You never see people pushing to get on.
Thanks for the Reality Check. I have been to Tokyo several times and have never witnessed this. I can only hope the next time the R train is full, a nice, well dressed MTA employee will kindly shove me into car.
That's a great vid. If people think that NYC is bad with train overcrowding, Japan has got it much worse.
Its annoying when people do it on a already fully packed train.
Put spikes on the doors that appear as they're closing. Rude people dead. Strollers destroyed. Problem solved.
Why don't we talk about the as*wipe conductor who closes the subway doors as you're entering the car.
WHAAA??? The conductors don't wait for your graceful ass to enter? The hell you say!
How about when people are slowly exiting and you are trying to wait but people on the other side of the doors are already pushing in and grabbing the available seats.
How about the people who saunter into the car and block your way while they decide where to park their ass while all the seats get grabbed up.
How about the couple the pushed their baby stroller into closing car doors and the train took off anyway with their baby and stroller wedged in the door and the baby was grievously injured of killed (I forget which). Now THAT was a stupid way to hold the doors, huh?
I'd like to beg the MTA to make the local keep its doors open so passengers can transfer across the platform to expresses. It seems to be official policy for locals to close their doors as expresses open theirs.
www.forgotten-ny.com
@kevin – yeah! almost every morning the BK shuttle i'm on pulls up to prospect park station while the Q train i need is pulling in on the other side.
and then it waits. and waits. and waits.
then as soon as the Q shuts its doors, the shuttle opens. seems intentional...
it's the MTA fuckin with people....they dont give a shit...their bored....
I also would like the MTA to tell operators to stop the repeated "angry slam" of the doors when they are annoyed with people who are trying to enter the train. They should also stop with the yelling.
www.forgotten-ny.com
Schedules aside, I remember reading that holding the doors open wears out the motors on the doors faster, causing them to need replacing more often. In other words, when a train gets taken out of service mid-run because the doors are broken, it's because of the jerks who insist on holding the doors open.
Are there any studies that show courtesy messages like this and that idiotic "Give up your seat" sign have any effect on the behaviors of those exposed? And how would they be quantified exactly.
You know what would also make the trains on time more frequently-- investing in the aging infrastructure, modernizing the signal system, completing the Second Avenue subway to relieve congestion, and eliminating engineers with automated computer systems.
I think that there are plenty of other reasons why trains can be late - putting the onus on passengers when raising fares, killing service, and eliminating subway staff attendants is absolutely hypocritical.
So what about holding a door for a stroller or wheelchair? Where's the poster for that?
My biggest complait is the rude assholes who plow right past you when you are trying to get off thr train. NY is full of them. Especially late at night.
You know, I've actually seen less of that since it became socially acceptable to smack the shit out of those people as you're exiting...
I don't begrudge the first person -- particularly if the train is largely empty. But the problem is that at rush hour there's always another person who rushes onto the platform and would like to squeeze on. One person holding the train for five seconds...ok. But when you've been sitting there for ten rounds of "stand clear!" as one person after another blocks the door, it starts to get annoying.
Maybe if the subway conductors wouldn't shut the doors on those who are politely standing to the side on the platform and letting the passengers get off the trains, people wouldn't feel the need to hold the doors.
Let's see now the French"Metro" subway system has had a map
with electric lights on it to show you where the next
train that you are waiting for is ,and for for the last 70 years at that ,this low class technology works.
We are talking about an expensive GPS system for our subway in about
5-10 years to do the same thing that an old fashioned electric light bulb system used in Paris for decades.
I would rather know where the heck my train is and when it
arrives than to be warned of a doorway blockage which at most takes a few seconds off of a ride.
I like the smiles of passengers that do squeeze in like they won a race at the Olympics.
.., or maybe the MTA should stop blaming the riders for their horrible service
The entire system is a piece of shit, but the amount of work required to repair it and extend it would probably make anybody shit their pants. (And I'm not talking just money, fuck it's everyone that's so stupid in all of this, myself included)
My judgment depends on the specific scenario.
This issue is also mentioned in a previous comment. I think what slows down the trains more than most anything is the selfish people who partially block the doors by standing on either side while others enter and exit single file instead of two at a time, funneling in between them. Many of them don't feel that they are in the doorway when one mentions it. But I bet if they purchased a 42 inch television that only displayed a 27 inch picture they would feel cheated. All they need to do to preserve their private spot is to step out while people are exiting and entering and then resume their privileged location. It would be helpful if the M.T.A. enforced this but even their employees do the same. The New Jersey Path and, if I remember correctly, the subway in Athens have recessed space by the doorway so someone can stand and not block the doorway. Since the M.T.A. doesn't, people need to respect the "design" and not be in the way.