For the latest installment of Why New Yorkers Can't Have Nice Things, step aboard the Staten Island Ferry, where riders have reportedly been fighting so viciously over power outlets that the Department of Transportation decided to shut them off. A basic refresher course on sharing apparently fell to the wayside after a ferry worker got punched to the ground while attempting to break up a power outlet-related dispute and had to be put on medical leave. Are all New Yorkers only-children?
The city didn't make a formal announcement about the dead outlets, nor would it confirm when the punishment went into effect.
However, it turns out the DOT has retained the right to cut off power on Staten Island Ferry boats for several years, pre-dating the de Blasio administration. The decision was apparently born of a request for assistance from the NYPD, after cops decided that the outlets posed a safety threat. Apple chargers trailing across the boat decks during rush hour also pose a tripping threat, according to the city. Also, don't leave your $1,200 laptop charging on a ferry bench, because someone might decide to steal it.
"This was done for public safety purposes in conjunction with NYPD following a presence of criminal activity and we are reviewing the current policy," said DOT spokesman Scott Gastel.
While we wait this one out, it's worth remembering that the most enjoyable Staten Island Ferry activity involves drinking a tall boy out of a paper bag, a pastime that does not require a power outlet.
