NYC Commuting
Rave
Happy 4th of July!!!!! Even though it’s horrendously hot and muggy outside (opening the windows just makes it worse), it’s a beautiful day, and it’s the start of another long weekend for me (I took a vacation last week). I do feel bad that all of NYC is using their air conditioners at max, thereby draining the power supply, but seriously, nothing can really be done about it. This coming from a person who thinks anything under 70 degrees is too cold. For some strange reason, it doesn’t matter. More raves after the rant.
Rant
Well, enough of the beautious sentimentality. I could talk about how the US government is screwing the world over royally, but that would be another page in itself. I will do a rant about that sometime, I’m just not sure what I should talk about specifically.
No, I’m going to talk about something with which New Yorkers (the city, not the state) can identify, something that can only be fixed when everyone is contientious about their surroundings and it’s not all about one person. I’m talking about people on the subways (and the subways themselves). Now, I know that anyone who takes public transportation anywhere, or anyone who travels to work by car may feel the same way, but I only know about the MTA subway system, so that’s all I can talk about with any authority.
It’s 8:45 in the morning. You just missed the previous train, which is all right; you got a late start, so you can’t blame anyone but yourself. Anyway, that means that you’re the first person in line for the next train, if there is any such thing as a line. People are coming into the station and standing to the back of the platform behind you. As soon as a train comes in, however, these same people push there way ahead of you so they can get on first and get a seat. This happens even when the train is empty. Some will push to get on first and then stand in the doorway so no one else can easily get in. These people will then get mad when you have to push by them. I have literally gotten pushed out of the way enough so that I couldn’t get on the train and had to wait for the next one. Are we as a city that uncivilized that we can’t treat our fellow passengers the way we want to be treated?
One way I’ve dealt with this problem is to use sarcasm. Sometimes it actually works. The key is not to get too mad, or no one will listen to you. If you’re trying to get off the train, and there are a lot of people trying to get on, try saying, in your sweetest voice, “Thank you for letting everyone off the train before getting on.” At some stations, there’s enough time for you to do this. Some people laugh, some have sheepish looks on their faces, and some downright curse at you. So don’t do this if you can’t take critisism well.
Of course, you have to follow the rules, or else this is invalid. If you’re just as bad as the next guy, you have no right to be sarcastic. And don’t use “me” or “I” in your sentence. Use “others”, so it includes anyone who is obeying the rules of courtesy and common sense. Don’t say, “Thanks for letting me cross at a walk sign” when a car is blocking the crosswalk, say, “Thanks for stopping to let others cross.” And please, please, please don’t say things to someone who will probably pick a fight with you. I know that I can’t win a fight, and fighting is stupid, plain and simple.
There are so many things I can say about people in the subways, but you know what I would say, you’ve gone through it yourself, whether on or off public transportation. I will say that people have to look around and be aware of others. And the Golden Rule applies here. Yeah, this problem will never be fixed, because it’s “human nature”, but when you help someone else get a seat on the train or make a pathway for people to get on or off, doesn’t that feel good?
Rave
NYPIRG’s Straphangers Campaign is a site dedicated to making a commuter’s life a little more pleasurable. NYPIRG stands for New York Public Interest Research Group. They are not affiliated with the MTA, and routinely try to make changes to the MTA’s system. The coolest part of this site is the map page. Type in an address or a subway stop, and you’ll be taken to that part of the city. How is that cool, you ask. Well, no other map will show both streets and subway lines. So there! This site also has information on scheduled changes to subway lines, bus and subway rating systems, and ways you can make a difference, among other things.
I was poking around this site when I clicked on the link to NYPIRG. This site is AWESOME! I don’t know why I didn’t look at it before. It doesn’t just apply to New York City, but to the whole state. It has everything you need to help make New York State a better place to live. Go check it out.