I know I'm a little late addressing this topic but I just wanted to chip in my two cents about the MTA proposal for seatless subway cars: I don't think it's a good idea. Admirable and understandable, but not a good a one.
These cars will have flip seats that, during rush hours, will be flipped up and locked. No seats for anyone, everyone will stand. That includes old people, sick people, pregnant women, and little children. Obviously the idea is that these cars will be roomier and able to carry more people thus reducing passenger congestion. And it won't cost the MTA or taxpayers any money.
But will it really? No.
It means that more people than ever will be riding the subways. More space, more passengers, more madness.
In addition, New Yorkers will be p'od that they all have to stand and bump into each other. Ever been on a crowded subways? Not fun. What makes standing on the subway bearable is the hope -- the precious, godforsaken hope -- that just maybe, just maybe!, we'll get lucky and snag a seat. But if the cars are seatless and that hope is dead, then riding on a crowded car will be sheer agony.
And what about those old people, sick people, pregnant women, and little children? They work and go to school during rush hours too. Should they be punished? Mr NYC says no.
So thumbs down on seatless subway cars. Good idea in theory, awful in practice. Of course, if I'm wrong, it won't be the first time.
These cars will have flip seats that, during rush hours, will be flipped up and locked. No seats for anyone, everyone will stand. That includes old people, sick people, pregnant women, and little children. Obviously the idea is that these cars will be roomier and able to carry more people thus reducing passenger congestion. And it won't cost the MTA or taxpayers any money.
But will it really? No.
It means that more people than ever will be riding the subways. More space, more passengers, more madness.
In addition, New Yorkers will be p'od that they all have to stand and bump into each other. Ever been on a crowded subways? Not fun. What makes standing on the subway bearable is the hope -- the precious, godforsaken hope -- that just maybe, just maybe!, we'll get lucky and snag a seat. But if the cars are seatless and that hope is dead, then riding on a crowded car will be sheer agony.
And what about those old people, sick people, pregnant women, and little children? They work and go to school during rush hours too. Should they be punished? Mr NYC says no.
So thumbs down on seatless subway cars. Good idea in theory, awful in practice. Of course, if I'm wrong, it won't be the first time.
Of course, there's the standard economic solution.
ReplyDeleteRaise the price so steeply until only people who can afford it will ride. Then everyone will get a seat.
Doubt you're in favor of that one either. ;-)
I'm in favor of the "no seats". When you're faced only with bad choices, you take the least worst ones.
True, there are no good choices, I just worry that seatless cars will create more problems than they'll solve. But we shall see.
ReplyDelete