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10 January 2006
Why do people hate the subway? I am so overinvested in this question, but dammit, JUST TAKE THE SUBWAY. It loves you. It caresses you. Dammit.
I swear, I want to go back for answer #4 and be like: in a cab, you'll miss the awesome experience of aboveground subway travel and looking into people's windows. You'll miss the giant hole. (Jon, is the giant hole still there?) TAKE THE SUBWAY. Why do I care so much?
I don't understand subway hate, either. I have friends in the city who moan about not having cars, and I'm thinking, are you crazy???? I thank the Lord everyday I don't have to have a car- they're nothing but hassles (and money!!)
And I love looking into people's apartments on the N/W, too. There's an apartment along the route that has almost the exact same old flowered couch we have.
when it's running well and not assholes-to-elbows crowded (and provided I'm not sharing a seat with some drunk who's just pissed himself), I like the subway, too. I can read and nap during my commute. Beats driving all to hell.
Hole up now, I like the train as much as anyone else (Rah rah Yamanote-sen) but taking a cab across the 59th St. bridge when there's construction and it's slow affords me a lengthy look in the windows of some richly appointed pads.
The one you can see from the N/W, near the bridge. It was a big hole with lots of layers you could see inside, a building basement or something. It was there a year ago and it was awesome.
i love the subway too, but to and from airports it's a pain, esp with luggage. (i used to always take the A to JFK--the train to the plane--but it took hours.)
My dad grew up off the 46st/Bliss St station on the 7. My first serious girlfriend lived off the Main Street stop. I have a sentimental attachment to that line.
Only if you have too much shit. And frankly, I think it should be illegal to have more shit than you can carry yourself.
I take the L to the A to JFK and it's less than an hour door-to-door, even if the first A is a Lefferts Gardens train. Plus, who the fuck wants to sit on a bus? And what's with people willingly going through the Midtown Tunnel. And more to the point, why does this wind me up?
Jon, I think I've only taken the 7 once. It was just in response to the inane "reprazent" and the suggestion that taking the 7 from Grand Central to Times Square is better than the S, even though the 7 is like in the pit of hell there.
And you know, the platform at Hoyt-Scheremerhorn that was for the train to the plane is still empty and desolate and sad.
The subway=New York. I can't imagine what this city would be without it.
Maybe out-of-towners don't realize how accessible and easy it is to use. The DC train, for example, is nice and quiet, but just doesn't compare on a practical level.
Dame - in Richmond, VA, there's supposedly an Indian curse that says you cannot really leave the city unless you carry all your belongings up a stretch of Monument Ave. In many ways, I haven't left...
*Did you ever think you'd be able to pay for a Metrocard with your credit card?*
I got me a nice case of tourist hate at the S once. This blonde chick in a pink Yankees hat (I hate miscolored sports memorabilia with a passion) saw a packed S arriving and turned to her companion and said "Aw, it's crowded. Maybe some of 'em will get off." I couldn't resist, "They all get off, lady, it's a one stop train."
(The guy who drives the S must get really bored after awhile)
Jon, that's hilarious. Did you really say "lady"? Because that's such a brilliant New York stereotype. And yeah, poor S train motorman. It must be the motorman equivalent of the cop in a box position.
Finally, speaking of subways, can I tell you The Taking of Pelham 123 is one of my favorite movies ever? I want to watch it right now.
While we're still talking about subways, who knew that the walk from the J to the L was so damn short. 10 minutes or so walking from the Flushing Ave J stop to the Montrose Ave L stop. (Okay, maybe 12 or 15).
The best thing this has done for me is to teach me how the L train really corners. I'm moving to an apt near the Grand stop in a couple of weeks and I've always been confused trying to correlate the MTA map with the actual streets. Liars. 90 degree turns!
I'm not sure. As I recall, they looked sheepish afterwards so I said "Don't worry. Nobody knows anything till they learn it." I don't have it in me to truly mean.
Dame, maybe a quarter of my heart is still there, but I'm slowly getting it all back. I have too many friends there to let go completely. Once or twice a year I have to fight requests to move back.
Yeah, the S. Ugh. Life on a line segment. It's close to operating a ride at the state fair. I hope they rotate those guys.
Pelham 123 is awesome. That speeding car scene through Astor Place is amazing.
I hate miscolored sports memorabilia with a passion
I share this passion. Pink sports stuff is especially egregious (although I'll make a slight exception for the breast cancer promo stuff).
If we had public transport out here, I'd use it. But I am in boony town.
As far as I'm concerned, cars are for leaving new york.
Taxis are for people who feel suicidal, but want to be surprised by the exact moment of death.
The subway is for gettin around.
Though I admit, I grab a cab if the weather gets wet.
did you notice the K?
oh, no I did not. Man, I would take that every day if it was still around, or if it was 1972.
thank you. Second time you've enlightened me today, dam. Keep it coming?
I like the subway. I like all subways I've been on. They are speedy and cheap. I had to talk Mrs Chewy onto the subway when we were in NYC in November. But afterward she was like, yeah! let's take the subway!
On the 7: It's the cheapest way I have of getting to work (Q28 to 7, to C/E, to Spring) and thus I love it muchly. Where else can you get a fantastic view of the graffiti'd warehouse? I do not love it when I can only get a seat after Queensboro Plaza, but I deal.
On LGA to Times Square: With bags, cab and/or car service. But it depends on how many bags. If it's a weekend trip, subway. If it's a two week visit, cab/car service. I like the convenience.
On having a car: I really should give mine up because it's such a money drain (car insurance, gas, fixing up the damn thing). However, it came in handy when my friend broke his leg and I love being able to drive to the grocery store and go nuts on buying stuff, so in my posession it remains. What I'd like to do the most, though, is buy a new or slightly used scooter. There's a boroughs-friendly vehicle.
Man, if you people have too much baggage to take the subway, you don't know how to pack. The three garbage bags worth of clothes is enough for like a year. Phhht. Fucking overpacking pussies.
Motherfuckers who just drag they bags behind them should be pushed in front of the train. If you have a load on wheels and it ain't in front of you, you ain't watching it! Don't look all angry at me when I kick it over so it don't run over my foot. Strollers go in front, hand carts go in front, your fucking bag goes in front too, or you hump it like the contributing member of society you are. Or are you too fat and weak to carry your own bag? Fuckers I HATE.
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