Comments on: Ten things you can learn about New York City from the subway

By: Brooklyn

Brooklyn — Fri, 22 May 2009 08:15:54 +0000

The hot NYC platforms represent a Newtonian version of the principle that there’s no such thing as a free lunch. The subway car AC units produce heat outside while cooling the inside,and the heat remains trapped underground,adding to the accumulated heat of the subways normal operation, NYC Summer temps of 80′s to 90′s F, and the body heat of millions of sweating riders.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Thu, 21 May 2009 19:03:44 +0000

Brooklyn – the weird thing is that London tube platforms are not too hot in summer, but the trains are unbearable. Here in NYC, the platforms are hotter than the flaming bowels of hell, and the train is a blessed relief from the pain of summer. The problem with the London system is that it is so far below ground that they haven’t managed to find a way to create air conditioning that works – I believe there was once a hundred thousand pound prize on offer to anyone who could come up with a solution, but it passed unclaimed.

Amelie – the Paris system is pretty good in my opinion, although I once had a huge (drunken, feisty) argument with The Best Man about whether the Paris map was topological or topographical. Almost ended the friendship. I think the fact that we had just watched our football team disgrace themselves at the Stade de France was more the root cause, to be honest.

Gabi – rest assured that you were the inspiration for that line. And don’t get me started on announcements. There’s another blog post in that somewhere.

NFAH – the DC system (I appreciate that I am starting to sound like a train spotter now) excites me beyond all measure – it’s like you’ve entered what I imagined the space age to look like when I was 5.

Silverback – I’m sure you’re not missing Florida right now either, given the rain that they’ve got!

Jinksy – maybe you should just stand up squashed in a corner of your home and get somebody to jolt you around every ten seconds for an hour. Then you too could feel like the rest of the city dwellers!

By: Brooklyn

Brooklyn — Thu, 21 May 2009 18:31:36 +0000

I was going to say something about having to wait until the ’60′s for air conditioning in the NYC subways, but after doing minimal reseach, I found that air conditioned subway cars are the exception.

Neither the London Tubes, the Paris Metro, nor the Moscow Subway have air conditioned subway cars.

Even if NYC gets hotter than all of these cities, standing cheek to jowl on them in mid-August cannot be fun, as NY’rs are reminded when they unknowingly step into a car whose air conditioned has failed, because they failed to notice that the car is virtually empty (some prefer to sit in the heat than stand in the (relative) cool), but the two adjacent cars are more filled than usual.

So, to be fair, with all its faults, lets give the NYS subway system a “well done” for system wide air conditioned NYC subway cars/

By: amelie

amelie — Thu, 21 May 2009 12:09:32 +0000

Been awhile since I commented! But this made me laugh so hard… I definitely do not miss the New York City subway… although the Parisians aren’t much better. We have fold-down seats, and those sitting on them are supposed to stand when the car gets too full, but there are some who would rather have their fellow passengers sitting on their laps than give up their precious “strapontin.”

By: gabi

gabi — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:15:15 +0000

Watching ‘Gossip Girl’ on their iPods? Have you been following me home on Tuesday nights?

You forget #11…

11. All New Yorkers are unwilling auditionees for a hybrid of ‘Survivor’/'Amazing Race’ on weekends just trying to get from Point A to Point B on a magical network of schizophrenic trains that change identities mid-route dropping you off god-knows-where, because you didn’t hear the announcement (which was an indecipherable series of screeching squawks anyway), because you were too busy watching ‘Gossip Girl’ on your iPod.

By: NFAH

NFAH — Tue, 19 May 2009 23:07:27 +0000

Whenever I go to London I’m glad I don’t live there, and it sounds like I’d be equally glad to be in not NYC. Although years riding the Washington, DC Metro did not have this level of “personality” associated. Must be a uniquely NYC thing.

By: Silverback

Silverback — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:30:20 +0000

Having experienced the London version recently, thankfully for only a few days, I can say, hand on dodgy heart, that I’m very glad that I’m retired, live in the ‘burbs and can walk to the countryside in 10 mins….above ground too.

By: jinksy

jinksy — Tue, 19 May 2009 21:14:58 +0000

Don’t know which makes me feel most thankful – the fact that I don’t have to go to work now, or the fact that I live in UK anyway!

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:24:36 +0000

This is what I love about the people who comment here – tangents are absolutely essential.

By: Brooklyn

Brooklyn — Tue, 19 May 2009 19:20:59 +0000

I thought the sandwich chain was a transplant from Germany, where it was called “Unterseeboot” because it also sold donuts called “Admirals,” and “Submarine” was rejected as name better suited to a seafood restaurant chain.