Passenger Behavior in NYC Subway

[Shine Tang]

I am a university student living in Beijing, China.Now, I need to write an article about the differences of passenger behavior between Beijing subway and New York subway. But I know nothing about New York subway. So, I need help. Below are some question. Is there someone who can answer my questions? Thanks a lot.

1.What is people’s general idea about New York city subway? Convenient, cheap and ?
Do you like NY subway? Why?

2.Will people queue up to get on the subway train? During the rush hour, will there be someone (or a lot of people)who would rush the door and push others in order to get on the train or to get a seat ?

3.People would give seat to whom? Elder people? Mothers with little baby? Or?

4.How crowded is New York city subway? There are some pictures about the Beijing subway in the attachments of this e-mail. Is NY subway even more crowded than that of Beijing? When the subway is over-crowded, what will people do to keep themselves comfortable? Will people push each other?


5.What do people usually do in the subway car? Will people talk to each other? Do people have any eye contact?

6.Is it noise in the subway car?
7.Is NY subway safe?

[Punzie]

Thank you for reposting your questions here.

I'll get the ball rolling:

You will find that people's opinions vary partly according to what subway lines they take most often.

I take the E, F & R trains from Queens to Manhattan (and back). They are longer subway rides, but the E & F run "express" -- much fewer stops.

I have found that the overall quality of the ride on the E, F, & R is much nicer than that of the other subway lines; the people are a little nicer, too. (Exception: the height of rush hour.) Generally, I am happy with the service.

The subway is convenient for me because I drive to the Forest Hills, Queens subway stop and park my car right on the street. If I could not park my car on the Forest Hills streets, then the subway would be very inconvenient.

The price: inexpensive -- much better value than when I drive into Manhattan by car.

[clubBR]

I've taken almost every train in Manhattan and the ride is generally smooth. Manhattan is the busiest metro in the world. Everyone needs to get somewhere, and fast. So, no one seems to care too much about anyone.
However, in the outer boroughs, its a bit different. I take the 7 train often and the crowd does get a bit tougher. As a young man, I have recieved alot of hostile stares called, "Grilling". Lol its immature but prevalant amongst young males. It involves the inferiority complex.
I guess in Manhattan, people have absolutely no idea about anyone. But once you reach the outer boroughs or uptown, its like, they create a picture about who you are- because they know where you're going. --- My opionion!:o

[ThisIsntMyRealName]

The 6 train is the sexiest, hottest train there is in New York.

[OmegaNYC]

I been on the 8th, 7th, Broadway, Flushing, Lex, lines. I haven't found that much of a difference between them. The 7 train is almost always PACKED. The Lex ave lines to me are the cleanest. I guess it is because they are still fairly new. The 8th Ave lines to me seem "normal" packed during rush hour and people just going about their business. Broadway line seem to take FOREVER to come to it's stop. I find that the 7th Ave lines are pretty dirty. the NYC subway is very safe considering that about 4 million people move along it's lines everyday. Me personally, I don't talk to people when I'm on the train. I just look out the windows or I just read my newspaper. Reading a paper is a perfect way to kill time.

[Shine Tang]

"However, in the outer boroughs, its a bit different. I take the 7 train often and the crowd does get a bit tougher. As a young man, I have recieved alot of hostile stares called, "Grilling". Lol its immature but prevalant amongst young males. It involves the inferiority complex.
I guess in Manhattan, people have absolutely no idea about anyone. But once you reach the outer boroughs or uptown, its like, they create a picture about who you are- because they know where you're going. --- My opionion!:o"

Could you explain more? What does "Grilling" mean? Why those young males have the inferiority complex?"they know where you're going"----you mean they can know your social status from the train you take(different people live in different place? Is easy to figure out?)

Thanks a lot!

[Shine Tang]

1.Will you give your seat to a child(5 to 10 )? and why?

Here, people in China do this a lot. If there is just one seat. The mother or father will let their child take it. Because we think child is delicate and when it is crowded it is dangerous for a child to stand in the crowd. I think Chinese children are somewhat over-protected.

2. Will you observe(look at\ stare\or some act like this) other passengers in the train? Or it is impolite to do so?

[GrlNxtDr]

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[GrlNxtDr]

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[OmegaNYC]

I'll always give up my seat to a woman, child, or an older person. That is just the way I am.

[Schadenfrau]

I'll give up my seat to anyone who's obviously struggling- even a perfectly capable person carrying a lot of bags. Still, I'd rather not give up a seat for an otherwise healthy child. Kids are spoiled enough without being made to feel like kings and queens of the subway.

[clubBR]

I'll give up my seat to anyone who's obviously struggling- even a perfectly capable person carrying a lot of bags. Still, I'd rather not give up a seat for an otherwise healthy child. Kids are spoiled enough without being made to feel like kings and queens of the subway.
True.

[ryan]

I don't give up my seat for women because my feminist friends deprogrammed me in college. Get plenty of dirty looks for that - especially from over-styled Europeans.

[lofter1]

Young kids nowadays bring their own seats with them onto the subway -- via their parents in the form of door / aisle blocking strollers.

Until they clear those damned things off the subway there's no way I'm giving up my seat for a kid :cool:

[OmegaNYC]

Young kids nowadays bring their own seats with them onto the subway -- via their parents in the form of door / aisle blocking strollers.

Until they clear those damned things off the subway there's no way I'm giving up my seat for a kid :cool:

lol! Good point.

[lofter1]

FYI (From mta website (http://www.mta.info/nyct/safety/index.html)):


Baby Strollers


Fold strollers so that you can carry infants on stairs or escalators. Strap your child in snugly at all other times.


When you're on the platform, keep the stroller away from the edge and apply the stroller brake. That's because platforms tilt toward the tracks to allow for drainage, and the stroller could roll onto the tracks.


Never place a stroller between closing subway car doors. Watch out for the gap between the platforms edge and train when you board. (That's always a good idea, even when you're traveling alone.) And it's better if you board in the center of the train. The conductor is usually there, making it easier to get attention in case of problem.

[NYatKNIGHT]

I was on crutches for a time last year, and every single time I went on the subway people bent over backwards to help me out no matter how crowded.