Salim Gnabode

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My Subway Chronicles

For those like me who can't afford to own a car in this concrete jungle of New York City, public transportation is the best way to get around. But sometimes, even a subway ride can be a burden on one's bank account. It would be great if we are paying to have a quality service.

Why isn't anyone protesting about the poor New York City subway service? (I guess we are all too busy doing our thing.)

My experience with the New York City subway is awful, and I'm sure many riders have similar experiences. Do I need to mention the number of times I have been late to work or class because of the delays? I don't see the point of increasing the fare if the service is not getting better. Since I have been living in New York City in 2011, the fare has risen from 2.25 to 2.75. It is only a 50 cents increase, but the service has not gotten any better.
I have taken the Paris subway on many occasion, and it is cleaner and more reliable. Well, some would say the Subway in Paris doesn’t run 24 hours. But, is Paris the city that never sleeps? No! New York is. So, we deserve a subway system that runs 24 hours, but more importantly, we deserve an excellent service. Our subway is more than 100 years old. So it is time we do something about this because the greatest city in the world deserves a more reliable subway system. Anyway, it is good that New Yorkers are now getting a “free public education,”  but we also deserve a better subway system.

I have many stories to tell about my subway experience from my first show-time experience, seeing couples doing couples thing or random people argue about politics or this lady who threw up on me last new year's eve. But I’m sure you all have similar stories to tell, so instead of me telling you my stories, I would let you comment yours in the comment. However, I would like to share some interesting facts about the New York City Subway that you might not know.

Fact 1:
In 1993, 16-year-old Keron Thomas posed as a train conductor and drove an A train for three hours and safely delivered passengers to their destinations before he accidentally triggered an emergency brake on a fast curve.

Fact 2:
There is a secret train platform underneath the Waldorf-Astoria building that incredibly rich people could use. President Franklin Roosevelt used the station to help hide the fact that he used a wheelchair.

And there goes to my favorite fact which I hope will help some who are reading this…
Fact 3:
The MTA will email or fax you a "late letter" if a train delay causes you to be late for work or school.