Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Buses

Are Subway Riders the Angriest Commuters?

10:25 AM EST on January 29, 2008

94288580_29b1cedd2f.jpg

The Times has been running a series this month, called Next Stop, about the experience of commuting in the New York metro region. Reporter Billie Cohen took a different route to or from Manhattan every weekday, riding all manner of buses, trains, and subways. No bike commutes so far (and with just a few days left in the series it's probably safe to assume there won't be any).

Of particular interest, given the relevance of transit access to the discussion of congestion pricing, was this profile of the X68 Express Bus from Midtown to Floral Park, Queens, which left me wondering how those commuters might see their trips change -- or not -- in the coming year.

Then on Sunday, in an article summarizing her experience, Cohen uncorked this dour portrait of subway commuters:

...the unhappiest travelers I found were on the subway. Worn out by drudgery, angered by slow service, they were the most vocal and the least satisfied, and that makes sense.

Despite their deep wells of anger, subway riders were generally the most reticent and the most difficult to engage. In a city of ubiquitous crowds, their commute remains a bastion of anonymity.

Speaking for everyone who rides the subway, I'll admit there's a grain of truth to this, but c'mon -- "deep wells of anger"? Sure it's frustrating when there's a service delay or the train gets packed, and maybe people on the subway do want to keep to themselves by and large. Despite all that, any anger on display runs pretty shallow, I think, compared to the code of conduct and common decency most straphangers abide by -- not to mention the deep-seated anger to be found above ground.

Photo: Runs With Scissors/Flickr

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

The Toll of History: MTA Board Approves $15 Congestion Pricing Fee

New York City's congestion pricing tolls are one historic step closer to reality after Wednesday's 11-1 MTA board vote. Next step: all those pesky lawsuits.

March 28, 2024

Company That Fought McGuinness Safety Project Wants to Seize Bklyn Street for Private Backlot

Broadway Stages to Greenpoint residents: "Street safety for me, not for thee."

March 28, 2024

SEE IT: Hit-and-Run Driver With Fake Plate Seriously Injures Cyclist

The 5 p.m. crash occurred at Flushing and Waverly avenue near the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

March 28, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines: Shakira Shakira Edition

Pop superstar Shakira performed for a crowd of 40,000 packed into the Times Square pedestrian plazas. Plus congestion pricing news and more.

March 28, 2024
See all posts