Comments on: The subways stink and so does your weekend service http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/ A New York City Subway Blog Wed, 23 May 2012 13:30:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Todd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1198 Todd Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:41:37 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1198 I agree with Marc. Toliets are not the answer. Hiring more cleaning people would be better. Those same people could maybe clear the drains of the litter that clogs up the pumps which then helps keep the floods away. It's a win-win. I agree with Marc. Toliets are not the answer. Hiring more cleaning people would be better. Those same people could maybe clear the drains of the litter that clogs up the pumps which then helps keep the floods away. It’s a win-win.

]]> By: Julia http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1199 Julia Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:12:05 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1199 Public toilets at street level would be easier to install and almost as helpful. (And probably just as gross, but hey, a girl can dream.) Not that this proves anything, but the stankiest subway platform I've ever encountered is Mayor Bloomberg's favored stop: the downtown 4/5 platform at 59th Street. It's several stories underground and virtually sealed off from the rest of the station, so on the hot weekend night when I found myself there a few weeks ago, the smell was ... truly indescribable. Score one for the elevated subway lines - we may freeze in the winter, but at least our platforms will never stink like that. Public toilets at street level would be easier to install and almost as helpful. (And probably just as gross, but hey, a girl can dream.)

Not that this proves anything, but the stankiest subway platform I’ve ever encountered is Mayor Bloomberg’s favored stop: the downtown 4/5 platform at 59th Street. It’s several stories underground and virtually sealed off from the rest of the station, so on the hot weekend night when I found myself there a few weeks ago, the smell was … truly indescribable. Score one for the elevated subway lines – we may freeze in the winter, but at least our platforms will never stink like that.

]]> By: peter http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1200 peter Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:02:57 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1200 Once Upon A Time, there were numerous public restrooms in the Subway, run by the Nik-L-Lok Company. They operated Pay Toilets, charging money for use, paying an employee to be on hand, and remitting revenue to the Transit Authority too. Pretty much Win-Win-Win, huh? But NYCTA was sued, in the early 1970's I believe, for unfairly charging people money to perform bodily fuctions. The suit was decided in favor of the plantiffs, and The Law of Unintended Consequences took over from there..... Once Upon A Time, there were numerous public restrooms in the Subway, run by the Nik-L-Lok Company. They operated Pay Toilets, charging money for use, paying an employee to be on hand, and remitting revenue to the Transit Authority too. Pretty much Win-Win-Win, huh?
But NYCTA was sued, in the early 1970′s I believe, for unfairly charging people money to perform bodily fuctions. The suit was decided in favor of the plantiffs, and The Law of Unintended Consequences took over from there…..

]]> By: Marc Shepherd http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1201 Marc Shepherd Sat, 18 Aug 2007 15:31:19 +0000 http://secondavenuesagas.com/2007/08/17/the-subways-stink-and-so-does-your-weekend-service/#comment-1201 Opening bathrooms would be considerably more expensive than just hiring more cleaners for the stations. There are very few people who will relieve themselves on a platform or in an elevator. But if you have an actual bathroom, lots of people will try to use it. Bathrooms in heavily-trafficked places tend to get disgusting in a big, big hurry. There's also the problem of drug addicts going in there to shoot up, alcoholics to vomit, prostitutes to have sex, and so forth. That's why the bathrooms (in those stations that have them) were closed to the public long ago. If they're going to be open, they need almost constant vigilance. I'm not saying we shouldn't have them, but it's a much more expensive solution, and wouldn't obviate the need for cleaners throughout the rest of the station. Opening bathrooms would be considerably more expensive than just hiring more cleaners for the stations. There are very few people who will relieve themselves on a platform or in an elevator. But if you have an actual bathroom, lots of people will try to use it. Bathrooms in heavily-trafficked places tend to get disgusting in a big, big hurry. There’s also the problem of drug addicts going in there to shoot up, alcoholics to vomit, prostitutes to have sex, and so forth. That’s why the bathrooms (in those stations that have them) were closed to the public long ago. If they’re going to be open, they need almost constant vigilance. I’m not saying we shouldn’t have them, but it’s a much more expensive solution, and wouldn’t obviate the need for cleaners throughout the rest of the station.

]]>