The MTA really wants you to keep your pants on

Flashing is a serious problem in the subways. Victims really don’t want to see some random guy whip out his…well, you know…and start waving it around a subway car. But it’s easy to laugh at it from a distance, especially when pictures exist like this frog here.

Anyway, Peter Vallone, New York City Councilman, wants to get to the, um, bottom of this whole flashing thing. On Monday, Vallone’s Public Safety Committee heard testimony on legislation that would change public lewdness from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A. For those of you who have no idea what that means, this new classification would double the possible fine from $500 to $1000, and the maximum jail sentence would increase from 90 days to one year. Furthermore, Vallone wants to add repeat offenders and those who expose themselves to minors under the age of 18 to the state’s sex offender roles.

The Associated Press had more:

Flashing and groping have long been a problem in New York City, especially on subway cars and platforms. Last year the New York Police Department launched “Operation Exposure” to catch flashers in the act by sending undercover officers into the transit system.

The sting operation was conducted five separate times, resulting in 29 arrests. And in total for 2006, there were 556 arrests for public lewdness, up from 408 the previous year, according to Karen Agnifilo, general counsel to the city’s criminal justice coordinator.

Now, in all seriousness, subway flashing is pretty graphic and disturbing. The impetuous for this bill was a recent incident in Queens where three children were flashed by a man who then assaulted a fourth, and a 2004 case gained City-wide headlines when the victim photographed her flasher in the act.

Thao Nguyen, the 2004 victim, testified at the hearing today. “It feels like someone violated you when this happens,” she said. “If we don’t stop these sickos, these guys could go out and rape or sexually assault other women.”

This law would be all well and good, but the subway sting operations netted just 29 arrests. Most, if not all, flashers would be hesitant to drop their drawers on a train full of other people. Most subway flashing incidents happen in deserted train cars. But at least those 556 people arrested would feel the full force of the law.

Meanwhile, seriously folks, just keep your pants on. Waiting for the train isn’t that bad.