4 ms·

> When done right > live in Manhattan You and I have had very different experiences with the subway over the last year.

adamson 8y ago
When it works, it's great, and in spite of so-called "statistics" to the contrary, it works pretty reliably for me during rush hour.
- SilasX 8y ago
  I think the parent was referring to how it feels like a dystopia for the time you are in it.
  - kenneth 8y ago
    I'd take NYC's dystopia over any other U.S. city's transit options.
    - SilasX 8y ago
      Which is not responsive to the commenter's skepticism of characterizing it as "amazing".
      - kenneth 8y ago
        OP probably has a US-centric view, and in that frame of reference it is amazing in comparison. Everything is relative.
ryguytilidie 8y ago
I get that its super fashionable to hate on the NYC subway system, but its easily the best transit system in the US. No other city is remotely close.
- curun1r 8y ago
  Sure, if you want to add the "in the US" qualifier that limits the comparison to areas that would have had to create a public transit system in spite of US policies favoring automobiles, then sure it's impressive. But compared to almost any reasonably-large city in Europe or many places in Asia, it's still an embarrassment. If you want to see transit done right, go to Tokyo. People have sub-hour commutes of over 100 miles there. Everything is comfortable, clean and on-time. If we honestly want to make public transport succeed, we have to stop letting those in charge compare themselves to other failures and, instead, hold them accountable to operating at a level we know is being achieved elsewhere.
JumpCrisscross 8y ago
> You and I have had very different experiences with the subway over the last year "The average American commute crept up to 26.4 minutes in 2015" [1]. In New York City, the "average one-way commute [is] almost 36 minutes" [2], with "a major gap" being in the realm of "12 minutes of delay" [3]. Compared to mean American traffic delays, New York at its worst is many other cities on a good day. [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/02/22/the-american-commute-is-worse-today-than-its-ever-been/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/02/22/the-a... [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/22/realestate/commuting-best-worst-cities.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/22/realestate/commuting-best... [3] https://ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/we-are-being-held-momentarily-how-much-time-and-money-are-new-york-city-subway-riders-losing-to-delays-october-2017.html https://ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/we-are-being-held-momentari...
- cdoxsey 8y ago
  A bad commute in NYC can be pretty awful. Recently the first snow storm of the year led to catastrophic delays for NJ residents who had to drive. (I know someone who had to sit in their car for 13 hours for a normally 15 minute drive) Many people commute by car to a park and ride and then by train and then by subway. Any delay anywhere in the system causes major downstream problems.
  - JumpCrisscross 8y ago
    > the first snow storm of the year led to catastrophic delays for NJ residents who had to drive Sorry, I was contrasting non-driving commute outside New York to New York City mass transit commuting. Originally, density--à la NYC--was suggested as a solution. Someone responded by trashing the MTA's history of delays. Hence my comment. Driving in and around New York City is frustrating, unreliable and expensive.

When it works, it's great, and in spite of so-called "statistics" to the contrary, it works pretty reliably for me during rush hour.

SilasX 8y ago
I think the parent was referring to how it feels like a dystopia for the time you are in it.
- kenneth 8y ago
  I'd take NYC's dystopia over any other U.S. city's transit options.
  - SilasX 8y ago
    Which is not responsive to the commenter's skepticism of characterizing it as "amazing".
    - kenneth 8y ago
      OP probably has a US-centric view, and in that frame of reference it is amazing in comparison. Everything is relative.

ryguytilidie 8y ago

I get that its super fashionable to hate on the NYC subway system, but its easily the best transit system in the US. No other city is remotely close.

curun1r 8y ago
Sure, if you want to add the "in the US" qualifier that limits the comparison to areas that would have had to create a public transit system in spite of US policies favoring automobiles, then sure it's impressive. But compared to almost any reasonably-large city in Europe or many places in Asia, it's still an embarrassment. If you want to see transit done right, go to Tokyo. People have sub-hour commutes of over 100 miles there. Everything is comfortable, clean and on-time. If we honestly want to make public transport succeed, we have to stop letting those in charge compare themselves to other failures and, instead, hold them accountable to operating at a level we know is being achieved elsewhere.

JumpCrisscross 8y ago

> You and I have had very different experiences with the subway over the last year "The average American commute crept up to 26.4 minutes in 2015" [1]. In New York City, the "average one-way commute [is] almost 36 minutes" [2], with "a major gap" being in the realm of "12 minutes of delay" [3]. Compared to mean American traffic delays, New York at its worst is many other cities on a good day. [1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/02/22/the-american-commute-is-worse-today-than-its-ever-been/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2017/02/22/the-a... [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/22/realestate/commuting-best-worst-cities.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/22/realestate/commuting-best... [3] https://ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/we-are-being-held-momentarily-how-much-time-and-money-are-new-york-city-subway-riders-losing-to-delays-october-2017.html https://ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/we-are-being-held-momentari...

cdoxsey 8y ago
A bad commute in NYC can be pretty awful. Recently the first snow storm of the year led to catastrophic delays for NJ residents who had to drive. (I know someone who had to sit in their car for 13 hours for a normally 15 minute drive) Many people commute by car to a park and ride and then by train and then by subway. Any delay anywhere in the system causes major downstream problems.
- JumpCrisscross 8y ago
  > the first snow storm of the year led to catastrophic delays for NJ residents who had to drive Sorry, I was contrasting non-driving commute outside New York to New York City mass transit commuting. Originally, density--à la NYC--was suggested as a solution. Someone responded by trashing the MTA's history of delays. Hence my comment. Driving in and around New York City is frustrating, unreliable and expensive.