Jon's NYC Etiquette Tip #743

Properly Boarding the Subway

Boarding the subway in a civil manner seems like a perfectly simple thing to do, right? I mean, how hard is it to stand to the side and allow people to disembark before stepping onto the newly arrived train? Apparently for people in this city, very difficult.

I don't understand the immense need to rush onto a train as it first arrives. There is no prize for getting on the train first, especially if there are clearly no available seats. And even if rushing onto the train gets you a middle seat, tightly squeezed in between two overweight women reading the latest John Grisham novel, is it really too much to ask to stand up for a few minutes? Most likely you've been sitting at your desk, munching carbs all day anyway. Standing up will burn a few unneeded calories.

The point is, when you're about to leave a train and you see an angry mob trying to push their way on, it's not really that pleasant. What I really don't understand are the people that wait right in the center of the doors as they're about to open and then as soon as they do, they rush forward onto the train. You can SEE through the windows on these trains - you know that there is someone there waiting to get off.

Move the hell over.

Please.

Thank you.

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