Metro observations

The other day I read about a poll where Franciliens (those who reside in Paris or the surrounding Ile-de-France region) were asked to rate their satisfaction on several issues, including the regional public transportaion. I don't remember the exact figure, but I think it was somewhere around 55, 60% were satisfied. Um, are they serious?? That's it?? Do they not have any idea of good they have it? Do they not realize how much the metro in Paris kicks ass over its New York counterpart? Oh, poor Parisiens, they sometimes have to wait 3 mintues for a train during rush hour instead of 2. Do they not realize in NY you often can wait up to 10 minutes or more during rush hour? Have they ever been on the WTC bound E train at 8:30am as it goes through Queens? Do they have ANY IDEA of the masses of people on the East side Lexington line? And that Lexington Ave is the only avenue on the ENTIRE east side of Manhattan with a subway line?

Maybe every few weeks, if even that, on the Paris metro there is a small delay due to heavy traffic, or an “incident' up ahead. Um, how about every few days on the NY subway! How many times have I been on a subway that's cra-a-a-a-wled it's way through a section in 20 minutes that should take 5. Or had delays due to sick passangers, a police incident, a track fire, or for no reason at all, at least none that they will tell you.

Did I mention that the Paris metro is also much cleaner than in NY??

Oh, oh, oh, I almost forgot the HEETs! High entry/exit turnstile, or something like that. No HEETs in Paris! But there are in NY. Those things suck. Those are those turnstile that are made of those series of horizontal bars that you push through like a revolving door. It takes far longer for people to enter or exit. Gee, real safe, if there's a terrorist attack and everyone has to evacuate. If the person in front of you pushed too hard, and it rotates another turn by itself just after you've swiped your metrocard, you're out of luck, have to go over to the gate agent at another entry with another set of turnstiles (normal ones) and plead your case. That's if there's one on duty! If the MTA hasn't let them go in order to “modernize”. The other thing that can happen if a person leaving the subway exits the HEET just after you've swiped and before you enter, you lose your ride then too!

The majority of my NY public transportation experience is with the subway, but I know my friend J could write a scathing report of the Long Island Railroad!

The next Parisien that complains about the metro, I'm sending them to NY to ride the E and the 6, transferring at Lex/51^st (horrible horrible transfer) every day at 9am and 6pm for a year. They'll be kissing the metro's aqua green seats when they return!