So where do I find out about Route Changes?
If you decided to check out Hopstop.com, then you know that they do not account for route changes in the subway due to construction, track repair, etc. Here is what you can do:
- Go to Hopstop.com and get your directions and print them.
- Then go to the MTA service advisories web page and click on whichever applies to you. Hopefully the MTA website will show current information.
- After you decipher the advisories that apply to you, make corrections on your printout and take them with you.
- Once you get to the subway, listen for announcements (if you can make out what anyone is saying). If you still can't hear what the station announcement is (over the station public address system) or you cannot hear the conductor's announcement, then ask a transit worker for information.
TIPS: Remember, transit workers get asked many questions all day. Be prepared to tell them which
stop you are going to (your final destination). Don't ask them how to get to a specific address!
Nice Subway Tool...Mostly Accurate
I checked out a new transit website called
HopStop.com. You can find out what train and/or bus to take to get to any specific location in New York City. You don't even have to be on the Internet to get directions. You can have directions sent to you via text message from your mobile device after you send a text message to them with the address you need to get to. You can also get directions by saying the address when you call up for directions. This works by using voice recognition technology (in case you were thinking you might get a live operator).
I would guess most New Yorkers won't be needing the service often because everyone that rides the transit system regularly already knows how to get to the same location (assuming you are going to work, school, etc., on a daily basis). It does sound like a darn good service for anyone trying to get to a location for the first time though. So, if you are a New Yorker that commutes to work every day the same way, you know where you're going. But, you can use this nifty website if you need to get to that new restaurant you've been reading about or meet someone for a date or, well, you get the picture. I'm sure the tourists would love this service too.
I haven't really tested this website that much and I haven't tried the mobile service yet either but I can already say that this website is shaping up to be a winner. The only problem I've already encountered is the accuracy during certain hours and days of the week. The system does not take into account the fact that there are copious amounts of construction and/or repairs late at night into the early morning and also during the entire weekends. If someone is looking for directions to a location during these times, they will most likely receive information that may lead them on a "wild goose chase." This is where Hopstop.com may lose valuable new users. I say valuable because this is a fairly new website (as far as I can tell) and anyone trying it out at the "wrong time" will find the directions useless or at worst, aggravating.
I have a whole load of ideas for Hopstop.com and I'm sure they could use my expertise on subway "detours", so maybe I'll send them an email...soon. I'm not looking for a job but I could do some consulting.
By the way, they also have beta versions for Boston, Washington D.C. and San Francisco. Check them out!
Local 100 Ratifies Contract. Why?
Isn't it amazing that the members of Local 100 voted to ratify the contract offer they had previously rejected? Why vote 'yes' on a re-vote if the answer was 'no' the first time?
Union leader Roger Toussaint got what
he wanted but I think the Local 100 membership was short-changed. Unfortunately, they did it to themselves on the second vote. Here are some points I want to make:
- They effectively gave up their right to vote by voting a second time on the same issue. Toussaint did not like the outcome of the first vote, so he had a second vote. Is he going to do this with every issue that comes up for a vote? What about the next election for union leadership? If he loses, will he insist on more re-votes, until he is declared the winner?
- The MTA is insisting that the re-vote results are meaningless and are pushing for arbitration. This was made clear before the re-vote actually took place. The Local 100 leadership is pressing for this contract to be accepted by the MTA anyway. Are they (both Local 100 and the MTA) not embarrassed in the least about how they handled this contract from before the strike to present day?
- The MTA's position to go to binding arbitration is merely a smoke and mirrors magic act. In reality they really want this contract. They know that if they go to binding arbitration that anything can happen. The last contracts that went to binding arbitration went the MTA's way. They know that their number is up on the next one. Their public position now is simply to save face. (Remember the politics and ego I wrote about in the last post?) Privately, they want this contract in a bad way.
If things do not change soon, expect the TWU International to step in. They have been battling with the current Local 100 leadership and would love to jump in and "save the day." They're probably thinking the same way on the re-vote as the 'no' voters. I heard one of them say, "Are we going to have yet another re-vote and go best 2 out of 3"?
TWU Local 100 heading for Tough Times
Well, it's been a long time coming but I just can't take it anymore. After reading the New York Times article about what transpired today concerning TWU Local 100 and Roger Toussaint, I feel the need to post some of my views.
Leave it to Roger Toussaint and his executive board cronies to run his union into the ground and into the poor house. Back in December, he decided to lead his membership down a path that had nowhere to go in the first place. Why did they go on strike? The comment was made that Local 100 members "do not work without a contract." So, the deadline was set and remember "a deadline is a deadline", according to Toussaint. Time eventually ran out and a few hours later, New York was subjected to a "selfish and illegal strike" by "thugs", as Mayor Bloomberg put it. Holiday cheers for everybody!
The strike was over just three days later on the notion that a contract was hammered out. It was sent to the membership for ratification and surprise, surprise was voted down by just 7 votes. Here is a short list of all the aggravating issues associated with this fiasco.
- Roger Toussaint and Local 100 did show they have the power to strike regardless of what any court has to say about it. Problem: Toussaint went on strike for the wrong reasons and settled for a terrible contract that got voted down anyway. Toussaint and the Union received their punishment (and so did New Yorkers for three days).
- Mayor Mike "Doom and Gloom" Bloomberg "led" New Yorkers for 3 days by walking and encouraging others to do the same. Is this guy kidding or what? It was more than just an inconvenience to some people.
And, how annoying was it to hear him repeat "selfish and illegal strike" over and over again? Hey Mike, Local 100 went on strike for people that are not employed there yet. New hires would have to shell out more money than current workers do for years. Doesn't sound selfish to me.
Another annoyance was the fact that the Mayor was calling the individual strikers "thugs." I don't remember any violence erupting. Why label them "thugs"?
I like how Mayor Bloomberg also stated incredulously "Why can't this union work without a contract like all the other city unions? Some of them work without a contract for years." I can't stop laughing at that comment because he said it while being completely serious, with a dumbfounded expression on his face. I hope I get to be a billionaire soon.
- Remember Gary Dellaverson and Peter Kalikow claiming "there is no more"? Gee, with a $1 billion surplus, you would think there might be. Interesting how there was a last minute vote by the MTA Board to pass their budget (in record time) just before the strike. Where did the money go? They "spent" it all just in time. This is what happens when the MTA goes unchecked. The MTA even admitted (after being exposed by State Comptroller Alan Hevesi) that they had (or have) two sets of books. Hey Peter, where's the beef?
Funny how they started scrambling when a strike seemed imminent. Dellaverson was at the podium at the hotel saying "we are here and ready to talk" after Toussaint and his leadership got up and left.
- I'm sure New Yorkers were really happy that they got to ride "for free" on certain days (just before the holidays) offered by the MTA. What a scam! For all you regular riders, you know exactly what I'm talking about. The MTA claimed this promotion cost them $50 million. Did New Yorkers really need this promotion? I'm sure New Yorkers (ALL NEW YORKERS - some of us drive) would not have objected to the MTA giving that money to their workers. It works out to about $1500.00 per worker. Oh, who am I kidding, we really prefer a strike and 3 days of misery. It's more fun! At least some of us saved a few dollars on a Metrocard promotion (and lost hundreds of dollars by not going to work or thousands if you own a business).
- Governor George Pataki stood by and watched for the most part. Why should he get involved? Local 100 never supported him once when he ran for Governor. There is one surprise in all this however. Anybody know what it is? It has to do with any future strikes by transit workers. All I can say is you better plan your vacation right around the end of the next contract (if one is ever ratified).
- Roger Toussaint's ridiculous effort to force a re-vote on his membership. The re-vote effectively takes the power of the vote away from the members if the second vote is a "Yes" vote. This basically means that Toussaint has even more power. If he doesn't like the results of a vote on any subject, then he can just order a re-vote until it goes his way. I wonder if any Local 100 members checked to see if a re-vote is even legal in their by-laws.
Anyway, here is the real reason everyone had to suffer through this mess: POLITICS. Politics and egos really hurt many people. Local 100 never endorsed Gov. Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg for any of their political endeavors. Local 100 has the bad habit of endorsing losing candidates for Governor and Mayor (and presidential candidates like Howard Dean. Remember him?). Peter Kalikow and some (or is it most? I'm not sure on this one, so don't hold me to percentages) on the MTA board were appointed by Pataki. Is it any wonder why they would take such a hard line on the Union? Roger Toussaint came across as a tough leader but in the end he'll be remembered for his ego and ruining Local 100 (and taking care of himself by giving himself a 10% raise recently).
Oh, there is so much more but in the end, who really cares. As long as there is train and bus service running, nobody cares (until there's another fare hike). The only people that do care now are the Local 100 members who now have less money and more headaches than they can handle.
Hearing Protection - Quick Follow Up
By the way, if you really want to save your hearing, you should be using hearing protection during other times too. I know I'm starting to sound like your mother but heed the advice. Here are some examples of where I wear my hearing protection:
- When I'm mowing the lawn,
- When I'm using a power saw, hammer, chainsaw, etc., or visiting a friend's construction site,
- When I go to an automotive sporting event (drag race, Nascar, etc.),
- When I go watch my friends target practice at a range,
- Oh, and when I ride the subway, bus, etc.
These are just a few examples. Do you see any parallels in your life? I carry earplugs wherever I go, just in case. Do you need to do the same? Maybe not but it wouldn't hurt to be prepared. Earplugs are lightweight and take up almost no room in your pocket! You could just use your fingers to plug your ears but what happens if there is a sudden noise and you're having a sloppy sandwich? Do you really want to end up with mayonnaise in your ears? Oh, what the heck, it'll provide a better seal. Enjoy.
Hearing Protection In The Subway
I have received some training on this subject and I would like to share it with my fellow commuters (always consult a physician as I am not an expert). If you ride the subway, then you should be wearing hearing protection. It does not take much noise for you to slowly lose your hearing. You could be losing your hearing and not even know it. Long term exposure to high noise levels can lead to
NIHL (Noise Induced Hearing Loss). Even a single exposure to a loud noise can permanently affect your hearing. You can limit your exposure to noise by wearing earplugs or earmuffs. You will find the www.cdc.gov website about
noise a good resource.
Most people think it is silly to wear hearing protection and feel self-conscious by doing so. This is one of the worst excuses I have ever heard (no pun intended). What would you rather do, save your hearing and "look good" or go deaf? Have you ever noticed transit workers wearing hearing protection? They are doing so because they have received instruction on the subject and know that they will lose their hearing if they do not heed the advice.
The best piece of advice I can give anyone riding the subway is to buy a box of earplugs and use them! You can find them at pharmacies (too expensive), industrial suppliers (like Grainger, MSC and Travers Tool), and even on ebay (cheaper). If you want to buy in bulk (by the case), you can try (they normally only sell to other wholesalers) to buy them from Bluebaysupply.com (cheapest anywhere) by sending them an email and saying you want to buy a sample case. If you live in New York, they will charge you sales tax unless you can prove you are a wholesale business. It is still the cheapest I have been able to find earplugs.
Which hearing protection do you choose? After much trial and error, I have found earplugs made by Howard Leight to be the best (for me). The Maxx brands that they sell are excellent. For women, the Maxx Lite brand is a better fit. I wear the earplugs in the summer and generic earmuffs in the winter (too hot to wear earmuffs in the summer).
More important notes: - Wearing hearing protection does take some getting used to. You may experience discomfort to some degree when you first start using them.
- Listening to your Ipod, CD player, etc., can do more harm than not wearing anything at all. There is plenty of recent research proving this.
- Also be aware that children have no clue about this subject and may have hearing damage already if they take the train to school.
- Infants cannot tell you why they suddenly started crying when your train just came to a screeching halt in front of you and your baby. I cannot recommend anything for infants but if I had a child and had to take the train, then I would try and fit him/her with earmuffs at the very least.
This is a very important topic that receives no press whatsoever. It is up to you to safeguard your hearing and your child's hearing. Make changes now so that you will be able to hear well for the rest of your life.
Don't You Hate It When You End Up Lost In The Subway?
With all of the frequent track work going on in the subway at night and especially on the weekends, getting lost is more common these days. Can you relate to this?
You get on a Queens bound F train at 34 St to go to your usual stop at Roosevelt Island. You're tired and you nod off a little. Suddenly you wake up to find yourself at 5th Ave and 53rd St on the V line. You jump up and get off thinking you must have goofed. After watching the train leave you behind, you realize you could have stayed on that train to Roosevelt
Ave. and taken a Manhattan bound train there to come back to your stop (assuming you're sober and a train buff or a transit worker to know all this). So, you stand there and wait for the next train to do this. You could gamble and take whatever train shows up on the downtown tracks but chances are good that you will either end up in the Twilight Zone or back where you started again.
This is not uncommon on the weekends. Take this weekend for instance. You need to get to 145 ST in Manhattan. If you rode an E train from Queens into Manhattan with the hopes of getting an uptown D train at 7th Ave., you found that there was no uptown D service at 7th Ave (after you got off your train, of course). Why didn't you just listen to the crystal clear announcements that were made addressing this issue before you got off? After all, you should know that the equipment being used (from the 1960s) has lasted this long because of it's superior quality. The P/A system sounds just like a shortwave radio most of the time. You remember short wave, right? So, you get back on a southbound E to 42 St, cross over to the other side and wait for a D train (or an A train). You wait by the center platform and hop on the WRONG train. What? Hmm. You thought it was an A train but you didn't bother to check the signs on the train. It said E on them. Luckily, you get wise and get off at 50 St. and go upstairs and surprise, you find an A train on the local track. What happened here? Well, thanks to weekend track work, the E trains are express northbound from Canal St to 42 St., while the A and D trains are running local to 59 ST (and most ran local all the way because of no C service, ugh!).
Whew! This is just too much typing. Anyway, the key to getting to your destination (in a timely manner) on the weekends is to check the
MTA.info website. A little planning can go a long way. Look for
service advisories and listen (as best you can) to announcements. It also helps to sit near the conductor to hear better and/or ask a question. Remember, the conductor gets many questions (most of them the same ones over and over) during his/her day. Go easy. Lastly, carry a
map. Even though there are two
subway maps in every subway car and large maps on the platforms, it's best to have your own map handy even though the train you may be taking is not on it's regular line. A transit worker will be able to
show you where you are and where you need to go instead of just trying to explain it to you.
Good luck and
stay safe.
