Cagelike subway turnstiles can bambooze less experienced straphangers into paying fare twice

[Harry]

Most subway riders can quickly navigate through a revolving-door, ceiling-to-floor turnstile. It's a simple enough maneuver: Swipe the MetroCard, step straight ahead, push the bars forward.

 

In less time than it takes a conductor to say, "We're being held in the station by the train dispatcher," the seasoned straphanger has crossed to the other side.

 

But the cagelike contraptions can bamboozle less experienced travelers into paying the $2.25 fare twice - an apparently unintended consequence of the design that doesn't seem to trouble the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

 

"These are the biggest robbers down here," one transit worker said as he repaired a high entrance-exit turnstile, or HEET, in the Union Square station.

 

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/12/13/2010-12-13_step_right_up_and_pay_twice_for_same_ride_the_biggest_robbers_down_here.html#ixzz182VkwTr4

[CTK246]

Now people don't know how to operate a revolving door? Come on...

[NX Express]

Next thing you know MTA will be wasting money putting up signs about this.

[Roadcruiser1]

How hard is it to turn a revolving door. I mean there is even an arrow on top that points to where you need to turn the door so you can get in. Does the need to put arrows on the floor to guide you too. It's so simple even a baby can do it. I am sure even though they don't have to pay a baby can pick up a Metrocard and tippytoe to swipe the card and figure out which way to push the bars to get in. I mean this so simple. Learn how to push a revolving door people. If you don't you will get nowhere in life.

[CTK246]

Next thing you know MTA will be wasting money putting up signs about this.

 

If you look closely at the picture, there are instructions on how to swipe in btw.

[lilbluefoxie]

why do they need those iron maiden type turnstiles anyway? Theyre confusing to operate and are a problem for claustrophobic people, just use the regular style one.

[Gorgor]

why do they need those iron maiden type turnstiles anyway? Theyre confusing to operate and are a problem for claustrophobic people, just use the regular style one.

 

You can't hop them.

[KTrainExp]

That and those are mainly put in stations where there is limited or no station agent nor booth located there, so this reduces jumping. If they put turnstiles in those areas I'm sure that you would see over a hundred hoppers a day.

[QM1to6Ave]

There was a story a while back about a guy that would jam a screwdriver between the bars as someone was going through the HEET's in order to trap them in there and rob them. Since these are purposely put where there is little MTA presence in terms of S/A's or others, it is especially dangerous. Gotta be careful when you use these things...

[Roadcruiser1]

Then why doesn't the just make these revolving doors out of thick LEXAN glass like the one you would find on the R160's. You can't jam them, or break them, or even vandalize them. It's the perfect replacement to the steel bars. I also suggest that they put transit police by those revolving doors to protect people.

[Joel Up Front]

Stuff like this is why I think the Straphangers are tools.

 

[rr4567]

If you don't know how to move a revolving turnstile, you need to go back to elementary school.

[mark1447]

If you don't know how to move a revolving turnstile, you need to go back to elementary school.

 

Send them back to Pre-K and give them an apple

 

But seriously, these HEETs has been here for years.. Its like exiting one, dont people know how to exit or enter?! Or else go to an entry where there is the turnstile!

[rr4567]

Send them back to Pre-K and give them an apple

 

But seriously, these HEETs has been here for years.. Its like exiting one, dont people know how to exit or enter?! Or else go to an entry where there is the turnstile!

Here Mrs. S, take this apple

 

But no, you have to be as dumb as a f**kin' brick to not know how to work one of those. You swipe, wait for the damn "Go" light and walk through! What's so hard about that?

[lilbluefoxie]

its easy if you are a new yorker or commute regularly to the city. I can understand it confusing people who arent from around here. I know personally it took me a lil bit to learn how it worked

[Eric B]

I think the problem here is when the thing is halfway turned. Are you supposed to squeeze into the almost passed portion to the right, or do you go left to the next "whole" space to the left? Of course, on a regular revolving door, it doesn't matter, but on the HEET, the half spent space is the one you are paying for. So don't be too hard on the people; it's easy to be confused by that.

[Joe]

How would you jam a HEET with a screwdriver? You must need a big-ass screwdriver to do that shit.

[Messino]

Ive had this happen. I swipe, it says swipe again and then it says insufficient fare. Thats when I say screw this and reach my arm around and press the emergency exit bar to open the gate...Or if someone goes ahead of me and i go right after it takes the fare off but is still locked. Makes me wanna choke the head of the MTA for not having them fix this glitch in the system. Even my mom when using the regular turnstyles, she swiped after jsut buying a card from the machine and then it says swipe again and takes the fare off anyway without letting her through nad of course the miserable c@#t SOB station agent at her local station gave her greif and yelled at her..

[lilbluefoxie]

One time, I was with a freind of mine and he swipes his card and got confused how to enter it, and turned the thing instead of walking in, so he got locked out and he had a fun pass so he couldnt swipe again and it took him 5-10 minutes of argueing with the station people to let thim thru.

[SoSpectacular]

I think the problem here is when the thing is halfway turned. Are you supposed to squeeze into the almost passed portion to the right, or do you go left to the next "whole" space to the left? Of course, on a regular revolving door, it doesn't matter, but on the HEET, the half spent space is the one you are paying for. So don't be too hard on the people; it's easy to be confused by that.

 

It's happened to me once, lost my transfer...

[Messino]

Station agents are like cops.. They are supposed to help you out but would rather turn a blind eye or yell at you. The other day some lady wasnt paying attention and pushed my car out of the lane i was driving in. She was flying fast and her windows got smashed cause of it. When we got to the next light there was a cop car just sitting there, I get out and wave them over and they look at me and drive away so I leaned on my horn and wouldnt stop and they came back and when I told them what happened they didnt want to help, they made up some story about how they just got a robbery call over the radio and drove away really slow.

 

Useless tools.. They are one and a like, just want to sit around and do as little work as possible until its pension collection time.. Dont wanna get any promotions or advance their career/position. Just stay a box rat forever.

[QM1to6Ave]

How would you jam a HEET with a screwdriver? You must need a big-ass screwdriver to do that shit.

 

Not really that big if you picture it- just one that is long enough to go between one set of bars really, which makes the person stop, and lets the perp grab the purse or whatever and run. I have seen industrial-type screwdrivers that are certainly long enough. They really just need to work for a few seconds and not snap from the pressure, which is unlikely.

[Nova RTS 9147]

why do they need those iron maiden type turnstiles anyway? Theyre confusing to operate and are a problem for claustrophobic people, just use the regular style one.

 

If you're claustrophobic then the subway is the last place you need to be, regardless of the type of turnstiles.

[Forest Glen]

I go out of my way to avoid HEETs. Sometimes I have no choice but to deal with them.

[East New York]

Yeah I've got locked out of those things a couple times. Mostly when I first started riding the subway. They are definitely flawed.