What do you think about recorded announcements?

[553 Bridgeton]

I know most MTA operating personnel (bus/train operators and conductors) are minorities, but I can understand them just fine. .

 

Statements like that just piss me off...what does that have to do with anything? Why cant it just be the male or female operating the bus/train.

[Zeynel]

It's all about you. This is where the rude, egotistical NYer stereotype comes from.

 

I respect what you are saying but I disagree. Because if a tourist or anyone else who is not familiar with that line asks me a question I reply kindly. New Yorkers riding the subway are very kind; I never witnessed a tourist treated rudely by subway riders.

 

But a tourist is someone who rides the subway for fun and excitement. I am going to work.

 

In any case this discussion is not related to my original question; because I am not against announcements by human conductors; I object to recorded announcements.

[NX Express]

But a tourist is someone who rides the subway for fun and excitement. I am going to work.

So what? Does that entitle you to not have to listen to announcements at the cost of others?

 

P.S. They might be riding it for business trips too, you know. It's not just all OMG, it'd be cool to be lost!:tdown::mad:

[Zeynel]

Statements like that just piss me off...what does that have to do with anything? Why cant it just be the male or female operating the bus/train.

 

I agree with this 100 per cent. I cannot prove this one reason MTA is using recorded announcements is because eventually they want to get rid of conductors all together.

[Zeynel]

So what? Does that entitle you to not have to listen to announcements at the cost of others?

 

This is why I posted my question. To get different points of view.

 

Personally, I believe that recorded announcements are noise pollution because they repeat senselessly the same thing over and over again to people who take the same train everyday. If the announcements are made by a human conductor, I find that to be different, and OK. I have no problem with announcements made by human conductors. I am against only to recorded announcements. I believe that MTA honchos think recorded announcements is some kind of technological advance. It is not. It is noise pollution.

 

But how do we decide this? You think that recorded announcements are fine. I don't think they are fine.

 

Here's a survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GKVHXV9 B)

 

Let's see what the majority of riders think?

[NX Express]

This is why I posted my question. To get different points of view.

 

Personally, I believe that recorded announcements are noise pollution because they repeat senselessly the same thing over and over again to people who take the same train everyday. If the announcements are made by a human conductor, I find that to be different, and OK. I have no problem with announcements made by human conductors. I am against only to recorded announcements. I believe that MTA honchos think recorded announcements is some kind of technological advance. It is not. It is noise pollution.

 

But how do we decide this? You think that recorded announcements are fine. I don't think they are fine.

 

Here's a survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GKVHXV9

 

Let's see what the majority of riders think?

Get earplugs.B):tup:

[Zeynel]

Get earplugs.:tup:

 

Today, with the benefit of this thread, I was looking at people in the train and people just don't seem to care; everyone was reading their books, reports or magazines and no one seemed to hear recorded messages.

 

So once again, I would like to thank everyone who commented. Still, it would be nice to be able to conduct a survey to see what laymen riders really think about this issue.

 

Subways rolled happily for over a century without recorded announcements. Why now?

 

Thanks again.

[Law]

Today, with the benefit of this thread, I was looking at people in the train and people just don't seem to care; everyone was reading their books, reports or magazines and no one seemed to hear recorded messages.

 

So once again, I would like to thank everyone who commented. Still, it would be nice to be able to conduct a survey to see what laymen riders really think about this issue.

 

Subways rolled happily for over a century without recorded announcements. Why now?

 

Thanks again.

 

Because the general public wants automatic or pre-recorded announcements, almost all the transit systems have pre-recorded announcements, why not NYCTA?

[Zeynel]

Because the general public wants automatic or pre-recorded announcements...

 

How do you know this? If you can show me a survey I would be grateful, otherwise you may want to take my survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GKVHXV9

 

So far there is 1 for and 1 against the recorded announcements:o

[Trainmaster5]

The reasoning behind the recorded announcements is simple. Uniformity and clarity throughout the system. The reason you may hear the same announcement many times during your commute really depends on the length of your trip. People get on and off the train all the time. One person may ride 3 or 4 short stops while another may be going from Queens or Brooklyn to Manhattan or the Bronx. The announcements, especially the security ones, are supposed to played frequently, every 15 minutes or so, while the others are played less so. That's why they were programmed into the trains in the first place. If you don't want to hear them you can use ear plugs, play your Ipod or other device, read, or whatever. I will point out, however, that when I was working I would never answer a question asked by a passenger wearing plugs or headphones if an announcement had been made and the person didn't hear it BECAUSE they had their headphones on. My take on it was if you really wanted to be oblivious to your surroundings why should I enter your comfort zone and disturb you. Take the plugs out and then we can talk. As far as nodding out goes, either you're very brave, very stupid, or a decoy cop playing the role. You should always be alert to your surroundings, especially in an enclosed place like a subway or rail car. Just my opinion. Carry on.

[Joe]

As far as nodding out goes, either you're very brave, very stupid, or a decoy cop playing the role. You should always be alert to your surroundings, especially in an enclosed place like a subway or rail car.

 

Very true. Especially with some of the cretins that populate the system every day.

 

If i'm riding and I feel myself nodding off, I get up and stand. No sense risking being mugged by some mope.

[East New York]

It's all about you. This is where the rude, egotistical NYer stereotype comes from.:mad::tdown:

 

PS: So tourists don't ride NYCT?

 

This may be the case. But I don't care if tourists miss their stop and get lost. This is not a big deal. Let them take a cab. Ultimately, some native will help them and when they go back home they'll have a good story to tell.

 

Tourists and non-natives are not the customers of the MTA. We are the customers. We pay taxes here; MTA must cater to us.

 

MTA must make sure that commuters reach their destination 1. safely; 2. in a clean car and 3. on time and 4. in a quiet environment so that nothing stressful happens to the commuter during his commute. This is why I pay my fare.

 

Sitting back reading all your posts, I actually understand exactly where you are coming from. I didnt even pay it any attention at first, but I used to be just like that. The subway was about me and only me. Tourists made me sick. Especially when they would stop dead in their tracks right in front of me! But I had my music 100%, and eventually I grew up and realized the world didnt revolve around Dante. I was a different person back then. Couldnt care less about anyone elses feelings. When my attitude changed, so life started to as well. Let it go. Life is too short an precious to get hung up on the things thats we do!

 

Statements like that just piss me off...what does that have to do with anything? Why cant it just be the male or female operating the bus/train.

 

He still has some growing up to do!

[SoSpectacular]

Erm.... yeah I've dozed off on a train before... I was somewhat intoxicated though. Fail lol

[chrislau12]

All the anti-tourist posts are disgusting. Tourists are the reason why NYC is considered by many the greatest city in the world. Tourists pump billions of dollars into our economy creating countless jobs, which attracts more people into our city, which creates even more jobs. Without all these jobs, there is no point for a subway system at all. It is just as, if not more, important to cater to tourists as locals who ride the subway to work every day.

[m7zanr160s]

Thanks for the answers. This was what I was trying to understand. I think the consensus is that recorded announcements do not bother anybody and it is better than human announcements.

 

Personally, I think that during rush hours the service should be fine-tuned for the benefit of workers not for tourists.

 

During rush hours only experienced riders use the train. I don't know if people agree on this or if they could point to a study showing the opposite.

 

Another question is: Is there someone here who takes the train for an hour or so and tries to read a book or tries to sleep but could not because of the recorded announcements?

 

Thanks again.

 

I just stop reading during an auto-announcement.

[m7zanr160s]

On trains with automated announcements I notice that whenever the conductor does have to say something, there's a really loud ding, and it's always so muffled by static that it annoys the hell out of me. Plus there's always people saying "wait - what did he say?" at the end.

 

Most of the time there's annoying feedback on the NTT's manual annoucements; or the C/R's volume is way too low. Only a few have gotten it right, where it's loud and clear.

[m7zanr160s]

It's not a big deal, it's better than " Ds iz rtiegbnpiaernpaehfpawehpewf" as an announcement though!

LOL

I like both but manual announcements are only good when the cr knows how to speak into the mic.

 

Imagine your on a train and theres an emergency and the C/R says. "Ladies and Gentlemen, there is an emergency. The emergency is CCOOOSSSHHHHEEEEJJHGYGJJSK cloverfield hhhhddgdggdgeeeeShoooooshblblb the only way to survive is to dusshhhhhfhffhhffshshhhhhhhhhhssss."

LOL

Well, thanks. This is why I asked my question here. So far, I don't think that people are bothered by recorded announcements.

 

But your experience also proves my point that announcements are useless. Did you miss your stop because you slept? I assume not. As commuters we can sleep through the ride because our body is conditioned to the same ride everyday. Then, why bother riders with useless announcements to people who take the same ride everyday?

 

For tourists? Let them take care of themselves.

Honestly, those announcments are needed. Sometimes you're on a line that you're not familiar with and you need clear announcements to keep you informed.

By asking. And I think personally that MTA must cater to me, not to tourists; I pay the taxes here and I take the train everyday. My priorities come first. I am talking about workers who take the train everyday to go to Manhattan.

 

Also, I believe that, from my own experience, tourists do not "hear" the announcements. Just the other day, the doors at E opened and a tourist family standing on the platform, the father peers into the car and asks if the train goes to Statute of Liberty. As you know the MTA now has speakers outside the train and blasted the entire platform about where the train was going. The tourists did not hear that. They don't know downtown from uptown.

 

Furthermore, people are extremely helpful and they answer questions. Several people told them to get in and explained to them how to get to Statute of Liberty.

 

In my years of using the subway I have not witnessed 1 case where people failed to help a tourist asking directions.

 

I don't understand the big deal. It's not like they're constanting running during the ride, it's just during the stations.

[Zeynel]

Honestly, those announcments are needed. Sometimes you're on a line that you're not familiar with and you need clear announcements to keep you informed.

 

 

I don't understand the big deal. It's not like they're constanting running during the ride, it's just during the stations.

 

I am not against announcements made by humans; I am against recorded announcements. I am trying to find out if general public like these announcements or there are other people like me who do not like recorded announcements and prefer human announcements.

 

Please, take my short survey and ask your laymen friends who are not interested in the transit system to take the survey.

 

I am only 1 of millions of people who use the transit system everyday. I am entitled to my own opinion and everyone else is entitled to their own opinion.

 

So let's see what the majority of riders think. At this point just 6 people took the survey and 5 of them believe that recorded announcements are good!

 

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GKVHXV9

 

Thanks!

[NX Express]

I am not against announcements made by humans; I am against recorded announcements. I am trying to find out if general public like these announcements or there are other people like me who do not like recorded announcements and prefer human announcements.

m7z said that he liked understandable announcements, you agreed with him and said that thus, human announcements are better.

 

Therefore, "This is 86 Street. Transfer is available to the 4 and 5 trains" is worse than

 

 

"erwouifghphuaerifh aruifhoerfuher freihufpaherfiepusrf ruisehfoeshfouisehfiersf ureoifherf iohser 86seopuifh weifhewiaf eifohiwehf oiehf".

[Zeynel]

m7z said that he liked understandable announcements, you agreed with him and said that thus, human announcements are better.

 

Therefore, "This is 86 Street. Transfer is available to the 4 and 5 trains" is worse than

 

 

"erwouifghphuaerifh aruifhoerfuher freihufpaherfiepusrf ruisehfoeshfouisehfiersf ureoifherf iohser 86seopuifh weifhewiaf eifohiwehf oiehf".

 

No. I think personally there should be no announcements during the rush hour. But I was told that MTA must make those announcements to conform to the ADA; then I personally prefer human announcements.

 

This forum prefers recorded announcements. I don't know if the general public prefers recorded announcements too? Maybe they do maybe they don't. If you know any such survey let me know.

[R160]

Are the announcements perfect? No...still have a long way to go. However, the announcements have been improving over the last decade and will be better in the future.

[NX Express]

No. I think personally there should be no announcements during the rush hour. But I was told that MTA must make those announcements to conform to the ADA; then I personally prefer human announcements.

 

This forum prefers recorded announcements. I don't know if the general public prefers recorded announcements too? Maybe they do maybe they don't. If you know any such survey let me know.

Oh, so there should be people inconvenienced just because you're too lazy to get headphones:mad:

PS rgigfhoeriufhreoiuf does not satisfy ADA.

[Mark 1]

My take on this is manual and automated announcements have their ups and downs. I lean a little more to the manual side though, mainly because each person has his or her way of making announcements. At times the feedback really gets on people's nerves and sometimes announcements are too low and/or fast but nothing is perfect.

 

On automation, clarity is a big advantage over making manual announcements however they lack personality and on occasion will have software problems. Yes, the primary purpose is to provide information in a cut and dry manner and if there is any kind of diversion, a conductor will have to relay the information anyway. Basically, I've learned to embrace both types of announcements and you will have those who don't listen no matter what is being said and played.

[VIP]

No. I think personally there should be no announcements during the rush hour. But I was told that MTA must make those announcements to conform to the ADA; then I personally prefer human announcements.

 

This forum prefers recorded announcements. I don't know if the general public prefers recorded announcements too? Maybe they do maybe they don't. If you know any such survey let me know.

 

Are you insane?? thats when they need the recorded announcements...DURING RUSH HOURS. I ride the everyday and i dont care about the automated recorded announcements i just tune it out. if youre reading and the announcements annoy you, get a car, better yet start a new movement, Read and drive I cant believe your complaining about this. This is as ludicris as people complaining how bright the NTT's are. :cry:

whats really bad is, after the recorded announcements you still have dummies asking stupid questions. B)

[R160]

Announcements will be the most beneficial when they can say stuff like alternate routes, service changes, how long a train will be delayed, instructions in an emergency, etc.