Riders sue MTA a year after their nightmare on the A train.

[Abba]

New York, NY - Riders Stuck on Snow Trapped Train During 2010 Blizzard Sue the MTA -- VosIzNeias.com

 

This article has some stuff that I didn't even know happened.

[Joel Up Front]

The controls the weather. It controls the structural integrity of the buildings its services run near. It controls track fires and signals going bad so that your ends up in Far Rockaway...

[Wallyhorse]

With of the circumstances of last year caused by a perfect storm due to the holidays and this storm developing as it did, this was not entirely the (MTA)'s fault in my opinion. The big problem was this storm was only expected to be 1-3" of snow as late as Christmas Eve Day, didn't even become 6-10" until late Christmas Eve Night and then exploded on Christmas Day, when those who normally would monitor such likely had family commitments to deal with and also not having normal media in many cases due to the Christmas holiday.

 

That said, there still were no excuses for a lot of what happened, as the (A)s should have been taken off the Rockaways a lot earlier than the one that got stuck.

[TriboroughBridge]

I'm half & half for them suing the . Why wouldn't the conductor let them leave? If they wanted to walk in the snow, let it be their problem, but to hold them in the train? there were no other trains. now I know this probably doesn't have anything to do with this & it's probably coming from left field, but look what happened on 9/11 when they didn't let people leave the south tower after the first plane hit.

 

Now I know the isnt god & they don't create the snow, but there were blizzards that were worse than this & the TA still managed, so why couldn't they get plows & stuff like that & close the line to prevent anything like this from happening

 

However, it isn't the (MTA)'s job to supply food & water for them, heat maybe.

 

Now the only reason I'm against the suing is, because let's say they win & get their money, the is going to say just like they said 2 years ago, that they don't have money & then they will make more cuts & fare hikes. So for me the suing is a 50-50.

[Guest lance25]

I get why these people are suing, even if I'm not entirely behind them. On the one hand, you have people obviously entitled to some sort of pain and suffering for being trapped on a train for many hours. They feel they were shafted by the for holding them hostage for what I believe was 20 hours.

 

On the other hand however, it's not like the agency had many alternatives to what happened. We can argue about the bad calls made before the blizzard really took off until we're blue in the face (or our fingers fall off). That's besides the point though. The fact remains that once things really got out of control, the weather kept those 500 or so passengers on that train, not the train crew. Even if they wanted to take them, the passengers, to the nearest station, either Aqueduct-North Conduit Av (as Aqueduct Racetrack was closed) or Rockaway Blvd, they'd still would've had to trek through two feet of blowing and drifting snow on the electrified tracks. All that snow means they would not have been able to see the third rail. It only takes one wrong step and zap, we have electrocuted, wet and cold riders instead of warm and dry, but trapped ones.

 

Another point brought up in the suit was the fact that passengers didn't have access to basic necessities (food, water, bathroom facilities). If they couldn't move the train, how in the hell could they bring food and water to the stranded passengers? The doesn't have presidential privileges where things can be airlifted in to stranded people. The buses weren't running and road travel was nigh impossible and as I mentioned above, they couldn't safely trek the rails to get to the nearest station to use the bathroom.

 

It sucks that they were stuck there, but alternatives were few and far in between, especially when shit really hit the fan.

[3railgreg]

Well, the only ones who win in lawsuits, especially aganist transit agencies are the lawyers and insurance companies. We love to sue today. They are all still alive, which may have not been the case otherwise. It is not MTA's fault for the snow fall amounts, we got caught up here with our pants down too as far as the amounts go. The NWS forecasters are the only ones who can constantly screw up at their job and still have one!

 

Is it God then the MTA or is it the MTA then God........too bad it has to happen.

[Wallyhorse]

Well, the only ones who win in lawsuits, especially aganist transit agencies are the lawyers and insurance companies. We love to sue today. They are all still alive, which may have not been the case otherwise. It is not MTA's fault for the snow fall amounts, we got caught up here with our pants down too as far as the amounts go. The NWS forecasters are the only ones who can constantly screw up at their job and still have one!

 

Is it God then the MTA or is it the MTA then God........too bad it has to happen.

 

That's been my point all along:

 

EVERYBODY got caught off-guard by that storm, as when decisions had to be made, it was expected to be maybe 1-3" tops, and was still expected to be that well into Chistmas Eve. Given when the predictions going up first happened (first reports of such coming very late on Christmas Eve) and with for some lack of available media until very late on Christmas night (due to in many cases local stations only airing an 11:00 PM local newscast on Christmas night, even where there would normally be other newscasts during the day) and in other cases family commitments they could not get out of, even for an emergency, there was no way enough things could be done to prevent what happened because of when it happened.

[TriboroughBridge]

it was expected to be maybe 1-3" tops, and was still expected to be that well into Chistmas Eve.

 

No it wasn't. It said "we are expecting a 1' to a 1' & a half". let's not forget it snowed a day earlier in the Bronx, so people knew it was coming bad!

[King Of RedBirds]

Oh here we go with the suing. If you know it will / or is Snowing why take the train especially on an elevated portion.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Oh here we go with the suing. If you know it will / or is Snowing why take the train especially on an elevated portion.

 

 

lol.... Because transportation does run when it snows and the city doesn't shut down the minute we see a snowflake. This is the (MTA)'s fault for leaving those folks stranded on the subway with no food, no water and next to no announcements. People have ailments and need to take medicine and such and leaving folks on cold subways like that can have serious consequences.

 

 

I get why these people are suing, even if I'm not entirely behind them. On the one hand, you have people obviously entitled to some sort of pain and suffering for being trapped on a train for many hours. They feel they were shafted by the for holding them hostage for what I believe was 20 hours.

 

On the other hand however, it's not like the agency had many alternatives to what happened. We can argue about the bad calls made before the blizzard really took off until we're blue in the face (or our fingers fall off). That's besides the point though. The fact remains that once things really got out of control, the weather kept those 500 or so passengers on that train, not the train crew. Even if they wanted to take them, the passengers, to the nearest station, either Aqueduct-North Conduit Av (as Aqueduct Racetrack was closed) or Rockaway Blvd, they'd still would've had to trek through two feet of blowing and drifting snow on the electrified tracks. All that snow means they would not have been able to see the third rail. It only takes one wrong step and zap, we have electrocuted, wet and cold riders instead of warm and dry, but trapped ones.

 

Another point brought up in the suit was the fact that passengers didn't have access to basic necessities (food, water, bathroom facilities). If they couldn't move the train, how in the hell could they bring food and water to the stranded passengers? The doesn't have presidential privileges where things can be airlifted in to stranded people. The buses weren't running and road travel was nigh impossible and as I mentioned above, they couldn't safely trek the rails to get to the nearest station to use the bathroom.

 

It sucks that they were stuck there, but alternatives were few and far in between, especially when shit really hit the fan.

 

Well you can make all of the excuses you want for the , but at the end of the day you can't leave folks stranded for hours and hours on a subway. While the has no control over the weather, they were still at fault because they didn't take any preventive steps from the beginning. That's the real problem. They'll live and learn I suppose. Money generally tends to do that.

[peacemak3r]

No it wasn't. It said "we are expecting a 1' to a 1' & a half". let's not forget it snowed a day earlier in the Bronx, so people knew it was coming bad!

 

The first expectations were 5"-7" in the 5 borough area. It was 1' to 1.5' in the outer areas.

 

5" is still considered travel-able, at least for me with my AWD. It then got changed to 11"-1' 2" tops then people just said F it.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

The first expectations were 5"-7" in the 5 borough area. It was 1' to 1.5' in the outer areas.

 

5" is still considered travel-able, at least for me with my AWD. It then got changed to 11"-1' 2" tops then people just said F it.

 

Me, when I heard the storm was coming I headed straight for the express bus to get grub from Whole Foods. Got an X1 in and an X10 back and made it back before the streets became impossible to travel on.

[Guest lance25]

Well you can make all of the excuses you want for the , but at the end of the day you can't leave folks stranded for hours and hours on a subway. While the has no control over the weather, they were still at fault because they didn't take any preventive steps from the beginning. That's the real problem. They'll live and learn I suppose. Money generally tends to do that.

 

I wasn't making excuses for management's lack of foresight. I was simply stating that once that train got stuck, there wasn't much that could be done for the passengers until said train was dug out.

 

By the way, the agency has taken preemptive actions (the shutdown in anticipation of Hurricane Irene) and people were up in arms then too. You can't have it both ways. Also, they've also stated that they will be shutting down lines during inclement weather before things get too bad. Whether they follow through with that has yet to be determined, but don't be surprised if the Sea Beach, Brighton, Rockaways and Dyre Avenue lines are closed when snowfall is expected to be over a few inches.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I wasn't making excuses for management's lack of foresight. I was simply stating that once that train got stuck, there wasn't much that could be done for the passengers until said train was dug out.

 

By the way, the agency has taken preemptive actions (the shutdown in anticipation of Hurricane Irene) and people were up in arms then too. You can't have it both ways. Also, they've also stated that they will be shutting down lines during inclement weather before things get too bad. Whether they follow through with that has yet to be determined, but don't be surprised if the Sea Beach, Brighton, Rockaways and Dyre Avenue lines are closed when snowfall is expected to be over a few inches.

 

In a way you are because you say that you don't fully support the passengers that are suing the , so in a way it's like you're saying that it isn't there fault. If they shouldn't be suing them, then who should they be suing? Maybe your point is that things happen and obviously the didn't do anything on purpose to our knowledge, but you have to take responsibility for your actions, even when you end up in a bad situation unintentionally. It's sad, but often times you wonder if "improvements" in these sorts of situations stem from trying to avoid the "sue bug".

[6 Lexington Ave]

In a way you are because you say that you don't fully support the passengers that are suing the , so in a way it's like you're saying that it isn't there fault. If they shouldn't be suing them, then who should they be suing? Maybe your point is that things happen and obviously the didn't do anything on purpose to our knowledge, but you have to take responsibility for your actions, even when you end up in a bad situation unintentionally. It's sad, but often times you wonder if "improvements" in these sorts of situations stem from trying to avoid the "sue bug".

 

I get why these people are suing. I just don't agree with it. On the other hand, I admit that I would, perhaps, be doing the same thing in their position. I know i just contradicted myself... It's just that the "sue bug" as you call it is a great way to get money. I just don't think it's the "right thing" to do..

Anyway, ultimately, they did take responsibility for their actions, which were a fiasco, in my opinion. They actually admitted they forgot about the train. About their new approach to inclement weather all I have to say is "better safe than sued..."

[Gotham Bus Co.]

New York, NY - Riders Stuck on Snow Trapped Train During 2010 Blizzard Sue the MTA -- VosIzNeias.com

 

My thoughts...

 

The will likely use the plaintiffs' one-year delay as part of its defense. ("If you were truly hurt, you would have sued immediately.")

 

During a massive blizzard, wouldn't it be safer inside the train than outside?

 

If all subway trains have to be stocked with toilet paper and snacks, there won't be room for actual passengers.

[Wallyhorse]

The first expectations were 5"-7" in the 5 borough area. It was 1' to 1.5' in the outer areas.

 

5" is still considered travel-able, at least for me with my AWD. It then got changed to 11"-1' 2" tops then people just said F it.

 

I remember that whole period very well:

 

Whatever predictions for 5-7" of snow were quickly downgraded to 1-3", which I remember because I actually had people lamenting the forecast being for no snow in most cases at the time. Then very late on Christmas Eve (actually very early Christmas morning) is when I got the "spoke too soon" comments from a few when the snow was back in the forecast and upped to 6-10" of snow, and we know where it went from there.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I get why these people are suing. I just don't agree with it. On the other hand, I admit that I would, perhaps, be doing the same thing in their position. I know i just contradicted myself... It's just that the "sue bug" as you call it is a great way to get money. I just don't think it's the "right thing" to do..

Anyway, ultimately, they did take responsibility for their actions, which were a fiasco, in my opinion. They actually admitted they forgot about the train. About their new approach to inclement weather all I have to say is "better safe than sued..."

 

Yeah, a "tad" hypocritical if you ask me. You admit that the is responsible, yet you say that these folks shouldn't be suing them, but you would probably do it if you were in their situation. Okie dokie. LOL

 

 

 

My thoughts...

During a massive blizzard, wouldn't it be safer inside the train than outside?

 

If all subway trains have to be stocked with toilet paper and snacks, there won't be room for actual passengers.

 

And your point is?? That's not the point. They forgot about the train altogether, so they had no choice but to stay there whether they wanted to or not.

 

Comment #3... Completely unnecessary. Like I said before if you were stuck on that train for 20 hours and suffered from sort of illness that required you to have certain things, you wouldn't find their situation so cute.

[Ceya]

At a City Council hearing earlier this month, NYC Transit President Thomas Prendergast acknowledged that transit officials had lost track of the stranded train.

 

“We forgot about it,” he said, adding, “It’s inexcusable.”

 

This says it all.

 

S/F,

CEYA!

[Fresh Pond]

I was stuck on a (dead) bus for over 3 hours in the middle of Maspeth (literally in the middle of nowhere) that night, with no heat...took me over 9 hours to get home on a usual 1 hour commute which involved walking for about an hour through Queens

 

You don't hear me saying I wanted to sue

 

just saying...

[Noflexdont]

I was stuck on a (dead) bus for over 3 hours in the middle of Maspeth (literally in the middle of nowhere) that night, with no heat...took me over 9 hours to get home on a usual 1 hour commute which involved walking for about an hour through Queens

 

You don't hear me saying I wanted to sue

 

just saying...

 

3 hours, HA HA i was stuck on 117st and Metro on the Q54 for over 18 hours. My bus was the only one that had heat on it (RTS) and i had about 4 other drivers on my bus. I did a year in Iraq sitting in a snow storm was not a problem. I was very lucky that we had a little supermarket that was open so when we need the restroom or food it was right out side the bus. The only down side was i got really sick and was out for 5 days. My body did not like the dirty environment and the cold. One more thing it never enter my mind that i was going to sue the MTA for what happen. I know as a civil servant that the people come first then us workers. to bad the MTA as whole don't see it like that, if they did they would have never forgot about the A train.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I was stuck on a (dead) bus for over 3 hours in the middle of Maspeth (literally in the middle of nowhere) that night, with no heat...took me over 9 hours to get home on a usual 1 hour commute which involved walking for about an hour through Queens

 

You don't hear me saying I wanted to sue

 

just saying...

 

If you were smart you would be...

[Abba]

It's a different feeling to be stuck on a bus vs a train.on a bus you know if you really wanted you could get up and just move.on a train you feel like your trapped especally on an A train since the storm doors are locked.

[Wallyhorse]

No it wasn't. It said "we are expecting a 1' to a 1' & a half". let's not forget it snowed a day earlier in the Bronx, so people knew it was coming bad!

 

That was not until well into Christmas Day.

 

At the time decisions had to be made, and well after that, the forecast was for at worst 1-3" of snow, with many areas not getting snow at all. As noted above, I know quite a few people who lamented there not being any snow who had to quickly backtrack once the snow forecast was upped.

 

It was the fact the snow totals were upped on Christmas Day, when many people didn't have access to normal media due to the holiday and/or had family commitments that was the problem here. Had they had access to proper media before the storm hit and after the totals had been upped considerably, there likely would have been a different result.

[Novabus 5000]

Deez nuts...