Was there ever a crackdown on subway car break dancers?

[B35 via Church]

I don't mess with either group, since they are known to be part of gangs.....

Those breakdancers.... yup, no question a lot of them are in gangs & have done bid(s) in prison....

This may sound funny to some, but some of em smell like they're fresh out of prison.... There's a distinct smell some prison nzzzz's tend to have....

 

I think too many people are oblivious to this - those breakdancers that do so on the subway aren't innocent little teens/young men from the hood trying to pursue a dream - They're f***in criminals out to get a quick buck "the right way" (as they deem it; meaning they're not getting money by force or w/e) from relenting suckers that don't know any better.... Same deal goes for those bucket-drum beatin MF-ers.....

 

What is all this "legit" panhandling talk? A beggar is a beggar. Nobody's going to go around asking for money if they don't need the $.

This..... And I don't feel any sorrow for either of them either - the scam artists that panhandle or the homeless that panhandle.... Although I will say that I do think there are more scam artists that panhandle on the subways than there are actual homeless people.... Call me cynical, but it's whatever regarding that....

 

Being homeless doesn't make panhandling okay/legit..... Don't know where/why people get off like that's the case....

It's harrassing to have anyone walk up to you with some damn sob story asking you for money - Even people that aren't homeless and or scam artists.....

 

I tell ya.... You gotta constantly be on guard, even if you're just re-filling MetroCards... I just went to refill one of my cards now and there were like at least three scam artists down there... One was asking this guy for a cigarette and the others were just standing around scoping things out...  The black guys really crack me up.  They must think people are really slow or something not to know what they're up to.  

I always look over my shoulder when I'm refilling my MC....

 

Short story... One saturday when I was out fanning, there was this "duo" over at 169th .... Was unsure of how much money I had on the card, so I walked over & down to 169th to put a 20 spot on the card (turned out I had enough money for a couple more rides, but anyway)..... I was the only person utilizing the MVM's at the time; it's like those two were down there for a minute waiting on someone to prey on.....

 

I don't remember the details of the story he gave, but the younger one came up to me & basically asked me for a swipe for him & his mans (this was after I was done using the MVM).... When I was like nah, nah (& waving my hands in such a motion) & attempted to proceed up the stairs (SE steps, hillside/168st), all of a sudden, the older one gets up (who was bigger than me, I'll admit) tried to block my path.... I saw him from the corner of my eye too when I was refilling my card.....

 

Of course, being a pessimist, I was prepared for the worst & was ready to knuckle up..... But for w/e the reason, the younger one said let him go, let him go..... To this day, I think it had to do with not being rude to the younger guy.... Had I been in a**hole mode that day, some real shit would've went down that day......

[realizm]

I know the expression "don't judge a book by its cover", but like someone said in a previous post, you never know, some of these homeless people might not look homeless at all, but they live in a run-down shelter where they are not getting the care they need and go on the subway for help. Also, those homeless people you see at the end of the platform with their bags of stuff at stations that have low-ridership, they may know someone who supplies them with just enough money so they can eat. I remember once seeing this homeless guy around 32 st & 6 Av, he was obviously homeless, and had a cart full of bags and the stuff homeless people had, though he had a sign on the front of the cart "PLEASE KEEP YOUR DONATIONS AND MONEY, THANKS" or something like that.

 

There is also another one i'd like to point out, those petite women you see with the cardboard sign walking on the train with their baby saying how they need money for milk, They are OBVIOUSLY not homeless. If they were, Child Services would have taken their baby away. I can tell they are scammers, Ive seen them around the system (so far i've only seen three of them, and they all do the same EXACT thing (their signs  basically say the same things). The other day, I saw one of them carrying a designer handbag. Your carrying an expensive designer handbag meanwhile your posing to be homeless with a baby and begging for money? I don't think so.

 

The point is, alot of the people you see on the subway begging for money, you can't tell if they are homeless or not. Though I only give money to the people who I know are truly homeless and have nothing, like that guy on the . 

 

Indeed those are my same sentiments. You can't judge a book by it's cover and one cannot judge. All good points.

 

I've seen one of those ladies with another dude with an accordian playing what I think is, but not sure, eastern European ballads, a couple. The music was OK,  but what turned everyone off with audible gasps was that she was breastfeeding her child while crossing cars with her spouse in peddling for change from car to car. People were calling her out for it. This freeshow happened on a Manhattan bound . Myself as I was blushing in embarrassment, had to lie and politely say all I had was credit cards when I had cash on me actually.

[Around the Horn]

Those breakdancers.... yup, no question a lot of them are in gangs & have done bid(s) in prison....

This may sound funny to some, but some of em smell like they're fresh out of prison.... There's a distinct smell some prison nzzzz's tend to have....

 

I think too many people are oblivious to this - those breakdancers that do so on the subway aren't innocent little teens/young men from the hood trying to pursue a dream - They're f***in criminals out to get a quick buck "the right way" (as they deem it; meaning they're not getting money by force or w/e) from relenting suckers that don't know any better.... Same deal goes for those bucket-drum beatin MF-ers.....

 

This..... And I don't feel any sorrow for either of them either - the scam artists that panhandle or the homeless that panhandle.... Although I will say that I do think there are more scam artists that panhandle on the subways than there are actual homeless people.... Call me cynical, but it's whatever regarding that....

 

Being homeless doesn't make panhandling okay/legit..... Don't know where/why people get off like that's the case....

It's harrassing to have anyone walk up to you with some damn sob story asking you for money - Even people that aren't homeless and or scam artists.....

 

I always look over my shoulder when I'm refilling my MC....

 

Short story... One saturday when I was out fanning, there was this "duo" over at 169th .... Was unsure of how much money I had on the card, so I walked over & down to 169th to put a 20 spot on the card (turned out I had enough money for a couple more rides, but anyway)..... I was the only person utilizing the MVM's at the time; it's like those two were down there for a minute waiting on someone to prey on.....

 

I don't remember the details of the story he gave, but the younger one came up to me & basically asked me for a swipe for him & his mans (this was after I was done using the MVM).... When I was like nah, nah (& waving my hands in such a motion) & attempted to proceed up the stairs (SE steps, hillside/168st), all of a sudden, the older one gets up (who was bigger than me, I'll admit) tried to block my path.... I saw him from the corner of my eye too when I was refilling my card.....

 

Of course, being a pessimist, I was prepared for the worst & was ready to knuckle up..... But for w/e the reason, the younger one said let him go, let him go..... To this day, I think it had to do with not being rude to the younger guy.... Had I been in a**hole mode that day, some real shit would've went down that day......

I always fill mine at a booth...

[realizm]

TI always look over my shoulder when I'm refilling my MC....

 

Short story... One saturday when I was out fanning, there was this "duo" over at 169th .... Was unsure of how much money I had on the card, so I walked over & down to 169th to put a 20 spot on the card (turned out I had enough money for a couple more rides, but anyway)..... I was the only person utilizing the MVM's at the time; it's like those two were down there for a minute waiting on someone to prey on.....

 

I don't remember the details of the story he gave, but the younger one came up to me & basically asked me for a swipe for him & his mans (this was after I was done using the MVM).... When I was like nah, nah (& waving my hands in such a motion) & attempted to proceed up the stairs (SE steps, hillside/168st), all of a sudden, the older one gets up (who was bigger than me, I'll admit) tried to block my path.... I saw him from the corner of my eye too when I was refilling my card.....

 

Of course, being a pessimist, I was prepared for the worst & was ready to knuckle up..... But for w/e the reason, the younger one said let him go, let him go..... To this day, I think it had to do with not being rude to the younger guy.... Had I been in a**hole mode that day, some real shit would've went down that day......

 

I had a similar situation where I was harrassed by a scammer in January and I had to keep on telling myself it's not worth going to prison if I deck this guy. This case happened @ Yankee Stadium, naturally on the / . Sort of my fault, he asked if I wanted a swipe, I said no, then he started muttering saying something in regards to me being full of shit, I responded in kind telling him to shut the f**k up or I'll clam that piehole for you myself. Then I remembered there was a police station there, and I had to tell myself to calm down I have a loved one to come home to and she's waiting for me to come home safe and sound. Speaking of which why in the world are there scammers in the mezzazine where there is a NYPD police station?

 

Glad to know I'm not the only one feeling this way.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I always look over my shoulder when I'm refilling my MC....

 

Short story... One saturday when I was out fanning, there was this "duo" over at 169th .... Was unsure of how much money I had on the card, so I walked over & down to 169th to put a 20 spot on the card (turned out I had enough money for a couple more rides, but anyway)..... I was the only person utilizing the MVM's at the time; it's like those two were down there for a minute waiting on someone to prey on.....

 

I don't remember the details of the story he gave, but the younger one came up to me & basically asked me for a swipe for him & his mans (this was after I was done using the MVM).... When I was like nah, nah (& waving my hands in such a motion) & attempted to proceed up the stairs (SE steps, hillside/168st), all of a sudden, the older one gets up (who was bigger than me, I'll admit) tried to block my path.... I saw him from the corner of my eye too when I was refilling my card.....

 

Of course, being a pessimist, I was prepared for the worst & was ready to knuckle up..... But for w/e the reason, the younger one said let him go, let him go..... To this day, I think it had to do with not being rude to the younger guy.... Had I been in a**hole mode that day, some real shit would've went down that day......

I avoid certain stations for that reason... I usually go to specific stations that I know don't have that problem and refill there when possible, but sometimes if you want to use your credit card, the damn credit card readers are worn out and don't work so I have to go another time to another station. 

 

I've never had someone approach me like that because the look on my face probably sends a clear message.  When I was refilling the other day and came out of the station, it looked like this younger black kid (maybe 17 or so) wanted to ask me something but my body language must've told him otherwise and he backed off and said something like oh excuse me sir as if he was apologizing for supposedly being in my way. lol  The worst thing I've gotten was some black guys at Union Sq asking me if I needed a swipe (the side by where Whole Foods is located is notorious for this, hence why I stopped using that area for refills).  Also at Union Sq., across the street from Whole Foods by the entrance for the trains this Latino kid was there swiping Metrocards that he found on the floor.  I'm there trying to get a new Metrocard at the machine and he's like practically right next to me so I told him to basically step off because I don't like people near me like that when I'm conducting business.  He of course got an attitude and got offended by my request and asked me if I thought he was going to try to rob me and said he wasn't moving (probably because he was offended more than anything), so rather than escalate the situation (because I could fill myself getting quite heated) I positioned myself so that I shielded his view from mine.  He was a young one anyway and since he got so offended by my request, I knew he wasn't going to do anything since he already knew that my guard was up, so I said if he does try anything, you literally tower over him anyway and I think he felt like he was harmless and was simply swiping Metrocards so I had nothing to worry about, but I just wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to try to steal my credit card numbers or some crazy shit.  You can never put anything past anybody, esp. with all of the scams I've seen here in the U.S. and esp. over in Europe with ATMs and other machines where you use your card at.

 

The biggest scam they have in Italy is with the ATMs.  They put stuff in them to jam up your card and then you think your card is stuck in there and you give up if the bank is closed for the day and you come back when they open again, only to find that your card is long gone and has been either ran up if it's a credit card or your bank account emptied if it's a bank card. Happened to a classmate of mine.  They emptied out his entire bank account. He was flat broke and had to have his parents wire him money. Smh

[B35 via Church]

I always fill mine at a booth...

I do not remember the last time I walked up to a token booth clerk for something.....

 

The whole thing behind even having MVM's is to prevent having to wait in line to have a S/A refill your card.... Sucks that they've phased out jobs that way though.... I mean, you pass by some of these stations (like houston st southbound) & see a vacant space where a token booth once was, and you may say to yourself, what a depressing sight......

 

I had a similar situation where I was harrassed by a scammer in January and I had to keep on telling myself it's not worth going to prison if I deck this guy. This case happened @ Yankee Stadium, naturally on the / . Sort of my fault, he asked if I wanted a swipe, I said no, then he started muttering saying something in regards to me being full of shit, I responded in kind telling him to shut the f**k up or I'll clam that piehole for you myself. Then I remembered there was a police station there, and I had to tell myself to calm down I have a loved one to come home to and she's waiting for me to come home safe and sound. Speaking of which why in the world are there scammers in the mezzazine where there is a NYPD police station?

 

Glad to know I'm not the only one feeling this way.

Yup, and see, that's why I don't engage in real conversation w/ stragglers.... The more you converse with them, the more comfortable they get around you.... They're banking on that comfort; "soft-soaking" you (if you ever heard the term before).... Although you wouldn't believe it w/ my posts on these forums, I'm a man of few words w/ people I'm not familiar with anyway..... I've never been much of a shit talker because to me, it's wasted energy (and it often escalates situations b/c you don't know who's gonna take what, how serious... especially w/ these effeminate/highly emotional dudes out there & the growing amount of em - quick to pull out a piece over the minutest of things)....

 

police presence doesn't strike fear in these scammers nowadays... I realized that first hand years ago when they used to pull that swipe selling shit at church av right in front of the police, back when I used to take the 7th av line to work..... Went on for months too!

 

 

 

I avoid certain stations for that reason... I usually go to specific stations that I know don't have that problem and refill there when possible, but sometimes if you want to use your credit card, the damn credit card readers are worn out and don't work so I have to go another time to another station. 

 

I've never had someone approach me like that because the look on my face probably sends a clear message.  When I was refilling the other day and came out of the station, it looked like this younger black kid (maybe 17 or so) wanted to ask me something but my body language must've told him otherwise and he backed off and said something like oh excuse me sir as if he was apologizing for supposedly being in my way. lol  The worst thing I've gotten was some black guys at Union Sq asking me if I needed a swipe (the side by where Whole Foods is located is notorious for this, hence why I stopped using that area for refills).  Also at Union Sq., across the street from Whole Foods by the entrance for the trains this Latino kid was there swiping Metrocards that he found on the floor.  I'm there trying to get a new Metrocard at the machine and he's like practically right next to me so I told him to basically step off because I don't like people near me like that when I'm conducting business.  He of course got an attitude and got offended by my request and asked me if I thought he was going to try to rob me and said he wasn't moving (probably because he was offended more than anything), so rather than escalate the situation (because I could fill myself getting quite heated) I positioned myself so that I shielded his view from mine.  He was a young one anyway and since he got so offended by my request, I knew he wasn't going to do anything since he already knew that my guard was up, so I said if he does try anything, you literally tower over him anyway and I think he felt like he was harmless and was simply swiping Metrocards so I had nothing to worry about, but I just wanted to make sure that he wasn't going to try to steal my credit card numbers or some crazy shit.  You can never put anything past anybody, esp. with all of the scams I've seen here in the U.S. and esp. over in Europe with ATMs and other machines where you use your card at.

 

The biggest scam they have in Italy is with the ATMs.  They put stuff in them to jam up your card and then you think your card is stuck in there and you give up if the bank is closed for the day and you come back when they open again, only to find that your card is long gone and has been either ran up if it's a credit card or your bank account emptied if it's a bank card. Happened to a classmate of mine.  They emptied out his entire bank account. He was flat broke and had to have his parents wire him money. Smh

That's just it, I was in a more lax type of mood that day... Had just gotten off at 165th st bus terminal & the fantrip was going good so far, so I didn't walk around w/ the scowl I usually have.... Probably wouldn't have made a difference that day anyway... These two hooligans I'm talking about were well older than 17.... The one that approached me was probably in his mid 20's (probably was a little older & might have been along with me, who knows) & the other bigger/older guy looked like he was in his late 30's/early 40's......

 

The kids that do all that jaw jacking/reasoning/small talking & what not, I don't take as an imminent threat.... Who asks "do you think I'm gonna rob you" anyway, that's weak sauce... I know bullets know no bounds, but I'm not about to get jumped by no lil nzzzz's tryna get by on metrocard swipes - damn that.... You can say what you want, but the second I get touched, you just took it to another level.... I have had someone try to run my pockets before (although this was a grown man), and let's just say it aint end well for him... That's not even on some tough guy, machismo, razor ramon shit either - It's all about self defense..... ughk, don't touch me, I don't know or wanna know in who's orifice's your hands have been....

 

Although not Italy specific (good to know btw), I've heard about that practice before - I forget which country the youtuber mentioned it also happens a lot in.... Somewhat related I guess, a former co-worker told us (in our group) how his wells fargo card got stuck, but HE was the one that got questioned because security thought that was someone else's card he was attempting to use fraudulently..... smh, guilty til proven innocent.... He didn't mention anything about (feeling like he ended up) getting scammed though.....

[LRG]

The one thing that anyone can do to piss me off is invade my personal space when I'm at the vending machine trying to get a MetroCard and come up to me and ask me to to buy a swipe off of them. I just wave them off and shake my head, but at the same time, I'm thinking in my head "is this guy serious, do you f***ing mind?!" I used to see them at Utica Avenue in the mornings but I haven't seen them lately, thank goodness.

 

 

 

 

I do not remember the last time I walked up to a token booth clerk for something.....

 

The whole thing behind even having MVM's is to prevent having to wait in line to have a S/A refill your card.... Sucks that they've phased out jobs that way though.... I mean, you pass by some of these stations (like houston st   southbound) & see a vacant space where a token booth once was, and you may say to yourself, what a depressing sight......

 

Yup, and see, that's why I don't engage in real conversation w/ stragglers.... The more you converse with them, the more comfortable they get around you.... They're banking on that comfort; "soft-soaking" you (if you ever heard the term before).... Although you wouldn't believe it w/ my posts on these forums, I'm a man of few words w/ people I'm not familiar with anyway..... I've never been much of a shit talker because to me, it's wasted energy (and it often escalates situations b/c you don't know who's gonna take what, how serious... especially w/ these effeminate/highly emotional dudes out there & the growing amount of em - quick to pull out a piece over the minutest of things)....

 

police presence doesn't strike fear in these scammers nowadays... I realized that first hand years ago when they used to pull that swipe selling shit at church av   right in front of the police, back when I used to take the 7th av line to work..... Went on for months too!

 

 

 

That's just it, I was in a more lax type of mood that day... Had just gotten off at 165th st bus terminal & the fantrip was going good so far, so I didn't walk around w/ the scowl I usually have.... Probably wouldn't have made a difference that day anyway... These two hooligans I'm talking about were well older than 17.... The one that approached me was probably in his mid 20's (probably was a little older & might have been along with me, who knows) & the other bigger/older guy looked like he was in his late 30's/early 40's......

 

The kids that do all that jaw jacking/reasoning/small talking & what not, I don't take as an imminent threat.... Who asks "do you think I'm gonna rob you" anyway, that's weak sauce... I know bullets know no bounds, but I'm not about to get jumped by no lil nzzzz's tryna get by on metrocard swipes - damn that.... You can say what you want, but the second I get touched, you just took it to another level.... I have had someone try to run my pockets before (although this was a grown man), and let's just say it aint end well for him... That's not even on some tough guy, machismo, razor ramon shit either - It's all about self defense..... ughk, don't touch me, I don't know or wanna know in who's orifice's your hands have been....

 

Although not Italy specific (good to know btw), I've heard about that practice before - I forget which country the youtuber mentioned it also happens a lot in.... Somewhat related I guess, a former co-worker told us (in our group) how his wells fargo card got stuck, but HE was the one that got questioned because security thought that was someone else's card he was attempting to use fraudulently..... smh, guilty til proven innocent.... He didn't mention anything about (feeling like he ended up) getting scammed though.....

 

I'm glad you brought that up because my friend (who has family in transit that I know) had a situation with some kids on the S53 a year or two ago...the kids coming from summer school get on the bus (didn't pay, of course) and sits in the back where my friend is. These kids were probably 10 or 11 and my friend was 14 at the time. So the kids trying to act tough and whatnot decided to haggle my friend and talk in that hood ghetto tone (you know the one with the hint of a dragged Southern accent) asking him if he had anything on him like an iPod or an iPhone or some money...my friend just laughed at them and paid them no mind cuz he said it himself that he wasn't going to get riled up over little kids, but he also admitted that if they were kids bigger and older than him then he would have been scared.

 

So yeah size also plays a role in how people decide to prey on others. I'm type skinny and a little underweight for my height and age (I'm 5'11" and weigh 140ish) and no way in hell am I letting anyone doing any damage to me at all. While I do pick my battles, if it's a battle that I know I don't have a chance in, especially when it comes to size and that wonderful numbers game people like to play, then I'm less likely to react how I would like to. Thankfully I'm a fast runner and I have an alternate means of escaping in a situation (the ones who know me well enough on here knows what it is).

[B35 via Church]

The one thing that anyone can do to piss me off is invade my personal space when I'm at the vending machine trying to get a MetroCard and come up to me and ask me to to buy a swipe off of them. I just wave them off and shake my head, but at the same time, I'm thinking in my head "is this guy serious, do you f***ing mind?!" I used to see them at Utica Avenue in the mornings but I haven't seen them lately, thank goodness.

on the , yeah they're still there.... usually during the early morning to AM rush hour though....

They usually be harrassing bit women though....

[LRG]

on the , yeah they're still there.... usually during the early morning to AM rush hour though....

They usually be harrassing bit women though....

 

I was actually talking about the and . I wouldn't know about the or because I don't use that station.

 

(I added more to that post, feel free to comment)

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I do not remember the last time I walked up to a token booth clerk for something.....

 

The whole thing behind even having MVM's is to prevent having to wait in line to have a S/A refill your card.... Sucks that they've phased out jobs that way though.... I mean, you pass by some of these stations (like houston st southbound) & see a vacant space where a token booth once was, and you may say to yourself, what a depressing sight......

 

Yup, and see, that's why I don't engage in real conversation w/ stragglers.... The more you converse with them, the more comfortable they get around you.... They're banking on that comfort; "soft-soaking" you (if you ever heard the term before).... Although you wouldn't believe it w/ my posts on these forums, I'm a man of few words w/ people I'm not familiar with anyway..... I've never been much of a shit talker because to me, it's wasted energy (and it often escalates situations b/c you don't know who's gonna take what, how serious... especially w/ these effeminate/highly emotional dudes out there & the growing amount of em - quick to pull out a piece over the minutest of things)....

 

police presence doesn't strike fear in these scammers nowadays... I realized that first hand years ago when they used to pull that swipe selling shit at church av right in front of the police, back when I used to take the 7th av line to work..... Went on for months too!

 

 

 

That's just it, I was in a more lax type of mood that day... Had just gotten off at 165th st bus terminal & the fantrip was going good so far, so I didn't walk around w/ the scowl I usually have.... Probably wouldn't have made a difference that day anyway... These two hooligans I'm talking about were well older than 17.... The one that approached me was probably in his mid 20's (probably was a little older & might have been along with me, who knows) & the other bigger/older guy looked like he was in his late 30's/early 40's......

 

The kids that do all that jaw jacking/reasoning/small talking & what not, I don't take as an imminent threat.... Who asks "do you think I'm gonna rob you" anyway, that's weak sauce... I know bullets know no bounds, but I'm not about to get jumped by no lil nzzzz's tryna get by on metrocard swipes - damn that.... You can say what you want, but the second I get touched, you just took it to another level.... I have had someone try to run my pockets before (although this was a grown man), and let's just say it aint end well for him... That's not even on some tough guy, machismo, razor ramon shit either - It's all about self defense..... ughk, don't touch me, I don't know or wanna know in who's orifice's your hands have been....

 

Although not Italy specific (good to know btw), I've heard about that practice before - I forget which country the youtuber mentioned it also happens a lot in.... Somewhat related I guess, a former co-worker told us (in our group) how his wells fargo card got stuck, but HE was the one that got questioned because security thought that was someone else's card he was attempting to use fraudulently..... smh, guilty til proven innocent.... He didn't mention anything about (feeling like he ended up) getting scammed though.....

 

 

The one thing that anyone can do to piss me off is invade my personal space when I'm at the vending machine trying to get a MetroCard and come up to me and ask me to to buy a swipe off of them. I just wave them off and shake my head, but at the same time, I'm thinking in my head "is this guy serious, do you f***ing mind?!" I used to see them at Utica Avenue in the mornings but I haven't seen them lately, thank goodness.

What I seem to notice now is that with the fare going up, the scammers seem more desparate... I refilled over by the Bryant Park Station and there were two Asian women that asked the clerk in the booth to call the cops for some reason. They had been messed with perhaps by one of the scammers that I mentioned earlier in the location.

 

After what I experienced in Italy, nothing surprises me here.  I remember being in a telephone booth once to call the UK (I don't think they exist here anymore) and I had a cell phone but didn't want to kill minutes calling England since over there it's ridiculously expensive to make cell phone calls, so I got a card instead and called the travel agency to try to book a flight back to the States since they had special deals for college students).  Anywho, I'm in the friggin' booth and before I could even get the damn door closed, some guy is there trying to sell me a friggin' phone card.  Basically told him I wasn't interested and kept on going with what what I was doing.  I think about that incident because those scammers in the subway station are similar.  It's good that they have the little "mirrors" at the MVM machines in the subways and at the ATM's as well, which I make use of to see if anyone is watching me or behind me because man if someone were to approach me like that when I'm at the machine, they're liable to get hurt like that.  A definite no no to invade someone's personal space like that.

[Around the Horn]

 

The one thing that anyone can do to piss me off is invade my personal space when I'm at the vending machine trying to get a MetroCard and come up to me and ask me to to buy a swipe off of them. I just wave them off and shake my head, but at the same time, I'm thinking in my head "is this guy serious, do you f***ing mind?!" I used to see them at Utica Avenue in the mornings but I haven't seen them lately, thank goodness.

 

 

 

 

I'm glad you brought that up because my friend (who has family in transit that I know) had a situation with some kids on the S53 a year or two ago...the kids coming from summer school get on the bus (didn't pay, of course) and sits in the back where my friend is. These kids were probably 10 or 11 and my friend was 14 at the time. So the kids trying to act tough and whatnot decided to haggle my friend and talk in that hood ghetto tone (you know the one with the hint of a dragged Southern accent) asking him if he had anything on him like an iPod or an iPhone or some money...my friend just laughed at them and paid them no mind cuz he said it himself that he wasn't going to get riled up over little kids, but he also admitted that if they were kids bigger and older than him then he would have been scared.

 

So yeah size also plays a role in how people decide to prey on others. I'm type skinny and a little underweight for my height and age (I'm 5'11" and weigh 140ish) and no way in hell am I letting anyone doing any damage to me at all. While I do pick my battles, if it's a battle that I know I don't have a chance in, especially when it comes to size and that wonderful numbers game people like to play, then I'm less likely to react how I would like to. Thankfully I'm a fast runner and I have an alternate means of escaping in a situation (the ones who know me well enough on here knows what it is).

lol me too...

the scammers can be "fairly" determined compared to the real people who need a swipe.The scammers seem too dramatic or too cool with it the real people who need a swipe look for their MetroCard,when they cant find it ,then ask for a swipe..,

[realizm]

Yup, and see, that's why I don't engage in real conversation w/ stragglers.... The more you converse with them, the more comfortable they get around you.... They're banking on that comfort; "soft-soaking" you (if you ever heard the term before).... Although you wouldn't believe it w/ my posts on these forums, I'm a man of few words w/ people I'm not familiar with anyway..... I've never been much of a shit talker because to me, it's wasted energy (and it often escalates situations b/c you don't know who's gonna take what, how serious... especially w/ these effeminate/highly emotional dudes out there & the growing amount of em - quick to pull out a piece over the minutest of things)....

 

police presence doesn't strike fear in these scammers nowadays... I realized that first hand years ago when they used to pull that swipe selling shit at church av right in front of the police, back when I used to take the 7th av line to work..... Went on for months too!

 

Many strangers like to talk to size you up, which I would not let them do. I know exactly what you're talking about. I tend to be the same way in my travels in mass transit for these reasons that you mentioned and even more reasons then that. You never know if that person who is banking on the soft-soaking as you stated, is doing so to make you let your guard down so you can end up getting robbed. Can't take chances with strangers. I don't know you, get the f**k out of my face, stay out of my way, and that's about it, really. Of course exhibiting proper subway etiquette at the same time so not to deliberately look for trouble from others wherever I'm at when using mass transit. 

 

If I'm really not feeling to take the subway (which can be quite frequent even as I have a natural interest with the happenings of the MTA since I was a little kid) nowadays I drive, end of story. I have my personal space and I also have some control. That's how tired I get as a straphanger sometimes with the nonsense that goes on in the trains.

[B35 via Church]

I was actually talking about the and . I wouldn't know about the or because I don't use that station.

alright, cool.... Didn't know which Utica station you were talkin about......

 

......I'm glad you brought that up because my friend (who has family in transit that I know) had a situation with some kids on the S53 a year or two ago...the kids coming from summer school get on the bus (didn't pay, of course) and sits in the back where my friend is. These kids were probably 10 or 11 and my friend was 14 at the time. So the kids trying to act tough and whatnot decided to haggle my friend and talk in that hood ghetto tone (you know the one with the hint of a dragged Southern accent) asking him if he had anything on him like an iPod or an iPhone or some money...my friend just laughed at them and paid them no mind cuz he said it himself that he wasn't going to get riled up over little kids, but he also admitted that if they were kids bigger and older than him then he would have been scared.

 

So yeah size also plays a role in how people decide to prey on others. I'm type skinny and a little underweight for my height and age (I'm 5'11" and weigh 140ish) and no way in hell am I letting anyone doing any damage to me at all. While I do pick my battles, if it's a battle that I know I don't have a chance in, especially when it comes to size and that wonderful numbers game people like to play, then I'm less likely to react how I would like to. Thankfully I'm a fast runner and I have an alternate means of escaping in a situation (the ones who know me well enough on here knows what it is).

Big nzzzz's often rely on their size as a scare tactic (I'm somewhat guilty of this myself).... It's like in the jungle where the hippo that opens its mouth the widest & is the biggest, isn't the one them other hippo's wanna be messin around with..... However, contrary to belief, a lot of big dudes can't fight..... This is one reason why I'm not as afraid to go up against someone my size, or bigger (as in the situation that I described back in Queens a few posts ago..... I'm around 6'3" 200 & that older dude was prolly 6'5" 240-250-ish)....

 

Although I'm lettin no lil nzzzz whoop me in a scrap (well I aint lettin no one do so, really), I am more wary of them because they are more prone to using "alternate means" to defend themselves (or start shit with someone)..... It's like the whole, woman throwin frying pans & using kitchen knives as a defense mechanism in a domestic (violence) situation against her dude/husband.... It's to be expected.

 

What I seem to notice now is that with the fare going up, the scammers seem more desparate...

Sign of the times.....

 

Many strangers like to talk to size you up, which I would not let them do. I know exactly what you're talking about. I tend to be the same way in my travels in mass transit for these reasons that you mentioned and even more reasons then that. You never know if that person who is banking on the soft-soaking as you stated, is doing so to make you let your guard down so you can end up getting robbed. Can't take chances with strangers. I don't know you, get the f**k out of my face, stay out of my way, and that's about it, really. Of course exhibiting proper subway etiquette at the same time so not to deliberately look for trouble from others wherever I'm at when using mass transit.

....and that's exactly the reason why I brought that up.... That's the whole point of (them) trying to measure you/size you up & "soft soaking" you - So they can catch you slippin & jack you for your possessions..... One of the oldest tricks in the book.....