news Pair of kittens shut down subway service for nearly two hours

[Harry]

I wouldn't have stopped subway service for lost kittens Arthur and August: mayoral hopeful Joe Lhota
 
Mayoral hopeful Joe Lhota would have let curiosity — or a racing subway — kill the kittens. As frisky felines Arthur and August recuperated Friday from peril on an open-air stretch of the B and Q lines near Church Ave. in Brooklyn, the former MTA chairman on Friday said he would’ve saved straphangers from agitation before he saved the kittens from danger. “It’s not up to the mayor, it’s a decision of the MTA, but Joe does not think it’s appropriate to shut down an entire train line for an extended period for this purpose,” said his spokeswoman, Jessica Proud.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/lhota-wouldn-stopped-subway-kittens-article-1.1442178#ixzz2dY8pJwqF

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I think above all, the did a terrible job notifying the public. In 2013, it's inexcusable, especially since they knew what the cause of the delay was.

[ttcsubwayfan]

WOW @ that tool who commented that they would've only stopped the trains if it was a dog (in the Lhota article).

[Grand Concourse]

Well, people tend to say the dumbest of things in the comments area of articles. Probably because they think it's funny or just to provoke people.

One time I went on a date with some chick that I was really into, until I found out that she was a Hippie™. After that discovery, the entire evening was ruined. And of course, we had the same stop to take us home, at Botanical Gardens . While standing on the platform, she saw a stray cat on the tracks and weeped like there was no tomorrow. At this point, I'm not even trying to talk to this girl, but the thought still struck me that it wasn't the first time that I saw a cat on the tracks at that station. Now I know for sure: cats are just naturally attracted to the Brighton Line and any lines adjacent to it...

No, they can be anywhere. I think years ago there was a cat that lived around the Fulton st area of Manhattan. I think it was the J platform.

[ttcsubwayfan]

Well, people tend to say the dumbest of things in the comments area of articles. Probably because they think it's funny or just to provoke people.

 

I don't know about that... I've met some pretty disturbed and deranged lunatics on the internet in my time (and for that matter, off the internet, but that's a whole nother can of worms ), I wouldn't be surprised if they meant every word of what they said! The internet is a breeding ground for loonies like this, though, so I'm not sure why I am as surprised as I am.

[bobtehpanda]

I don't know about that... I've met some pretty disturbed and deranged lunatics on the internet in my time (and for that matter, off the internet, but that's a whole nother can of worms ), I wouldn't be surprised if they meant every word of what they said! The internet is a breeding ground for loonies like this, though, so I'm not sure why I am as surprised as I am.

 

The internet allows people to be super nasty when in public they're all these nice, well adjusted people.

 

Looks are decieving, guys!

[Grand Concourse]

I don't know about that... I've met some pretty disturbed and deranged lunatics on the internet in my time (and for that matter, off the internet, but that's a whole nother can of worms ), I wouldn't be surprised if they meant every word of what they said! The internet is a breeding ground for loonies like this, though, so I'm not sure why I am as surprised as I am.

True true. That's why I don't bother with those comments pages. And some allows access from facebook, which is worse. I'd sit back and chuckle or smh at the shit they say.

As for this cats on the tracks, I fully agree with Lhota. 2hrs is inexcusable. I wouldn't go as far as wishing the train ran them over, but good god, this is an embarrassment to be held up for that. I would say the same thing in person.

[E For Erica]

Aww I hope the kittens are okay .

[Turbo19]

I'm not going to lie, I'm with Lhota on this one. 120 minutes is too damn long for a suspension of service. After so long I'd just keep running service.

 

Let natural selection take course in an artificial environment.

[ttcsubwayfan]

I don't disagree with the decision to shut down service, but the fact that it took them as long as it did is fishy. There is no easy solution to this problem - I don't condone running down cats, but I can also see why people would be pissed off that they were delayed as long as they were... except for those that hate their jobs, they should shut up and be glad that they had a legitimate excuse to be late for work.

[Jsunflyguy]

Animals are generally smart enough to avoid a train, considering cats are small enough to even lay under the train this delay is rather unreasonable.

[Eric B]

I used to see cut up cats, possums and even possibly a rabbit or two on the Brighton all the time. (and sometimes on the Sea beach). I once had a cat running beside the train like trying to outrun it, in the incline up into Ave. H, and hoped he knew to move away and not get clipped by the contact shoe.

 

Then you see the squirrels between the rails, frantically trying to get away, veering left and right from rail  to rail (as though they're trapped, and can't get over the rail because of all their energy going into the forward motion) as you get closer.

[Jsunflyguy]

Come to think about it, theres a cat at LIRR Jamaica station, I've been seeing it for a few weeks. Would the LIRR shut down for a small cat? I doubt it'd get as I said before if they get low they're fine. If animals can learn to cross a street they can manage on a ROW.

[mediccjh]

I wonder if they're gonna start suspending service to the Rockaways, since the trains hit the stupid gulls every day.

When I worked in Newark, I observed that the stray dogs were the best at crossing the streets. They always stopped and looked both ways before crossing (unlike most of the citizens).

[Jamaica Line]

Animals are generally smart enough to avoid a train, considering cats are small enough to even lay under the train this delay is rather unreasonable.

eh not too sure about that. I've seen videos of deer, cows, and moose all hit by freight trains in which all could've easily been avoided if they were just smart enough to move off the tracks. Not like the train was moving anywhere near fast either, all those animals had ample time to get off the tracks.

[AndrewJC]

And here's what might have happened (again) if a train had hit the kittens:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1991/03/16/nyregion/2-criminal-summonses-are-filed-after-a-dog-dies-beneath-a-train.html

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I know if service was held up I wouldn't be pissed so long as I was given a heads up.  The really needs to do better on that regard and I think with all of the technology that they have they need to spend more money to keep folks abreast of the changes via their website.  There should be updates 24/7.  I use the website religiously to avoid detours and so on but often times even for planned events they just screw up the info or there are planned detours late at night that you don't know about because there is no one around to update information, which shouldn't be.  You're running a system 24/7 so the updates should be 24/7 in real time.  When will the get to that point is beyond me but that would be a huge help to say the least.  Spend less money with all of these damn apps and focus more on getting updated and accurate info out there!

 

I'm still curious in knowing where they get their info from exactly? 

[AndrewJC]

I know if service was held up I wouldn't be pissed so long as I was given a heads up.  The really needs to do better on that regard and I think with all of the technology that they have they need to spend more money to keep folks abreast of the changes via their website.  There should be updates 24/7.  I use the website religiously to avoid detours and so on but often times even for planned events they just screw up the info or there are planned detours late at night that you don't know about because there is no one around to update information, which shouldn't be.  You're running a system 24/7 so the updates should be 24/7 in real time.  When will the get to that point is beyond me but that would be a huge help to say the least.  Spend less money with all of these damn apps and focus more on getting updated and accurate info out there!

 

I'm still curious in knowing where they get their info from exactly? 

 

I received an email alert about this incident at 11:02, then 11:09, then 11:22, then 12:46, then 1:23.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I received an email alert about this incident at 11:02, then 11:09, then 11:22, then 12:46, then 1:23.

Yeah and for those who don't sign up for e-mail alerts or don't want their phones going crazy with countless e-mails... What did the messages say?

[AndrewJC]

Yeah and for those who don't sign up for e-mail alerts or don't want their phones going crazy with countless e-mails... What did the messages say?

 

s/b B train service is local from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach due to NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

b/d B train service is local from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach due to NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

b/d no B & Q train service b/t DeKalb Av & Brighton Beach due to NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

b/d B & Q train service is local b/t DeKalb Av & Brighton Beach due to ongoing NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

Following an earlier incident at Church Av, B and Q train service has resumed with delays.

 

I'm trying to figure out your complaint. Are you complaining that the MTA doesn't keep its riders adequately informed about service disruptions or are you complaining that the MTA sends out too many service alerts?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

s/b B train service is local from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach due to NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

b/d B train service is local from Prospect Park to Brighton Beach due to NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

b/d no B & Q train service b/t DeKalb Av & Brighton Beach due to NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

b/d B & Q train service is local b/t DeKalb Av & Brighton Beach due to ongoing NYPD activity at Church Av. Allow additional travel time.

Following an earlier incident at Church Av, B and Q train service has resumed with delays.

 

I'm trying to figure out your complaint. Are you complaining that the MTA doesn't keep its riders adequately informed about service disruptions or are you complaining that the MTA sends out too many service alerts?

I can't really speak about the e-mails, but I wouldn't sign up for it because I wouldn't want my mailbox clogged up like that, but my complaint is mainly with the conflicting and inaccurate information that they tend to put out there.  So in this case, it went from local service to no service, then back to local service.  How long did that go on?

 

I've been stuck in subway stations where they've claimed that the train was a few minutes delayed, then suddenly 20 minutes delayed and then there is nothing at all and the platform is packed with people and you eventually just give up and leave the station because you're essentially being taken for a ride when there are other options available to you.  The bus set up is worse than the subway set up though particularly for planned events.  I never understand how their website says one thing for a planned event and the bus stops have different information and it's not as if the information was updated on the website either.  Just seems as if it's like two different sources of information which shouldn't be, as if no one puts out the same information.  I sometimes wonder if they hire people that even have a clue about the system or use it because the information sometimes makes absolutely no sense.

 

What I try to do is avoid the detours altogether but often times the information is so inaccurate that you still get screwed over just the same.

[qjtransitmaster]

eh not too sure about that. I've seen videos of deer, cows, and moose all hit by freight trains in which all could've easily been avoided if they were just smart enough to move off the tracks. Not like the train was moving anywhere near fast either, all those animals had ample time to get off the tracks.

Let those stupid deer get run over LOL. I lol when deer get run over.

 

One time I went on a date with some chick that I was really into, until I found out that she was a Hippie™. After that discovery, the entire evening was ruined. And of course, we had the same stop to take us home, at Botanical Gardens . While standing on the platform, she saw a stray cat on the tracks and weeped like there was no tomorrow. At this point, I'm not even trying to talk to this girl, but the thought still struck me that it wasn't the first time that I saw a cat on the tracks at that station. Now I know for sure: cats are just naturally attracted to the Brighton Line and any lines adjacent to it...

really there tons of stray cats in my neighborhood I would like to see how much she would have cried if she saw how many were in my hood? My area is overrun with cats and new kittens every few months new kittens are found running all over.

[lirr42]

In my opinion, the MTA (and especially the LIRR) has gotten very good at communicating delays to its passengers.  In fact, at some points, they can be too good at reminding you of what's going on (I've gotten 5-6 e-mails about the same train). 

 

If you definitely rely on one particular service, I strongly advise you sign up for either e-mail or text alerts for your line.  The MTA's alert system allows you to refine your settings so you can only get alerts from one line and at only certain points in the day on certain days of the week (i.e. I subscribe to get text alerts about Montauk Branch delays during weekday rush hours).

 

Also, there is the NYC Subway twitter feed here: https://twitter.com/NYCTSubwayScoop which reports every little incident or delay.  If you have a smartphone you can just navigate to that link and save it to your homescreen or as a favorite and you can access it whenever you want.

[lirr42]

I know if service was held up I wouldn't be pissed so long as I was given a heads up.  The really needs to do better on that regard and I think with all of the technology that they have they need to spend more money to keep folks abreast of the changes via their website.  There should be updates 24/7.  I use the website religiously to avoid detours and so on but often times even for planned events they just screw up the info or there are planned detours late at night that you don't know about because there is no one around to update information, which shouldn't be.  You're running a system 24/7 so the updates should be 24/7 in real time.  When will the get to that point is beyond me but that would be a huge help to say the least.  Spend less money with all of these damn apps and focus more on getting updated and accurate info out there!

 

I'm still curious in knowing where they get their info from exactly? 

 

If you're really looking for up to the minute updates, subscribing to e-mail/text alerts or following your respective agency on Twitter is honestly the best way to stay updated.  The website can sometimes have a lag to it as I don't think that service status box refreshes itself all that frequently.

 

All of the different agenceis have a 'customer advisory system.'  Here is how it works more or less for the LIRR and NYCT.  When a delay is indicated in the system, a long-form and a short-form alert is formed.  The long-form alert is automatically sent to e-mail subscribers and to the website service box (and it is also published on a RSS-like stream for app developers to incorporate).  Short-term alerts are sent to the agency's Twitter feed and to text alert subscribers (though depending on how you have it set up you might get text alerts that are just truncated long-form alerts).

 

But like I said, if you're really looking for up to the minute updates, subscribing to e-mail/text alerts or following your respective agency on Twitter is honestly the best way to stay updated.

[bobtehpanda]

The problem is that once you're within a station (or you don't happen to have a cell phone in the subway), you don't really get that many alternate service advisories at all. You can tell that your train is 'delayed' by standing on a platform for ten minutes with no train in sight on a busy weekday, but knowing alternate travel routes is a completely different ballgame.

 

Then again, we can't expect too much of the MTA since they run an extremely complex, efficient operation where one thing can cascade into a lot of unhappy delays and such.