news Cops crack down on acrobatic dancing in subway trains as part of MTA complaint program

[Harry]

 

Police have made 46 arrests for perilous acrobatic dancing inside subway trains this year, as part of a new program in which the MTA forwards rider complaints to cops, police said Monday. Each arrest involved a reckless endangerment charge, NYPD Transit Bureau Chief Joseph Fox said at a Metropolitan Transportation Authority committee meeting. Under the e-crime program, the forwards complaints of potentially criminal behavior to the police for possible investigation. Police then check on reported time and location patterns of performers working on trains, a police spokesman said.

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[Priincenene]

Hey! Recently there was a couple of people dancing in the train. Could it be them?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

This is great! I never thought to write in and complain but when I see them I'm going to start doing that.  The problem is you can't get a signal underground, so I usually just forget about it since I don't like pulling out my phone on subway, but that's a really good idea.  The only way to stop this nonsense is to be proactive about it.  I've noticed that I haven't been seeing any of them of late and maybe that's why. 

[MHV9218]

What a complete waste of police resources.

[WillWeaverRVA]

What a waste. While they're at it they might as well start arresting those people who eat food on stand-up TV trays on the trains.

[Around the Horn]

Still haven't found the kids on the over the bridge in the PM rush

[ttcsubwayfan]

This is insane. Are they trying to hurt someone??? Why the hell would anyone do acrobatic moves in a small, swaying subway car?

[NY1635]

This is insane. Are they trying to hurt someone??? Why the hell would anyone do acrobatic moves in a small, swaying subway car?

 

They usually do it for the money and the attention of the riders. Most of these acts usually happens on the express trains.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

What a complete waste of police resources.

It's a waste until you're one of those helpless victims kicked in the face by these crazy folks that claim they're performing to "stay out of trouble" on a crowded subway swaying back and forth.  It's not as if you can move to another car when these jerks start up with their obnoxious routine, and they know that because they want to force people to put up with their ridiculous act and then try to make them feel guilty enough to give them money for that nonsense.  They're lucky that no one (to my knowledge) hasn't become so irritated that they gave them a beat down for either the loud music blasting in their ear or flying body parts almost hitting them and knocking them out, which I saw not too long ago on a Southbound train.  I said to myself that guy is a fool sitting there like that... Was literally almost kicked right in the head.

[peacemak3r]

Cops arrest subway dancers on one car...in the meantime, someone gets robbed on another car. Go figure on resources and priorities right?

[MHV9218]

It's a waste until you're one of those helpless victims kicked in the face by these crazy folks that claim they're performing to "stay out of trouble" on a crowded subway swaying back and forth.  It's not as if you can move to another car when these jerks start up with their obnoxious routine, and they know that because they want to force people to put up with their ridiculous act and then try to make them feel guilty enough to give them money for that nonsense.  They're lucky that no one (to my knowledge) hasn't become so irritated that they gave them a beat down for either the loud music blasting in their ear or flying body parts almost hitting them and knocking them out, which I saw not too long ago on a Southbound train.  I said to myself that guy is a fool sitting there like that... Was literally almost kicked right in the head.

 

"One of those helpless victims" -- what helpless victims? 

 

These guys don't hurt anybody. Arrest them when they do. 

[Via Garibaldi 8]

"One of those helpless victims" -- what helpless victims? 

 

These guys don't hurt anybody. Arrest them when they do. 

LMAO... You are clearly in denial... There have been numerous incidents where people have been injured from these crazies doing all kinds of ridiculous maneuvers on crowded subway trains.  

[Lance]

Whether or not there have been any serious injuries or the reasons as to why these performers do what they do is inconsequential. The subway is not a dance floor.

[WillWeaverRVA]

Yeah, in all seriousness (despite my previous post in this thread), this really doesn't need to be happening on subway trains whether people are getting kicked in the head or not. I'm not exactly sure there needs to be a massive crackdown on it, but then again, someone could be kicked in the head...I don't know.

[Kamen Rider]

If anything, thier routine takes up space that could be used to move people AKA the reason we have the subway in the first place

 

It's annoying and it's distruptive.

[biGC323232]

That's what they get...Get a real job like everyone else...And you won't get arrested..  

[CenSin]

"One of those helpless victims" -- what helpless victims? 

 

These guys don't hurt anybody. Arrest them when they do.

By your logic, fire hazards and other dangers should not be removed because they haven't caused any actual harm yet. A teen should continue hopping across tracks to the platform on the other side of the station because he has made it 10 times already without incident. I should keep gambling because I've come out ahead 5 times in New York Lottery.

 

Idiom of the day: tempting fate

[Via Garibaldi 8]

By your logic, fire hazards and other dangers should not be removed because they haven't caused any actual harm yet. A teen should continue hopping across tracks to the platform on the other side of the station because he has made it 10 times already without incident. I should keep gambling because I've come out ahead 5 times in New York Lottery.

 

Idiom of the day: tempting fate

All this is about is his class warfare defense.  The people doing this nonsense are supposedly "disadvantaged", so therefore, he has to find a way to excuse their actions.  

[CenSin]

All this is about is his class warfare defense.  The people doing this nonsense are supposedly "disadvantaged", so therefore, he has to find a way to excuse their actions.  

Maybe so and maybe not. I see a lot of empathy or sympathy for the dancers on this thread alone.

 

Disregarding that I admire these dancers' entrepreneurial spirits myself, the cold hard fact is that there is risk of injury. Are they certified professionals? Maybe. Did anyone sign a form releasing them from all liability? I highly doubt it. Have they paid for insurance to cover for passenger injuries? Too expensive for them. Is there any recourse for injuries? You can never be sure!

 

Do we really want people running around making a pittance while putting our safety at risk?

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Maybe so and maybe not. I see a lot of empathy or sympathy for the dancers on this thread alone.

 

Disregarding that I admire these dancers' entrepreneurial spirits myself, the cold hard fact is that there is risk of injury. Are they certified professionals? Maybe. Did anyone sign a form releasing them from all liability? I highly doubt it. Have they paid for insurance to cover for passenger injuries? Too expensive for them. Is there any recourse for injuries? You can never be sure!

 

Do we really want people running around making a pittance while putting our safety at risk?

You call a bunch of sweaty thugs running around on the subway with their underwear showing having "entrepreneurial spirits"?  LMAO.  Give me a break.  They'd make more money flipping burgers at McDonald's, and it would be far less riskier for them and the passengers.

[CenSin]

You call a bunch of sweaty thugs running around on the subway with their underwear showing having "entrepreneurial spirits"?  LMAO.  Give me a break.  They'd make more money flipping burgers at McDonald's, and it would be far less riskier for them and the passengers.

Hey, not all entrepreneurs wear suits. Anyone can be an entrepreneur. They take on the risk of getting arrested to keep their little subway dancing franchise going.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Hey, not all entrepreneurs wear suits. Anyone can be an entrepreneur. They take on the risk of getting arrested to keep their little subway dancing franchise going.

Yeah THUGS, Inc.  Real cute...  Since they get paid in cash they don't even have to declare their earnings... 

[MHV9218]

By your logic, fire hazards and other dangers should not be removed because they haven't caused any actual harm yet. A teen should continue hopping across tracks to the platform on the other side of the station because he has made it 10 times already without incident. I should keep gambling because I've come out ahead 5 times in New York Lottery.

 

Idiom of the day: tempting fate

 

Straw man. 

 

You don't arrest people for drinking alcohol, even though their risk of injuring themselves or others skyrockets. We don't imprison Christians, even though their likelihood of a Crusade is far higher than with atheists. 

 

We shouldn't be arresting people under the assumption they will commit a crime. This isn't 1984 or the Minority Report. 

[CenSin]

Straw man. 

 

You don't arrest people for drinking alcohol, even though their risk of injuring themselves or others skyrockets. We don't imprison Christians, even though their likelihood of a Crusade is far higher than with atheists. 

 

We shouldn't be arresting people under the assumption they will commit a crime. This isn't 1984 or the Minority Report.

Straw man? I gave realistic analogies. There are laws against public drinking (which you conveniently omit), and you will get arrested for it — especially driving after drinking, but of course the driver not having commited a crime yet should not be arrested? Crusades are as likely here as the KKK going around lynching minorities — the FBI would be on it before they mobilize. And the cops in 1984 arrested people for thinking! That doesn't actually happen often here, does it?

 

Here, I posit that the dancers pose a risk to people other than themselves, which is true. The likelihood of someone getting hurt is high enough. And when someone does get hurt, there's little you can do for recourse other than calling the cops. They would be long gone before you get to make a call and who knows if the cops will ever find them. Here's the keyword: risk. You don't allow any risk to people's safety for a performance not everyone wants.

 

People when they pay a fare have the right to a safe, quiet ride, with as few disturbances as possible.

Tell me you don't agree with that.

[peacemak3r]

Yeah THUGS, Inc.  Real cute...  Since they get paid in cash they don't even have to declare their earnings... 

 

So the only entrepreneurs that don't wear suits are Thugs in your logic? Give me a break man.