Exit gates as MTA's 'free' way, fare-beaters use busy stops to advantage

[Trainspotter]

A bustling Columbus Circle subway station is a fare-beater's dream.

 

And all they have to do is walk right in.

 

Fare-beaters strolled through an emergency exit door Wednesday at the 59th St. stop after MTA token booth clerks disabled the bleating alarm.

 

Seven riders entered through the door in an hour. An additional 122 straphangers exited through the door, which is supposed to erupt in an earsplitting alarm unless turned off for an emergency or to allow access for the disabled.

 

Confronted over the practice, the clerk promptly activated the alarm - and insisted it had been on the whole time.

 

"Look, it's working," he said, before referring a Daily News reporter to a supervisor.

 

A Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on the door alarm.

 

Some cheaters insisted they were doing nothing wrong, even though cops say they are just as guilty as someone who hops the turnstile.

 

"Since when is walking through an open door breaking the law?" said one 22-year-old fare-beater, who prudently refused to give his name.

 

"If that clerk doesn't care enough to close the door, why shouldn't I go through?"

 

One straphanger called it inexcusable to give folks an easier path to a free ride. "It might be annoying to buzz people in or turn the alarm off, but ... that's your job," said Kelly Rosenberg, 32, a florist from Long Island. "It's just laziness."

 

Most riders said allowing riders to exit through the doors is a common-sense way of easing congestion at packed turnstiles.

 

"I think it's great," said Sandy Vallarta, 28, of the Bronx. "I'm in a rush. I wish they'd turn all the alarms off."

 

Cops arrested Todd Zielinski, of Queens, on Feb. 19 and held him for 28 hours after he was caught using the emergency subway exit at a Brooklyn subway stop.

 

A quick survey found the Columbus Circle station was not alone.

 

At Penn Station, scores of riders yesterday streamed through the emergency exit door, where the alarm is regularly left off for hours at a time.

 

No one entered the subway through the door when it was open, possibly because cops occasionally arrest people for doing that.

 

"What difference does it make if I use the door or the turnstile?" asked Jonathan Cardinal, 22, of Brooklyn. "The mob is going to push through, alarm or no."

 

"If we didn't use the door there would be a human bottleneck," added Dee Banks, 35, of Brooklyn.

 

BY Matt Lysiak AND Dave Goldiner

DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS

May 1st 2009

[Homeslice]

I predict though, that more people will be doing this come Doomsday(s). Consider it a form of protest.

[MTR Admiralty]

This, on face value, may ease what people call "congestion". However that does not mean you do not have to pay fares. It's plain wrong. Millions around you pay to ride the train and yet you are just going through the gate as if nothing happened. If the clerk did something wrong, it doesn't mean that you should commit a wrong deed. That only exacerbates the situation.

[SevenEleven]

Farebeaters >_<. Why do people never use things around here in the right ways? I say convert those emergency exits back to regular door gates, and see how people will complain.

 

You abuse it, you lose it. It's simple as that.

[Dave160]

I've seen a lot of fare evasion, especially at 42nd street. When there's a big crowd of people there, and the token clerk is too busy dealing with the other straphangers asking him questions, buying metrocard's ect.... i see a lot of people just walk through the gate for a free ride. I noticed even some people waiting online to get a metrocard who see the gate is open, get off the metrocard line, and just walk right through. I also see some people on occasion at the LIRR entrance to the subway at Atlantic ave, some people just hop over the turnstile, and nobody sees. And if the is planning to cut token boot's, wouldn't that just increase fare evasion?

[metsfan]

At 2 stations, one for and one for along the east side have gates that don't shut. THe other day i saw a gate wide open, i decided to swipe in anyways, it's not cool to steal, even if it's theoretical.

 

- A

[Rapid Transit TO]

They do put plain clothed undercover PD inside the slam gates, but it's not a regular practice. If they did it more widespread, it'd solve the budget crisis & fare evasion all at once!!

[MattTrain]

I knew there was something wrong with those gates. I think station clerks do a good job checking the use of the gates in most Brooklyn stations that I go to. The alarm sound can be quite annoying at times, especially along the stops of the the , and stops. If the alarm is turned off, there will be some fare beaters, it usually takes just one person to pay the proper fare, he/she goes in and lets others get in via those Emergency Doors (fare beaters now). I usually see this amongs students during school days.

 

The rules of improper use of Emergency Exit Doors are not enforced effectively and properly and this needs to be addressed. That's all I'm going to say about this topic.

[SubwayGuy]

I predict though, that more people will be doing this come Doomsday(s). Consider it a form of protest.

 

Good. Then they can all pay a $100 fine instead of the $2.50 fare or whatever it will be, and I'll just go about my business. Maybe if enough of them do it often enough, it will allow for partial restoration of service due to the sudden increase of money coming in.

[Homeslice]

I'm not condoning it in any way, but I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if that happened starting Doomsday.

 

I still think it's wrong for them to try to do it, though.

[Forest Glen]

I also see some people on occasion at the LIRR entrance to the subway at Atlantic ave, some people just hop over the turnstile, and nobody sees.

 

There should be a HEET there but it's a regular turnstile. There isn't a booth nearby it's easy to jump that turnstile.

[FriedChikkin]

I noticed a guy jumping the turnstile at either 23 ST or 28 ST Broadway some months ago... I forget if I was on a or (whichever one, N/B, has the turnstyles near the C/R position)... noticing that I'd noticed him he turned around towards the Station Agent waving and saying "...thank you!" As if the Station Agent allowed him to jump the turnstile and as if I'm a freaking moron...

 

Me: "You either wait for the next train or I make sure cops are waiting for you at the next station stop!"

 

"Stand clear of the closing doors, please..."

[via White Plains Road]

I noticed a guy jumping the turnstile at either 23 ST or 28 ST Broadway some months ago... I forget if I was on a or (whichever one, N/B, has the turnstyles near the C/R position)... noticing that I'd noticed him he turned around towards the Station Agent waving and saying "...thank you!" As if the Station Agent allowed him to jump the turnstile and as if I'm a freaking moron...

 

Me: "You either wait for the next train or I make sure cops are waiting for you at the next station stop!"

 

"Stand clear of the closing doors, please..."

 

Good job.....I know he felt foolish and will not do it again!

[engineerboy6561]

I used to exit at the 125 St station regularly, and I noticed that somebody put what appeared to be a wooden doorstop in the emergency gate to hold it open and five or six kids just strutted right in while the station agent was talking to someone. Now, I'm not that happy about fare-beating, but what kind of freaking idiot puts a doorstop in a slam gate and expects people to pay?

[Messino]

What are you people talking about when you keep referring to Doomsday? You know somethign I dont? LOL I've done that before, waitied for people to exit through the gate and enter the system without paying. You know why I did it?m because the stupid mta vending machines were out of order not takign cash and theres no way I was going to walk 3 blocks to the other side where the is a clerk. If the MTA cant respond to their vending machines needing service then its their loss that they lost a paying customer. I dont play that crap, sometimes those machines are out for days

[FamousNYLover]

I never use emergency gate everyday.

 

Only time I used was when I was middle of reading a book. (I know it's dangerous to read book while walking), I ended up using emergency gate.

[Messino]

I laught at that red sign that says EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY! PENALTY FOR USING NOT IN AN EMERGENCY,

 

Common sense is people exiting system use the gate people entering should use the turnstiles, I cant count how many times ive exited busy stations and had to wait for a line of people to finish entering through the turnstile before I could exit through the turnstile. I exit with the gates all the time when its crowded,. thats why they were there in the first place until they eliminated them in the 90s.

[Y2Julio]

Breaking the rules and yet you want to work for the MTA. tsk-tsk

[FamousNYLover]

I never use emergency gate everyday.

 

Only time I used was when I was middle of reading a book. (I know it's dangerous to read book while walking), I ended up using emergency gate.

I meant when I am exiting.

[Messino]

Breaking the rules and yet you want to work for the MTA. tsk-tsk

 

hey sometimes it works in your favor, you cant be a 100% law abiding citizen in this world, it will just hold you back, sometimes you need to slightly bend the rules. Why should I go out of my way and walk the extra blocks and miss my train because the MTA eliminated a station clerk and replaced it with a non functioning machine? It was quicker for me to take advantage of people exiting. Sometimes I just dont have that kind of time when I am running from client to client.

[rmcconnell]

I really don't like these emergency exits. I don't think a single one has ever been used for its intended purpose. The alarm is one of the most irritating sounds I've ever heard and the station agents don't try to enforce the proper emergency exit rules, nine times out of ten.

 

I think that the MTA should try implementing a wider and more high-tech faregate to replace the turnstiles (similar to what the Boston MBTA did a couple years ago) that can be automatically opened in case of emergency. That solves the emergency exit issue AND the wheelchair accessibility issue. Here's a photo from the USDOT website illustrating what I mean:

 

 

Thoughts?

[Messino]

I really don't like these emergency exits. I don't think a single one has ever been used for its intended purpose. The alarm is one of the most irritating sounds I've ever heard and the station agents don't try to enforce the proper emergency exit rules, nine times out of ten.

 

I think that the MTA should try implementing a wider and more high-tech faregate to replace the turnstiles (similar to what the Boston MBTA did a couple years ago) that can be automatically opened in case of emergency. That solves the emergency exit issue AND the wheelchair accessibility issue. Here's a photo from the USDOT website illustrating what I mean:

 

 

Thoughts?

 

First off they shouldnt even be called emergency exits, they are just exits. Second, they have been around since I can remember when they used to be yellow painted wooden gates. The alarm should be ripped out of them. They should be there for exiting the system.

 

It's foolish, a waste of time, and a safety hazard to have everyone exiting through turnstiles and slow, jerky moving revolving gates instead of exiting through a door. This is a city with 9 million people crammed onto a tiny tract of land. The person to land ratio is out of wack and with so many millions of people entering and exiting the transit system every day the exits should not be just for "Emergencies"

[Lennyj17]

I admit I use the Gates all the time when exiting.....Look there are days when I'm in a rush and the bottlenecks at the turnstyles are insane....

 

I have no problem with People using them to exit.....

 

I always swipe to enter....

 

I know alot of Mothers will use the Gates to enter with Strollers.

[Fan Railer]

They do put plain clothed undercover PD inside the slam gates, but it's not a regular practice. If they did it more widespread, it'd solve the budget crisis & fare evasion all at once!!

 

why not install cameras, they have them all over the platform at certain high density stations, but very few if any at fare gates...

[Messino]

why not install cameras, they have them all over the platform at certain high density stations, but very few if any at fare gates...

 

What are cameras going to do? And they already have cameras at the fare gates where there is no clerk. They are small white domed circles with the tinted glass.