A group called the Efficient Passenger Project is hacking the New York City Subway with unofficial signs telling people where to board.
“We recognize that it’s a common tactic for street-smart New Yorkers. But it’s complex and almost impossible to navigate for visitors or if it’s your first time to the station,” said the person behind the signs, who requested anonymity because “the MTA has been very adamant about hunting us down.”
As much of a marvel the Subway is, it’s terribly old. It runs on DC power – like a AA battery – instead of the now, common, AC power that every other modern transit line uses. There are almost no signs to indicate when the next train will arrive. And my biggest gripe is there is no crowd control or queue management like other cities.
Over time, I’ve learned these tricks – most of them from my wife who was born and raised in New York – and the rest with Exit Strategy and my own experiences. But there’s nothing wrong with a little help from some gorilla civic activists helping out a tourist or two.