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Jose Garcia

(2,966 posts)
Wed Dec 18, 2024, 09:55 PM Dec 18

Hochul expands National Guard presence on New York subways

Source: Politico

NEW YORK — An additional 250 members of the National Guard will be deployed to New York City’s subway system as Gov. Kathy Hochul presses to bolster safety on the nation’s largest mass transit system as riders’ concerns about crime and disorder persist.

Hochul on Wednesday expanded a plan she unveiled earlier this year to improve safety and encourage more people to ride the trains since a 2020 pandemic drop that hurt the MTA’s revenue.

“The presence of the National Guard has made not just a physical difference, but a psychological difference in how (people) feel about safety,” the Democratic governor, flanked by police and transit officials, said at a news conference.

All subway cars will also be outfitted with security cameras — the culmination of a project started two years ago, Hochul said, noting, “We want to make sure there are eyes everywhere.”

Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/18/hochul-national-guard-subways-00195228

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Hochul expands National Guard presence on New York subways (Original Post) Jose Garcia Dec 18 OP
Militarization of security is not a positive trend SamuelTheThird Dec 18 #1
I'm a 71 yr old born & bred NYC'r who's ridden the Subway steadly before Covid, and slowly getting back on it... electric_blue68 Dec 19 #2

electric_blue68

(19,108 posts)
2. I'm a 71 yr old born & bred NYC'r who's ridden the Subway steadly before Covid, and slowly getting back on it...
Thu Dec 19, 2024, 08:05 PM
Dec 19

intermittently since then. Still wary of Covid and crowds.

Been riding steadily by the time I was 14 yrs old. So around 55 yrs minus 2 yrs for covid. For school JHS, HS I only had to take a bus, so Subway travel then was for errands, shopping, and fun. Later, for college, work, errands, and fun.

Anyway, I've usually felt pretty to quite safe on the subway. Even at 11PM, 1AM. I haven't gone to clubs in decades so 1AM is a very, very rare thing, 11PM would be rarish now, but probably still happen.

Including at some point in the ?80's when there was more crime. I do usually ride the car where the conductor is. By that time The NY Post had gone Conservative, and really overhyped the crime back then.

I'm not naive... I remember hunkering down once below the window in the subway car in a station when we heard a lot of yelling down the way in the station. Turned out ok.

And, woah, waaaay earlier there was the time I got "trapped" in a corner after a fistfight broke out, and these 2 guys were flailing, and careening about! They finally moved enough away that I could dash out the nearest opened doors! Phew....

Even have been in cars where some people (one person) living with mental illness were asking for money. Occasionally a bit nastily. Very uncomfortable.

But from reading about it: one type of illness some people don't think they're ill so don't want to take meds. Mostly, though, it's because the side effects are nasty, and maybe worse! Think about meds for physical conditions, and illnesses that are like that. So sometimes people stop taking them because of that.

My comment about that is; "do better, Pharmabros!!

So I wanted to give you one very long time rider's experiences. 👍

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