I was talking to a guy the other day who's just come back from New York. During the visit he used the subway and was staggered to find it clean and tidy. He's been used seeing it in all those Death Wish type movies where it's always shown as this awful intimidating place where everywhere is covered in Graffiti even the trains. So was it ever like that or is it just Hollywood taking liberties with the truth?

 

What?? NYC? In the USA? Last time I was there it was still dirty as ever. Maybe it's not as bad as the movies but I still think it's pretty bad. Panhandlers everywhere and the omnipresent stench.

Maybe it's because I'm from DC and we have the cleanest transit system I've ever seen. I lived in NYC for a year or so and it just doesn't compare.

 

Everything is relative. Compared to what things used to be like, the NYC subways are in fantastic shape. Still, they don't hold a candle to the Metro (D.C. subway) and probably never will. Likewise, I'm sure we'll never rid ourselves of the mental cases and nutjobs that every once and a while decide to shove some innocent commuter in front of an oncoming train. Guess it's just the price you gotta pay for living in the greatest city in the world.

 

NYC subways have definitely cleaned up from 20 years ago.

But you still don't want to be in the wrong station on the wrong line at the wrong time....

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by KinchS2K
[B]Everything is relative.

 

I've always liked the film 'Bridge On The River Kwai' There was a programme on T.V. recently where they interviewed survivers of the Burma Railroad who built the bridge for their Japanese captors. They all hated the film to a man! The bridge wasn't built on the River Kwai at all, it was a neighbouring river, but the director thought 'River Kwai' sounded better! In the film the bridge is depicted as being constructed in wood. It was actually concrete; parts of it surviving to this day. In the film Alec Guiness is depicted as an engineer who builds the bridge for the Japanese who hadn't a clue how to do it. These survivors were saying that much as they hated their captors, they didn't need any help from anyone when it came to the engineering 'know how' to build it. You can see how serious students of history need to be careful where they get their information from!

 

I am not a NYC resident, but it sure seems like the streets (bums, litter, beggers, etc...) have gotten a hell of a lot better!!! I remember about 15 years ago people trying to get what was left of a popcycle out of your hand... in the past 2-3 visits, not even one person has asked me directly for $.

Subway - My buddy who can bench 425lbs was afraid to ride the subways...ahahah.. what a pussy.....

Metro - way too nice... next time i got to DC i am taking my switch blade and some spray paint.

Scot