Sort
Profile photo for Quora User

Three incidents come to mind. All happened in the 1980s and 1990s. All three are totally crazy.

As I was on the uptown #4 train, in a totally sardine-packed morning rush-hour ride, I watched a man eat his newspaper as he read it. He literally peeled the paper vertically in neat rows, as he read the article. He would then ball up the pieces of newsprint…and eat them. Everyone around him was stunned. Some of us were laughing in disbelief. He couldn’t have cared less. He just kept digesting the news. It was shocking and hilarious. This all happened within a space where people were inches from each

Three incidents come to mind. All happened in the 1980s and 1990s. All three are totally crazy.

As I was on the uptown #4 train, in a totally sardine-packed morning rush-hour ride, I watched a man eat his newspaper as he read it. He literally peeled the paper vertically in neat rows, as he read the article. He would then ball up the pieces of newsprint…and eat them. Everyone around him was stunned. Some of us were laughing in disbelief. He couldn’t have cared less. He just kept digesting the news. It was shocking and hilarious. This all happened within a space where people were inches from each other’s faces. Imagine that.

One evening , I sat on a fairly empty F-train car heading back to Brooklyn from Manhattan. A girl was sitting opposite me and every time the train car “leaned” into a turn…a large dried out human turd would roll out from under a seat and into full view. When the train car leaned back into position the turd would roll back under the train seat. At first we couldn’t believe our collective eyes. And then it would come out for a peek around again. We became inconsolably hysterical laughing. It was side-splitting laughter. We never spoke…we just laughed our asses off. And we never saw each other again after that.

Then there was the time, after a long drought, that I was on the morning F-train with a lot of people and umbrellas taken out for the first time in a while. It was an on-again off-again rain fall that day. A man sitting opposite from me sat down with his full-sized umbrella between his feet, handle in hand. I guess he didn’t need to use it before boarding the train. I saw a cockroach peek over the top edge of the umbrella. I shivered a little because I have a visceral fear of cockroaches. The man then saw it and swatted at it. Well that must have pissed off the “intrusion” of roaches (yes, that’s what a herd of cockroaches is called) hiding in the umbrella…because within seconds the man was swarming with cockroaches…they were on his face and arms and legs and chest and head and everybody around him scattered - me included. We all crammed down to one end of the car as he did a watusi of terror. There was some mild screaming because people literally become unraveled around cockroaches. He was like a man on fire…he couldn’t swat or swipe or pull or push them off him because they were all over him. I’m cringing as I write this. It was like a horror show. I got off at the next stop needless to say. I still open my umbrella carefully and even if I’m not recalling that nightmare moment, I am instinctively aware to open it outside and as far away from myself as possible.

Where do I start?

I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.

Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:

Not having a separate high interest savings account

Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.

Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.

Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of th

Where do I start?

I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.

Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:

Not having a separate high interest savings account

Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.

Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.

Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of the biggest mistakes and easiest ones to fix.

Overpaying on car insurance

You’ve heard it a million times before, but the average American family still overspends by $417/year on car insurance.

If you’ve been with the same insurer for years, chances are you are one of them.

Pull up Coverage.com, a free site that will compare prices for you, answer the questions on the page, and it will show you how much you could be saving.

That’s it. You’ll likely be saving a bunch of money. Here’s a link to give it a try.

Consistently being in debt

If you’ve got $10K+ in debt (credit cards…medical bills…anything really) you could use a debt relief program and potentially reduce by over 20%.

Here’s how to see if you qualify:

Head over to this Debt Relief comparison website here, then simply answer the questions to see if you qualify.

It’s as simple as that. You’ll likely end up paying less than you owed before and you could be debt free in as little as 2 years.

Missing out on free money to invest

It’s no secret that millionaires love investing, but for the rest of us, it can seem out of reach.

Times have changed. There are a number of investing platforms that will give you a bonus to open an account and get started. All you have to do is open the account and invest at least $25, and you could get up to $1000 in bonus.

Pretty sweet deal right? Here is a link to some of the best options.

Having bad credit

A low credit score can come back to bite you in so many ways in the future.

From that next rental application to getting approved for any type of loan or credit card, if you have a bad history with credit, the good news is you can fix it.

Head over to BankRate.com and answer a few questions to see if you qualify. It only takes a few minutes and could save you from a major upset down the line.

How to get started

Hope this helps! Here are the links to get started:

Have a separate savings account
Stop overpaying for car insurance
Finally get out of debt
Start investing with a free bonus
Fix your credit

Profile photo for CS Eps

I lived in NYC for 17 years. While riding the subway, I have been vomited on by a drunk man, not offered a seat when I was 9 months pregnant, witnessed countless (and sometimes impressive) displays of acrobatics, and of course saw hundreds of people asking for money. But by far and away this experience while I was in college surprised me the most:

One morning while I was awaiting the 6 train, the s

I lived in NYC for 17 years. While riding the subway, I have been vomited on by a drunk man, not offered a seat when I was 9 months pregnant, witnessed countless (and sometimes impressive) displays of acrobatics, and of course saw hundreds of people asking for money. But by far and away this experience while I was in college surprised me the most:

One morning while I was awaiting the 6 train, the stench of someone who hadn’t bathed in several days hit me (New Yorkers reading this know exactly what I’m talking about). It’s rude to discuss, I suppose, but when you share space in such close proximity with 8 million people the way you do in NYC, you notice the way people smell.

Someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned and saw it was the source of the stench. A man, likely homeless, definitely in need of a bath, wearing filthy clothing looked at me and said,

“Miss, your backpack is open and I saw your wallet fall out when you were going through the turnstile.”

He handed me my wallet and I looked at him, stunned — Not because a homeless man had returned my wallet, but because ANYONE had taken the time to bother to return it in ...

Profile photo for Michael Margolis

One of the strangest and funniest events I have seen on the subway took place on the 86th street downtown platform. Two very large and loud scruffy men began to punch each other while waiting for the subway. Almost immediately two police officers ran down the nearby steps. The first officer was a large man and quickly picked up one of the fighters and threw him to the ground. The second officer was a petite short female and was running just behind the other cop. When she reached the bottom of the stairs a moment later, she looked up at the very large second fighter and yeIled in a strong voice

One of the strangest and funniest events I have seen on the subway took place on the 86th street downtown platform. Two very large and loud scruffy men began to punch each other while waiting for the subway. Almost immediately two police officers ran down the nearby steps. The first officer was a large man and quickly picked up one of the fighters and threw him to the ground. The second officer was a petite short female and was running just behind the other cop. When she reached the bottom of the stairs a moment later, she looked up at the very large second fighter and yeIled in a strong voice, “Now get down on the ground like the other guy right now!” Most of the witnesses burst into laughter and the second perpetrator said “Sure will little lady” and slowly sat on the ground with a grin still on his face. Even the two cops laughed and the incident was over. I guess there is something about a woman that demands attention.

Profile photo for Jay Rosenberg

One summer Saturday night, about 11, we were riding the 6 Train from Grand Central to Astor Place, about a 10-minute ride, if that. Packed train. Standing next to me was a guy about 30 carrying a suitcase that had seen better days.
Just as the train pulled away from Grand Central I began to hear a voice coming from the suitcase. "Let me out! Let me out!" Then others in the train heard the voice calling. The guy in a loud whisper said, "Hush! Please just shut up." The voice persisted.
The guy set the suitcase down and opened it. Inside we saw a fabulous ventriloquist's dummy. The dummy look

One summer Saturday night, about 11, we were riding the 6 Train from Grand Central to Astor Place, about a 10-minute ride, if that. Packed train. Standing next to me was a guy about 30 carrying a suitcase that had seen better days.
Just as the train pulled away from Grand Central I began to hear a voice coming from the suitcase. "Let me out! Let me out!" Then others in the train heard the voice calling. The guy in a loud whisper said, "Hush! Please just shut up." The voice persisted.
The guy set the suitcase down and opened it. Inside we saw a fabulous ventriloquist's dummy. The dummy look up at me, rolled his eyes, and said, "You are REALLY ugly." He looked across the aisle at a women maybe in her late 50's and said, "What are you laughing at. You're not much better!"
So here are 40-50 New Yorkers on a Saturday night totally absorbed in the subway roaring along and having a wonderful time as this ventriloquist practices with us.
The whole event lasted just 10 minutes.

Profile photo for Johnny M

I once met a man who drove a modest Toyota Corolla, wore beat-up sneakers, and looked like he’d lived the same way for decades. But what really caught my attention was when he casually mentioned he was retired at 45 with more money than he could ever spend. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do it?”

He smiled and said, “The secret to saving money is knowing where to look for the waste—and car insurance is one of the easiest places to start.”

He then walked me through a few strategies that I’d never thought of before. Here’s what I learned:

1. Make insurance companies fight for your business

Mos

I once met a man who drove a modest Toyota Corolla, wore beat-up sneakers, and looked like he’d lived the same way for decades. But what really caught my attention was when he casually mentioned he was retired at 45 with more money than he could ever spend. I couldn’t help but ask, “How did you do it?”

He smiled and said, “The secret to saving money is knowing where to look for the waste—and car insurance is one of the easiest places to start.”

He then walked me through a few strategies that I’d never thought of before. Here’s what I learned:

1. Make insurance companies fight for your business

Most people just stick with the same insurer year after year, but that’s what the companies are counting on. This guy used tools like Coverage.com to compare rates every time his policy came up for renewal. It only took him a few minutes, and he said he’d saved hundreds each year by letting insurers compete for his business.

Click here to try Coverage.com and see how much you could save today.

2. Take advantage of safe driver programs

He mentioned that some companies reward good drivers with significant discounts. By signing up for a program that tracked his driving habits for just a month, he qualified for a lower rate. “It’s like a test where you already know the answers,” he joked.

You can find a list of insurance companies offering safe driver discounts here and start saving on your next policy.

3. Bundle your policies

He bundled his auto insurance with his home insurance and saved big. “Most companies will give you a discount if you combine your policies with them. It’s easy money,” he explained. If you haven’t bundled yet, ask your insurer what discounts they offer—or look for new ones that do.

4. Drop coverage you don’t need

He also emphasized reassessing coverage every year. If your car isn’t worth much anymore, it might be time to drop collision or comprehensive coverage. “You shouldn’t be paying more to insure the car than it’s worth,” he said.

5. Look for hidden fees or overpriced add-ons

One of his final tips was to avoid extras like roadside assistance, which can often be purchased elsewhere for less. “It’s those little fees you don’t think about that add up,” he warned.

The Secret? Stop Overpaying

The real “secret” isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about being proactive. Car insurance companies are counting on you to stay complacent, but with tools like Coverage.com and a little effort, you can make sure you’re only paying for what you need—and saving hundreds in the process.

If you’re ready to start saving, take a moment to:

Saving money on auto insurance doesn’t have to be complicated—you just have to know where to look. If you'd like to support my work, feel free to use the links in this post—they help me continue creating valuable content.

Profile photo for Bill Swersey

I commute from my home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to my office in Midtown every day. There’s always something to see on the subway!

I commute from my home on Manhattan’s Upper West Side to my office in Midtown every day. There’s always something to see on the subway!

Profile photo for Noman Iqbal

I was returning home later than usual after a long day bombarded with studies at my college.

There were few people on the subway (F train) that night, in fact I was the only one in my cart.

The F train ran its route underground. Reception would come and go… subsequently it also affected the music coming out of my earbuds.

I had a seat in the corner with my head tilted to the side railing as I fought the sleep in my eyes. Public snoozing is a no go in my book so I procrastinated the best I could.

Suddenly my eyes open. The train was standstill.

"Did I miss my stop? It was the last stop, how cou

I was returning home later than usual after a long day bombarded with studies at my college.

There were few people on the subway (F train) that night, in fact I was the only one in my cart.

The F train ran its route underground. Reception would come and go… subsequently it also affected the music coming out of my earbuds.

I had a seat in the corner with my head tilted to the side railing as I fought the sleep in my eyes. Public snoozing is a no go in my book so I procrastinated the best I could.

Suddenly my eyes open. The train was standstill.

"Did I miss my stop? It was the last stop, how could I?"

The lights fade away one by one.

I jolt out of my seat and attempt to peak through the glass doors to look for clues.

Darkness.

Using the flashlight on my phone I found the quarter-sized red emergency button.

"Hello."

"What are you still doing on board? We just parked up for the night."

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep."

"Okay, hang tight. We're heading back."

Relieved. I sat back down. The lights flickered back on and the engine started humming.

Just as the train started moving, the sliding door between carts flung open.

A white bearded black man in a wheelchair triggered it.

He was wearing a raggedy navy colored hoodie and glasses so thick they could probably see into the future.

He made audible noises as his lungs searched for oxygen. He was sweating profusely, like he just lept out of a pool.

It was then I noticed he had no limbs. He managed to open the door somehow someway.

My mind was blown like an oversized birthday balloon (!!!)

He huffed and puffed along on to the next car, as I collected myself promising to use toothpicks to keep my eyelids from shutting next time.

Profile photo for Quora User

Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped so many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.

And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.

Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!

1. Cancel Your Car Insurance

You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily,

Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped so many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.

And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.

Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!

1. Cancel Your Car Insurance

You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix.

Don’t waste your time browsing insurance sites for a better deal. A company called Insurify shows you all your options at once — people who do this save up to $996 per year.

If you tell them a bit about yourself and your vehicle, they’ll send you personalized quotes so you can compare them and find the best one for you.

Tired of overpaying for car insurance? It takes just five minutes to compare your options with Insurify and see how much you could save on car insurance.

2. You Can Become a Real Estate Investor for as Little as $10

Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10.

An investment called the Fundrise Flagship Fund lets you get started in the world of real estate by giving you access to a low-cost, diversified portfolio of private real estate. The best part? You don’t have to be the landlord. The Flagship Fund does all the heavy lifting.

With an initial investment as low as $10, your money will be invested in the Fund, which already owns more than $1 billion worth of real estate around the country, from apartment complexes to the thriving housing rental market to larger last-mile e-commerce logistics centers.

Want to invest more? Many investors choose to invest $1,000 or more. This is a Fund that can fit any type of investor’s needs. Once invested, you can track your performance from your phone and watch as properties are acquired, improved, and operated. As properties generate cash flow, you could earn money through quarterly dividend payments. And over time, you could earn money off the potential appreciation of the properties.

So if you want to get started in the world of real-estate investing, it takes just a few minutes to sign up and create an account with the Fundrise Flagship Fund.

This is a paid advertisement. Carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the Fundrise Real Estate Fund before investing. This and other information can be found in the Fund’s prospectus. Read them carefully before investing.

3. Ask This Company to Get a Big Chunk of Your Debt Forgiven

A company called National Debt Relief could convince your lenders to simply get rid of a big chunk of what you owe. No bankruptcy, no loans — you don’t even need to have good credit.

If you owe at least $10,000 in unsecured debt (credit card debt, personal loans, medical bills, etc.), National Debt Relief’s experts will build you a monthly payment plan. As your payments add up, they negotiate with your creditors to reduce the amount you owe. You then pay off the rest in a lump sum.

On average, you could become debt-free within 24 to 48 months. It takes less than a minute to sign up and see how much debt you could get rid of.

4. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company

If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape… but a website called AmONE wants to help.

If you owe your credit card companies $100,000 or less, AmONE will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances.

The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmONE rates start at 6.40% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster.

It takes less than a minute and just 10 questions to see what loans you qualify for.

5. Earn Up to $50 this Month By Answering Survey Questions About the News — It’s Anonymous

The news is a heated subject these days. It’s hard not to have an opinion on it.

Good news: A website called YouGov will pay you up to $50 or more this month just to answer survey questions about politics, the economy, and other hot news topics.

Plus, it’s totally anonymous, so no one will judge you for that hot take.

When you take a quick survey (some are less than three minutes), you’ll earn points you can exchange for up to $50 in cash or gift cards to places like Walmart and Amazon. Plus, Penny Hoarder readers will get an extra 500 points for registering and another 1,000 points after completing their first survey.

It takes just a few minutes to sign up and take your first survey, and you’ll receive your points immediately.

6. Skip the Interest Until 2026 With This Balance Transfer Card

Aiming to ditch high-interest payments and score cash back on everything you buy? Who isn’t, right?

This card makes a balance transfer easy and affordable, plus you can save money on interest while you earn rewards. With a lengthy 0% intro APR on balance transfers until 2026, you’ll get some well-deserved breathing room to pay down balances interest-free. Plus, a $200 cash bonus is waiting for you, and you’ll enjoy 2% cash back on everything you buy — helping you make the most of your everyday spending.

Here’s what makes this card a win-win:

  • $200 cash back bonus
  • Unlimited 2% cash back
  • $0 annual fee
  • 0% APR on balance transfers for 18 months

Get the most out of your spending. Learn more about this balance transfer card today.

7. Get Up to $1,000 in Stock When You Start Investing with Active Invest

If you’ve been thinking about investing, now’s the time to jump in. With SoFi Active Invest, you can trade stocks and ETFs with no commissions1, no account minimums, and no confusing hoops to jump through.

Here’s the best part: Fund an active account with as little as $50, and you could earn up to $1,000 in stock2. Whether it’s your first trade or your 50th, SoFi makes investing accessible.

With SoFi, you can buy and sell stocks with no commissions, so you never have to pay to invest your own money. You’ll also have access to real-time investing news, personalized watchlists, and curated insights to help you make smarter decisions. You can even start with as little as $5 thanks to fractional shares, making it easier than ever to own a piece of the companies you believe in. Plus, as a SoFi member, you’ll be part of a community of investors with access to exclusive events and rate discounts on other SoFi products.

Ready to put your money to work for you? Fund your account, start trading, and see how far SoFi Active Invest can take you.

1 SoFi Active Invest Standard Pricing and Fee Schedule Disclosure

2 Customer must fund their Active Invest account with at least $50 within 30 days of opening the account. Probability of customer receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. See full terms and conditions.

Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA(www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org)

Neither the Investment Advisor Representatives of SoFi Wealth, nor the Registered Representatives of SoFi Securities are compensated for the sale of any product or service sold through any SoFi Invest platform.Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, member FINRA(www.finra.org)/SIPC(www.sipc.org)

Profile photo for Joseph Wang
  1. A young man (20 something) striking up a conversation with a random 20-something stranger and getting a date. Basically the man was holding a guitar in a case and struck up a random conversation with a woman and then talking about music and clubs. He mentioned that he was playing at a club and that if the woman wanted to see him play that he could get her and any friends in free and then he left her with his business card with his number and his band. I was watching him talk to the woman and thinking that this person was just incredibly smooth in the way he could flirt with a random stranger a
  1. A young man (20 something) striking up a conversation with a random 20-something stranger and getting a date. Basically the man was holding a guitar in a case and struck up a random conversation with a woman and then talking about music and clubs. He mentioned that he was playing at a club and that if the woman wanted to see him play that he could get her and any friends in free and then he left her with his business card with his number and his band. I was watching him talk to the woman and thinking that this person was just incredibly smooth in the way he could flirt with a random stranger and make her feel relaxed.
  2. Street performer doing acrobatics on a moving subway car. The guy seemed to be flying.
  3. There was someone playing handball on a subway platform. Bouncing the ball against the wall. Ball falls into the tracks. Guy goes into the tracks picks up the ball, and keeps playing.
  4. Man and woman in a quiet but tense conversation. Woman was convinced man was secretly talking pictures of her with his cell phone and wanted to see the phone which they man refused to show her. It was uncomfortable because it was clear that one of the two people was unbalanced, but it was not clear who. (I am guessing the woman.)
Profile photo for David Presas

I’ve been living in Manhattan for 30 years + and I’ve seen a lot of weird shit on all trains, …but the one thing that I will never ever forget was a guy sitting on the uptown 6 train in the two seat corner with a huge cardboard box placed over himself. He’d cut out a small slit where his eyes googled riders in the seconds it took to board the 6. The box covered him from head to waist. It was just one seat and a clean box over him. New. The kind moving companies use. From what I could see he apparently was well dressed, wearing a suit and wingtip shoes but it was just simply weird spooky crazy!

I’ve been living in Manhattan for 30 years + and I’ve seen a lot of weird shit on all trains, …but the one thing that I will never ever forget was a guy sitting on the uptown 6 train in the two seat corner with a huge cardboard box placed over himself. He’d cut out a small slit where his eyes googled riders in the seconds it took to board the 6. The box covered him from head to waist. It was just one seat and a clean box over him. New. The kind moving companies use. From what I could see he apparently was well dressed, wearing a suit and wingtip shoes but it was just simply weird spooky crazy! He just sat there wiggling around and checking out the strap hangers and mumbling to himself inside that big box,… you can’t make this stuff up. Trust me!

Answer a few questions to find a Medicare Plan that meets your needs.
Profile photo for Robert Lopez

It’s weird, but when I think about the subway I think of how crazy it could be, but my mind is not filled with great memorable stories. I think what happens is that your brain files them away just to make it seem like theplace you have to go so often isn’t THAT weird or dangerous.

I see a bunch of mentions of rats, and the one story that keeps popping into my head is also about a rat. I was about to exit the L train on Myrtle Avenue one night, probably between 10 pm to midnight. A guy coming in to the station asks me if I know what time it is, and I look at my watch and tell him the time.

When I

It’s weird, but when I think about the subway I think of how crazy it could be, but my mind is not filled with great memorable stories. I think what happens is that your brain files them away just to make it seem like theplace you have to go so often isn’t THAT weird or dangerous.

I see a bunch of mentions of rats, and the one story that keeps popping into my head is also about a rat. I was about to exit the L train on Myrtle Avenue one night, probably between 10 pm to midnight. A guy coming in to the station asks me if I know what time it is, and I look at my watch and tell him the time.

When I do that I feel something on my foot. I look down, and there is a rat on my foot. Now, that in and of itself is not THAT weird, but the weird part was that the rat’s back two legs were broken, and it had climbed onto my sneaker and was chewing on my laces! I flipped him off my foot, and he pulled himself away, but I couldn’t help but wonder what the hell he thought he was doing!

I have also seen the blind guy that wasn’t blind, more than a few times. Then there was the guy who dressed like an alien and played avant garde jazz saxophone. Plus so many other odd and recognizable characters that you would see from time to time.

The other story I remember is also an odd one. I was standing by the door on a crowded train, and there was a girl in front of me standing as well. I was a casually dressed college student, and by casual I mean sloppy clothed college student. So she’s sort of looking at me, and then out of nowhere she is about to puke! Now, this was a crowded train, there was no doubt that she would be puking on someone, and for some reason she just turned around and puked on the well dressed guy in a suit with nice shoes right behind her. Now, definitely did not want her to puke on me, but if she had I would have been way less annoyed than the guy in the expensive suit!

My last two stories are about incidents that happened to friends of mine, not myself. The first one was a girl I knew who was going to school in the morning, but after rush hour. The train was there as she came up the stairs, and the last guy out saw her trying to rush to get the train before it left. He turned around to grab the door of the train for her, but he missed it and the doors closed. He said sorry, she was like, it’s ok and walked away. He then came back and grabbed her and pushed her down and stole all her jewelry. While this was not a completely uncommon event on the train, it happened during the day, when the train was just leaving, and the guy really did try and grab the door for her to get on the train. He was a normal looking guy that didn’t look like a typical thief back then, and she really didn’t understand why he was robbing her as she didn’t wear expensive jewelry. He was obviously never caught.

The last story was another female friend on mine, riding the 6 train near 23rd Street in Manhattan. There was a guy behind her on the train that kept bumping into her. Now, the rains in NYC can get really crowded and people sometimes end up against you no matter how much you try and avoid that happening. But this guy kept bumping into her for multiple stops and it was pissing her off. When the train arrived she got off the train, put her hand on the back of her coat (it was winter) and felt the warn sticky mess he left her on the back of her coat. Needless to say it was NOT the frosting of a cinnabon he left on her coat. Being that this was college and guys doing shit like this back then wasn’t out of the norm, me and my friends (guys and girls) could not stop laughing while she told us this story. While NYC might ruin some people who ended up here, those of us that lived here since birth learned how to write these things off as hazards you would go through during the day.

Profile photo for Barry Scheps

This incident doesn’t really qualify as insane, but it was sure comical to ME! ….

A couple of months ago, I was returning home on the “A” train after a l…o…n…g and tiring job at a house in Nassau County, Long Island (I clean windows and that house had eleven hours straight of window-cleaning work). Also, under the warm temperature conditions of that day, I dress in shorts, sandals and any one of the MOST RAGGEDY, threadbare and holey tee shirts I own (for “natural ventilation!”).
During the commute home from the job, I began dozing off a few times and probably appeared like a real “sad sack” d

This incident doesn’t really qualify as insane, but it was sure comical to ME! ….

A couple of months ago, I was returning home on the “A” train after a l…o…n…g and tiring job at a house in Nassau County, Long Island (I clean windows and that house had eleven hours straight of window-cleaning work). Also, under the warm temperature conditions of that day, I dress in shorts, sandals and any one of the MOST RAGGEDY, threadbare and holey tee shirts I own (for “natural ventilation!”).
During the commute home from the job, I began dozing off a few times and probably appeared like a real “sad sack” due to fatigue and the worn-out summer-ware.

A man who was sitting across from me got up, approached me AND HANDED ME A $5 BILL! I attempted to refuse it, asserting that I was NOT starving to death (as what probably seemed to him)…But he refused to take “no” for an answer and insisted: “No…Please Accept It.
I smiled and sincerely thanked him as I then accepted his offering.

It’s the very first time that my advancing age (59) and poor attire had “caught up” with me in such a manner!

Profile photo for Mani Cavalieri

I've seen many crazy things on the subway, and I'm pretty sure my elders have seen even crazier stuff from before my time, so it's hard to pick just one. And yes, I've seen the usual suspects - public masturbators, drunks and drugs, harassment, preachers, all sorts of buskers, etc.

For me, I guess it'd have to be the thing with the least explanation.

I was sitting with my headphones on, trying to rest but not sleep - so basically, I was just keeping my eyes closed, opening them periodically to check what stop we were at.

At one point, I open my eyes, and see a large, portly bald man, dressed a li

I've seen many crazy things on the subway, and I'm pretty sure my elders have seen even crazier stuff from before my time, so it's hard to pick just one. And yes, I've seen the usual suspects - public masturbators, drunks and drugs, harassment, preachers, all sorts of buskers, etc.

For me, I guess it'd have to be the thing with the least explanation.

I was sitting with my headphones on, trying to rest but not sleep - so basically, I was just keeping my eyes closed, opening them periodically to check what stop we were at.

At one point, I open my eyes, and see a large, portly bald man, dressed a little schlubbily (i.e. not quite shabby, but not well-put-together - like someone's lazy uncle on a weekend)...

...and he is perfectly horizontal, in mid-air a good several feet off the ground, flying toward the pole directly in front of me. Head-first. I remember this moment frozen in time for a split second.

And only a split second, because in the next instant, his shiny head hit the equally shiny pole, with a ringing KLANG.

I looked around the car, and almost everyone but him was seated. And all of us had the same expression I must've had: Silent, wide-eyed confusion. Looking around the car, there was not a single clue as to what just lead to this moment. Either all of us in the car woke up at the same time, or he appeared out of thin air, or I don't know what.

The guy stood up, a bit wobbly, giggled, and then the doors opened and he got off the train. And I continued on my 7 AM commute to school.

I still like to think he was a mischievous mad scientist, who was just taking his teleportation device out for a spin, and delighted to find out it worked. It's much funnier than the more likely (and more boring) truth that he was likely drunk and attempted some amateur acrobatics during the morning commute. Either way, though, that single frame is still burned in my memory: Opening my eyes at the exact moment to see this tubby human missile straight in front of me, perfectly horizontal in mid-flight.

Profile photo for Martin Olesh

I‘ve ridden the subway for over 60 years but i cannot say I saw many strange incidents. That may be because as a native New Yorker, I have a high threshold for what is to be considered strange.

One afternoon I was riding home. The train was crowded with teens who had been dismissed. There was standing room only. All seats were occupied and I had to stand. I am not in good heslth and have difficulty standing for an appreciable amount of time. My legs were losing sensation. At that point, a man older than me, rose from his seat and offered it to me. Not a single teen did that. I had to sit or col

I‘ve ridden the subway for over 60 years but i cannot say I saw many strange incidents. That may be because as a native New Yorker, I have a high threshold for what is to be considered strange.

One afternoon I was riding home. The train was crowded with teens who had been dismissed. There was standing room only. All seats were occupied and I had to stand. I am not in good heslth and have difficulty standing for an appreciable amount of time. My legs were losing sensation. At that point, a man older than me, rose from his seat and offered it to me. Not a single teen did that. I had to sit or collapse. He in turn was not offered any seat.

Profile photo for Cheryl Turnip

This happened 20+ years ago, but it still sticks in my mind.

I was on the 6 train leaving 42nd St/Grand Central Station, going to 28th St. I ran into my manager, and we boarded the train and were chatting together. I'm about a foot taller than my manager, so when I saw the woman, my eyes must have gotten as large as saucers, because my manager turned, saw what I saw, and then snapped her head back, shutting her eyes.

Walking through the train was a woman, totally naked except for a scarf on her head, winding her way through the crowds, saying, “Excuse me, excuse me…” Of course, when everyone saw

This happened 20+ years ago, but it still sticks in my mind.

I was on the 6 train leaving 42nd St/Grand Central Station, going to 28th St. I ran into my manager, and we boarded the train and were chatting together. I'm about a foot taller than my manager, so when I saw the woman, my eyes must have gotten as large as saucers, because my manager turned, saw what I saw, and then snapped her head back, shutting her eyes.

Walking through the train was a woman, totally naked except for a scarf on her head, winding her way through the crowds, saying, “Excuse me, excuse me…” Of course, when everyone saw her, they immediately got out of her way!

The presence of a naked woman naturally delayed the train while the police searched for her. This was back when Grand Central had homeless people literally living in the building, but I don't believe it's like that anymore.

I'm glad my manager was there to witness it, otherwise no one would have ever believed me. They would've thought I was making it up as an excuse for being late!

Profile photo for Quora User

A friend told me he was riding in a subway and, when the train stopped at a station, a man sitting next to him stood up and exited the car. Noticing a pair of leather gloves on the vacated seat, my friend picked the gloves up, ran to the closing door, threw them onto the platform, and yelled, "You forgot your gloves" to the man's back.

Pleased with himself for doing a good deed, my friend returned to his seat and sat down. Seconds later he felt a tap on his shoulder from the man who'd been sitting on the other side of the passenger who left the train. When the stranger was sure he had my friend

A friend told me he was riding in a subway and, when the train stopped at a station, a man sitting next to him stood up and exited the car. Noticing a pair of leather gloves on the vacated seat, my friend picked the gloves up, ran to the closing door, threw them onto the platform, and yelled, "You forgot your gloves" to the man's back.

Pleased with himself for doing a good deed, my friend returned to his seat and sat down. Seconds later he felt a tap on his shoulder from the man who'd been sitting on the other side of the passenger who left the train. When the stranger was sure he had my friend's attention he quietly and politely said, "Excuse me. Those were my gloves."

Profile photo for Annabel Lee

Wierd is not the word. Beautiful is. A few years ago my friend and I went to NYC for a week. As a teen I lived on Long Island and was a regular Subway user and we were the Weirdos, doing comedy routines, singing and passing a hat. But as 60 plus year old ladies from Texas, we were a little nervous.

It was the 4th of July. We had gone down to the waterfront to see the fireworks. Just waiting for our train was an experience.

The trains were standing room only and every car looked like a true melting pot. Every age, race and even one Hassidic Jew with curls. In fact, my friend and I were about the

Wierd is not the word. Beautiful is. A few years ago my friend and I went to NYC for a week. As a teen I lived on Long Island and was a regular Subway user and we were the Weirdos, doing comedy routines, singing and passing a hat. But as 60 plus year old ladies from Texas, we were a little nervous.

It was the 4th of July. We had gone down to the waterfront to see the fireworks. Just waiting for our train was an experience.

The trains were standing room only and every car looked like a true melting pot. Every age, race and even one Hassidic Jew with curls. In fact, my friend and I were about the only other white folks on our car. Everyone was silent. The fireworks were over. We were tired. It was late.

Suddenly a beautiful black girl started singing God Bless America in a voice that only God gives. Her voice was ringing through the car. Little by little we all joined her. Then we sang the National Anthem. Then Proud to be an American and every other patriotic song we could come up with. When we ran out we sang them again. At the stops, hardly anyone one got off. We sang and sang till the end of the line. Then we sang on the platform and in the train headed back.

As each person got off there were high fives and thumbs ups and giant smiles. I had tears running down my face. I could barely sing ( which is good as I sound like a croaking frog)

That was the America we need to strive for, even at one train car at a time.

Profile photo for Robin Bailey

One story comes to mind when I was standing next to a Hasidic Jew on the train in the early 90’s before I moved to LA.

For those not that familiar with the culture in NYC, the Hasidic Jews are largely insular in their culture, and do a good job keeping to themselves, to the point that many of them won’t use public transportation much, and often have their own busses chartered to get to and from work, or wherever their common destination is.

I will also admit that I don’t know a lot about their culture, so feel free to enlighten me if you think I’m off on the facts.

Anyway, I was standing next to

One story comes to mind when I was standing next to a Hasidic Jew on the train in the early 90’s before I moved to LA.

For those not that familiar with the culture in NYC, the Hasidic Jews are largely insular in their culture, and do a good job keeping to themselves, to the point that many of them won’t use public transportation much, and often have their own busses chartered to get to and from work, or wherever their common destination is.

I will also admit that I don’t know a lot about their culture, so feel free to enlighten me if you think I’m off on the facts.

Anyway, I was standing next to one on the train, and he asked me about a stop coming up. I answered his question without thinking anything of it the same way any decent person would. He then gave me this eternally grateful thanks that seemed very out of the ordinary.

He obviously didn’t spend much time riding the subway to know his way around the system, and it seemed like he spent so much time in his insular culture that he was grateful for a courteous answer from somebody outside his culture. It seemed like the subway ride and asking somebody a question outside of his culture was way outside of his scope of daily life.

If my suspicions were true, I hope he kept trying to branch out and normalize relations outside of whatever he was used to.

Profile photo for Quora User

I would not say weird, but quite entertaining.

I was in my 20s and commuting home on the N train back to Astoria. It was a Friday night and it was around rush hour, so a bit packed. An older man was next to me and must have been exhausted from his long work week. He was falling asleep early on in the ride.

My stop was Astoria Blvd, closer to the end of the line. As we were getting closer to the end the train began to clear out. The older man was still sleeping. By this time he was leaning against me and knocked out. I tried shaking him to wake up and he wouldn’t wake up. He was breathing, so cle

I would not say weird, but quite entertaining.

I was in my 20s and commuting home on the N train back to Astoria. It was a Friday night and it was around rush hour, so a bit packed. An older man was next to me and must have been exhausted from his long work week. He was falling asleep early on in the ride.

My stop was Astoria Blvd, closer to the end of the line. As we were getting closer to the end the train began to clear out. The older man was still sleeping. By this time he was leaning against me and knocked out. I tried shaking him to wake up and he wouldn’t wake up. He was breathing, so clearly he was just a heavy sleeper.

The woman on the other side of him saw me trying to get the man up and off my shoulder. She leaned over and broke out In her opera voice Brahms lullaby.

She sang so loud and beautiful. It was like I was right there, front row at the MET. She was singing so loudly, right in his ear. He still didn’t wake up! He didn’t even budge. The whole train just looked over, like this was a completely normal everyday activity.

Finally, he woke up, and I got off at my stop. That was a great NYC moment.

Profile photo for Gus Baldwin

I’ve seen a lot of strange things in the subway but the one that sticks out the most.

It was about 3 in the afternoon and I was on my way to work. I got on the subway and sitting across from me was a gentleman drinking a Snapple and to my right was a mother with her young daughter.

I started reading my book when I hear what sounded like liquid being poured onto the floor. I thought “This guys pouring out his Snapple on the floor”. When I look up and discover that after he finished his Snapple he was pissing in the bottle.

I had just moved here and thought, of course, this is out of the ordinary.

I’ve seen a lot of strange things in the subway but the one that sticks out the most.

It was about 3 in the afternoon and I was on my way to work. I got on the subway and sitting across from me was a gentleman drinking a Snapple and to my right was a mother with her young daughter.

I started reading my book when I hear what sounded like liquid being poured onto the floor. I thought “This guys pouring out his Snapple on the floor”. When I look up and discover that after he finished his Snapple he was pissing in the bottle.

I had just moved here and thought, of course, this is out of the ordinary. When I look over at the woman and her daughter and they say there casually as if nothing was happening.

People in New York really don’t give a shit what others are doing. It was just another day on the subway.

Profile photo for Chris Tor

There are so many to choose from. I’ve been riding the subway for most of my life. I’ll throw out a few memorable ones off the top of my head.

  • Back around 1990, there was a homeless guy who would come in with a garbage bag on him, claiming to be Batman. He was a real character. He would go around asking for money (since, you know, that’s obviously what Batman does, right?), but he wouldn’t take change, only bills. Somehow his act seemed to work, despite lacking any resemblance to Batman in form or action.
  • There’s a guy I saw a few times on my way to work in the late 90s. He was in his 30s or so,

There are so many to choose from. I’ve been riding the subway for most of my life. I’ll throw out a few memorable ones off the top of my head.

  • Back around 1990, there was a homeless guy who would come in with a garbage bag on him, claiming to be Batman. He was a real character. He would go around asking for money (since, you know, that’s obviously what Batman does, right?), but he wouldn’t take change, only bills. Somehow his act seemed to work, despite lacking any resemblance to Batman in form or action.
  • There’s a guy I saw a few times on my way to work in the late 90s. He was in his 30s or so, dressed in a really nice suit, well-groomed, and carrying a briefcase. He would seem to be talking to himself under his breath, and then he would suddenly turn and face the other way, and respond to himself in a loud Donald Duck voice. All of it was unintelligible. He would carry on like this, back and forth, for a few stations and then get off the train. I always wondered where he was going.
  • There was a guy who came on the train and said that the white man had given him AIDS and he was going to give it back. He carried on with a big speech about it and was loud and seemed very angry, but then he sat down and fell asleep.
  • Standing on the platform as a high school student, a guy came up to me with his friend and asked me for money, but I didn’t have any and told him. Then he kind of demanded money. I got flustered because I really didn’t have any. They were both bigger than me and looked menacing. The guy paused like he was thinking about something, and then said, “You are young. It’s okay.” He proceeded to get on the next train, which wasn’t mine. But there was this other guy who came out of nowhere. He looked like a stereotypical private investigator - trenchcoat and hat and world-weary expression. He looked at me and nodded, then followed them onto the train like he was going to do something. I half expected to read about another Bernie Goetz incident the next day, but if anything happened, it didn’t make the news. It’s hard to convey the strangeness of this one, but it was indeed strange.
  • I saw a chicken, just kind of hanging out. It had no obvious owner or caretaker or, you know, person who would have a chicken, and everyone was just kind of ignoring it like it was a normal thing.
Profile photo for Jennifer King

That is one loaded question.

Since living in Jersey City I dont ride the subway as much as I used to but I've seen some crazy stuff over the years.

One of the strangest was when I was on the 6 train going into The Bronx. The train was relatively crowded. No seats available and maybe about 12 standees. I was reading and the woman next to me was falling asleep or so I thought. Her head kept getting cl

That is one loaded question.

Since living in Jersey City I dont ride the subway as much as I used to but I've seen some crazy stuff over the years.

One of the strangest was when I was on the 6 train going into The Bronx. The train was relatively crowded. No seats available and maybe about 12 standees. I was reading and the woman next to me was falling asleep or so I thought. Her head kept getting closer and closer to me shoulder as if to rest on me. I looked up from my book and shifted as to wake her up. I looked up and saw faces of horror at the people sitting in front of me and they were all looking at the woman next to me. I sat up to turn and look at her to see she was having a seizure. I jumped up and shook her trying to get a response. It wasn't an epileptic seizure that much I knew and that was the only type of seizure I knew how to handle. There were no cell phones then and I didnt want to freak out. I shook her a few more times gently saying, “Hello.! Wake up! Wake up!” No reaction. Nothing. Right then the train pulled into the stop and that loud DING DONG of the doors openi...

Profile photo for Aarti Dwivedi

Not on the subway, but one the station. It was my first trip to New York on a Saturday morning, and I was left wondering why the whole place stank of piss. I get down at 72nd Street. Only three or four other people got down. I was farther from the exit than any of them and the only people left on the platform were me and a drunk swaying tall woman (who I later realized to be a drag). She leaned against a pillar for support. Given how drunk she was I thought of offering her help but decided against it when she looked at me as if she was going to kill me as I got closer.

As I passed, I heard the

Not on the subway, but one the station. It was my first trip to New York on a Saturday morning, and I was left wondering why the whole place stank of piss. I get down at 72nd Street. Only three or four other people got down. I was farther from the exit than any of them and the only people left on the platform were me and a drunk swaying tall woman (who I later realized to be a drag). She leaned against a pillar for support. Given how drunk she was I thought of offering her help but decided against it when she looked at me as if she was going to kill me as I got closer.

As I passed, I heard the distinctive sound of a stream of liquid hitting the floor. At that moment I was no longer wondering why the subway stations stank of piss.

Profile photo for Ann Jennerjahn

It’s hard to answer, because strange things happen all the time, so they become normal, but here are some random memories:

  • A packed train that seems too full for anyone else to enter. A child suddenly become sick to his stomach and spins in a circle violently puking. An empty circle mysteriously appears around him.
  • A man with a marvelous voice, giving crazy misogynistic speeches on the E Train Platform (Madison Ave, I think)
  • A pianist with an actual piano (not just a keyboard)
  • Musicians with wonderful, non-Western instruments
  • A trainful of Santas on their way to SantaCon
  • Rats and Pigeons
  • Subway cars

It’s hard to answer, because strange things happen all the time, so they become normal, but here are some random memories:

  • A packed train that seems too full for anyone else to enter. A child suddenly become sick to his stomach and spins in a circle violently puking. An empty circle mysteriously appears around him.
  • A man with a marvelous voice, giving crazy misogynistic speeches on the E Train Platform (Madison Ave, I think)
  • A pianist with an actual piano (not just a keyboard)
  • Musicians with wonderful, non-Western instruments
  • A trainful of Santas on their way to SantaCon
  • Rats and Pigeons
  • Subway cars with a marvelous NY mixture, including everything from couples in full Black Tie attire, to the homeless
  • Acrobatic performers spinning, swinging and flipping on a moving subway car

But to a New Yorker, I’m not sure that any of these would be considered strange!

Profile photo for Heater Case

It’s not the rats. They are a mainstay and a staple since anyone can remember. They’ve inhabited ships for millennia, so I just think of the NYC Subway System as a sprawling inside out ship.

It’s not the homeless, mostly men but today I actually saw my first passed out women in a long time at the far end of the 14th Street 4, 5, 6 platform. Most of the women have, and rightfully so, sought safer nooks and crannies elsewhere.

There are the quiet but conscious people, so very tired and so freakin’ beaten down. Their worldly possessions have become an out of proportion hoarding of rags and newspape

It’s not the rats. They are a mainstay and a staple since anyone can remember. They’ve inhabited ships for millennia, so I just think of the NYC Subway System as a sprawling inside out ship.

It’s not the homeless, mostly men but today I actually saw my first passed out women in a long time at the far end of the 14th Street 4, 5, 6 platform. Most of the women have, and rightfully so, sought safer nooks and crannies elsewhere.

There are the quiet but conscious people, so very tired and so freakin’ beaten down. Their worldly possessions have become an out of proportion hoarding of rags and newspapers, in bags too many to conceivably transport.

These are people. What happened to them? Who of us is next? I spent many a night sleeping on the subway when I was in high school and things weren’t all that copacetic at home, but not like this.

It’s not the pitchmen (and women) with their hard luck stories and 99% of them are probably hustlers.

It sure as hell aren’t the mariachi bands. These guys never fail to make me smile, even if it’s just the surreality of their exploding on to the scene and moving on just as fast when they’re done.

None of those.

It’s the selfish and inconsiderate ‘music fans’. It’s become as if they are daring somebody to tell them to shut the fuck up. Earbuds are a dime a dozen and they can’t be bothered. Instead, they’d rather subject everybody to screaming scratchy overmodulated crap that makes a 1960 transistor radio some like a Dolby sound system in comparison. Where are the boom boxes when we need them?

What’s with this technological schism with which we are now saddled? Cell phones have horrible call quality (when they’re not actually dropping calls) and whoever added a speaker should be drawn and quartered. They are the bane of every public gathering and the satan of every public performance.

The very suggestion of adding cell service to in-flight services is more than an accident, it’s an apocalypse waiting to happen.

Back to our unwanted shitty music recital. It then goes up a notch. The filthiest, violent and, worst of all, misogynist diarrhea squealing for all around.

They are surrounded by paralyzed bystanders who don’t know what to do. Do they say something? Will anybody back them up or will they be left out to dry? Will they be considered the bad guy?

I have stood my ground twice. Once, for some reason, that morning’s Casey Kasem from hell decided to get up and head towards the space next to me that was just vacated. I expanded to take up both spaces and said, “You’re not sitting here with that shit.”

It worked.

The other time it wasn’t vulgar sound waves but some guy wanted to play what seemed like an entire album right next to me. I nodded along and started commenting.

“I liked the previous track better than this one.”

“I seem to sense a theme in these cuts. Is this a concept album?”

I forget what else I said, but he never answered and soon moved to stand down by the door.

My friends say I’m going to get myself shot. I say if you keep backing off you will sooner or later have your back against a wall or a cliff.

Last but not least, the guys who HAVE headphones but insist on singing along with whatever bullshit they’re listening to.

Dude, you can’t sing and you look like you’re crazy.

Profile photo for Konstantin Palkin

I have seen today something uncommon to see during everyday commute.

I take S train shuttle from GrandCentral and TimeSquare and I get into staition from Madison Ave entrance so I always go into first car for that TS bound direction.

You all know that S train is one of those that people never stop running into doors and even if train is about to depart right now. Though I always pay attention to electronic sign that says track number and how many minutes is left before it departs. And it was 1 minute on 3rd track. I didn’t run and just walked into open door #1 of first car. Few second later cond

I have seen today something uncommon to see during everyday commute.

I take S train shuttle from GrandCentral and TimeSquare and I get into staition from Madison Ave entrance so I always go into first car for that TS bound direction.

You all know that S train is one of those that people never stop running into doors and even if train is about to depart right now. Though I always pay attention to electronic sign that says track number and how many minutes is left before it departs. And it was 1 minute on 3rd track. I didn’t run and just walked into open door #1 of first car. Few second later conductor made announcement that next stop is TimeSquare, Stand clear, doors are closing, bla bla bla and doors began to close and conductor made several attempts as usual because people on other end of train still were hitting doorway.

But in the area of first car is always no people and I saw like few MTA workers in a uniform walked along platform, suddenly one of them decided to get into car, same door I walked in. And door closed completely right in front his face.

Well, I thought, that he is going to take a next one, but train didn’t move. That is very unusual because once doors are closed completely train accelerates in couple seconds.

Another MTA worker also came to the closer door, took some tool or key and inserted into a keyhole near the door but outside of train. Half door opened. That man who rushed into car thanked another worker and ….. here my jaw dropped, he entered into operator cabin and locked door behind him.

He is our driver!!!, - I realized with a smile. But more funny thing that conductor locked out his co-worker train operator outside of train.

If that second man wasn’t there I don’t know how long would they solve this problem because conductor is in the last car, operator wanted to go into first car.

Luckily, everything happened just in 15-20 seconds.

Profile photo for Aaron Matthews

I came to new york city on my senior trip. On our way back to the hotel in Newark from the PATH station, some guy who looked like he was drunk threw up on the floor of the subway care that we were in. And when the car was moving, the vomit crept its way to one of the edges.

I guess he had a few too many drinks. In that case, it’s a good thing he didn’t drive home.

I came to new york city on my senior trip. On our way back to the hotel in Newark from the PATH station, some guy who looked like he was drunk threw up on the floor of the subway care that we were in. And when the car was moving, the vomit crept its way to one of the edges.

I guess he had a few too many drinks. In that case, it’s a good thing he didn’t drive home.

Profile photo for Daniel Space

Lol I always love questions like these because born New Yorkers legit can’t answer it. We are so used to the madness that nothing actually sounds insane, and when I read the answers - I’m like “how’s that insane? That’s a standard Tuesday on the A line? Ohh right it’s insane in every other normal place…”

Like, we have the annual underwear day where you basically have trains full of people in just their skivvies. People having sex. People making meals. People reenacting their favorite scenes from movies or plays. Musicians, acrobats, clowns, preachers, singers, politicians, inventors, scuba dive

Lol I always love questions like these because born New Yorkers legit can’t answer it. We are so used to the madness that nothing actually sounds insane, and when I read the answers - I’m like “how’s that insane? That’s a standard Tuesday on the A line? Ohh right it’s insane in every other normal place…”

Like, we have the annual underwear day where you basically have trains full of people in just their skivvies. People having sex. People making meals. People reenacting their favorite scenes from movies or plays. Musicians, acrobats, clowns, preachers, singers, politicians, inventors, scuba divers, drag make up artists and all sorts of whacky whimsical characters. It’s sort of just background to us at this point.

Profile photo for Miguel Zapata

A clean car I wasn’t afraid to touch.

I went to New York for a vacation, first time in the US too. It was nice, but not entirely whoah because The City that Never Sleeps closes shop at 10pm and starts up past 6am. Love the halal carts though! They were much better than how I dreamed them to be.

The subway was a complete shock. Here I am from a developing country, and going whoah, nice city with nice people and then what the shit is this subway. It has a scent. Like a mix of human and rat piss and grease. Not the best thing during winter when the subway is the only consistently warm public place.

A clean car I wasn’t afraid to touch.

I went to New York for a vacation, first time in the US too. It was nice, but not entirely whoah because The City that Never Sleeps closes shop at 10pm and starts up past 6am. Love the halal carts though! They were much better than how I dreamed them to be.

The subway was a complete shock. Here I am from a developing country, and going whoah, nice city with nice people and then what the shit is this subway. It has a scent. Like a mix of human and rat piss and grease. Not the best thing during winter when the subway is the only consistently warm public place.

The trains were no better. I didn’t want to touch them at all. We have really shitty trains at home, but I am not afraid to touch them. I’d take my gloves off in NYC trains because I could disinfect my hands on the go, my gloves, not.

And then one day, on my second to the last day I think, I saw a nice train pass by. It was clean! I wasn’t afraid to touch it!

It was strange as f*ck.

Profile photo for Andre Frank Ortiz Adams

I have seen a crazy woman with a lighter and her nose running stalking people on the train while it was moving. That was scary.

I have seen a crazy woman with a lighter and her nose running stalking people on the train while it was moving. That was scary.

Profile photo for Ben Rothfeld

The guy with the box of cats.

I was taking the IRT downtown from the Upper West Side. On the platform was a guy with a box about the size of an apartment refrigerator, strapped to a dolly. The top of the box had plexiglass panels and inside, sitting very comfortably were maybe three cats.

The strange thing is that other people tell me they’ve seen him in other stations. I can’t imagine why anyone would want to lug a big box of cats around, but there we are.

Profile photo for Dan Rosenbaum

Well, when you’re on the subway, your perception of “weird” somehow gets suppressed. Things that would be totally bizarre anyplace else seems like a normal Tuesday when you’re in the subway.

The R train is a long local train that starts deep in Queens, runs through Manhattan, and ends way out in Brooklyn. Because it’s long, and because it’s local, it attracts a lot of panhandlers and performers — especially in bad weather — who can make their pitch quickly and move on to the next car and the next crowd.

There are nights on the R train when it’s like a vaudeville show. First comes the beggar with

Well, when you’re on the subway, your perception of “weird” somehow gets suppressed. Things that would be totally bizarre anyplace else seems like a normal Tuesday when you’re in the subway.

The R train is a long local train that starts deep in Queens, runs through Manhattan, and ends way out in Brooklyn. Because it’s long, and because it’s local, it attracts a lot of panhandlers and performers — especially in bad weather — who can make their pitch quickly and move on to the next car and the next crowd.

There are nights on the R train when it’s like a vaudeville show. First comes the beggar with his tale of woe and rehab. He’s done, moves to the next car, when BAM here’s the solo singer — sometimes with a recorded accompanying track, more often solo. He works his way through the car, leaves, and oh look, Showtime Dancers who usually miraculously manage not to kick anyone! They do their thing, and next up is a Mariachi band (who are usually pretty good, actually). The pass the hat, and a fire-and-brimstone preacher enters. Then an a cappella group. Then a “homeless vet.” Then an awful sax player. Sometimes a balloon animal artist. And on and on.

I don’t think they coordinate; it just happens. All they need is an MC. For $2.75 including transportation, it’s the best entertainment dollar in the city.

Profile photo for Quora User

A man is playing the saxophone on the downtown 2 express train at 8:00 am rush hour.

He is playing TERRIBLY- which is actually a little unusual by nyc standards- there are A LOT of excellent starving musicians in this city after all..

Anyway- this man is murdering whatever tune he’s playing and everyone on this overcrowded subway is annoyed.

Suddenly he announces: “IF YOU PAY ME..I WILL STOP!”

The nearest person to him is a banker type who immediately hands him a twenty.

The whole car erupts with applause. The sax player pushes through the clapping crowd into the next car where presumably repeats t

A man is playing the saxophone on the downtown 2 express train at 8:00 am rush hour.

He is playing TERRIBLY- which is actually a little unusual by nyc standards- there are A LOT of excellent starving musicians in this city after all..

Anyway- this man is murdering whatever tune he’s playing and everyone on this overcrowded subway is annoyed.

Suddenly he announces: “IF YOU PAY ME..I WILL STOP!”

The nearest person to him is a banker type who immediately hands him a twenty.

The whole car erupts with applause. The sax player pushes through the clapping crowd into the next car where presumably repeats this performance.

Just another morning on the NYC subway.

Credit to my mother for telling me this gem.

Profile photo for Andrew Mulhern

This was very late at night on the E train - I think like 3:00AM. I was very tired (I don’t remember what I was doing out that late) and tried to enter a car when the train arrived. I could not get into this because it was totally filled with shopping carts filled with bags of bottles and cans. I mean packed. There had to be at least twenty supermarket-type carts piled high with these bags. There was one homeless looking guy sitting at one end of the car. Apparently he had had a very good day collecting redeemable cans and bottles (5 cents a pop in New York). I wondered how he got all of those

This was very late at night on the E train - I think like 3:00AM. I was very tired (I don’t remember what I was doing out that late) and tried to enter a car when the train arrived. I could not get into this because it was totally filled with shopping carts filled with bags of bottles and cans. I mean packed. There had to be at least twenty supermarket-type carts piled high with these bags. There was one homeless looking guy sitting at one end of the car. Apparently he had had a very good day collecting redeemable cans and bottles (5 cents a pop in New York). I wondered how he got all of those carts into the station, let alone onto the train.

Profile photo for Stuart Reich

Not to me, but my best friend. I didn’t move back to NYC until ’97 when things were already somewhat saner, but this happened I believe early ‘90s.

Wee hours of the morning, he and another friend got on the subway - car was empty but for one guy who appeared to be bleeding from a stab wound. Not the weird part yet.

Next stop, they hop off and rung to mid-train to tell the conductor. Conductor just looks at them, shakes his head and says: “Dammit. Not again!”

Your response is private
Was this worth your time?
This helps us sort answers on the page.
Absolutely not
Definitely yes
Profile photo for Martin Olesh

As a 68 year old native New Yorker who grew up withoit a car and did not own one until I was 43, there is almost nothing that I have seen on the subway that surprised me, but one incongruity sticks in my memory.

It was a dreary winter’s day and I was headed to the Lower East Side to check on an elderly relative. It was the middle of the day and the subway car was relatively empty

I looked up from the book that I was reading and saw an impeccably and elegantly dressed young man who was reading a Yiddish newspaper, just as neat as the rest of him. It was one of the most conservative religiously or

As a 68 year old native New Yorker who grew up withoit a car and did not own one until I was 43, there is almost nothing that I have seen on the subway that surprised me, but one incongruity sticks in my memory.

It was a dreary winter’s day and I was headed to the Lower East Side to check on an elderly relative. It was the middle of the day and the subway car was relatively empty

I looked up from the book that I was reading and saw an impeccably and elegantly dressed young man who was reading a Yiddish newspaper, just as neat as the rest of him. It was one of the most conservative religiously oriented papers. I was very intrigued to learn how this man who looked like he would be more at home in an English country house drawing room came to this paper.

My curiosity got the better of me and I violated one of the fundamental subway rules. I went over to the young man and explained my curiosity to him in Yiddish. He answered me and explained that he loved to learn languages and having studied German, he was interested in learning Yiddish. He was on his way to his class at Brooklyn College. I got to my stop and wished him well and he continued on towards Brooklyn.

Profile photo for Quora User

A collection of bronze sculptures by Tom Otterness at 14th Street/Eight Avenue. I thought that was pretty amazing!

Also when you ride the 6 train in Manhattan, you can see some of the abandoned subway stations!

A collection of bronze sculptures by Tom Otterness at 14th Street/Eight Avenue. I thought that was pretty amazing!

Also when you ride the 6 train in Manhattan, you can see some of the abandoned subway stations!

Profile photo for Arlene Walsh

Not in New York, but in London. We were travelling on the subway (tube) from Heathrow to central London. Long commute then, there is a faster route now.

Anyway, at one stop, a VERY smelly man got on and say next to me. Talk about stench! This was an ingrained, weeks old, living rough stench. I felt embarrassed to move away, for fear of being seen to be rude. After a couple of stops, he exited. But the miasma remained. Then, what should happen, but a very smartly dressed ‘city’ man in a blue pinstriped suit, highly polished shoes, a tie pin and so on, entered. He sat next to me and then stiffene

Not in New York, but in London. We were travelling on the subway (tube) from Heathrow to central London. Long commute then, there is a faster route now.

Anyway, at one stop, a VERY smelly man got on and say next to me. Talk about stench! This was an ingrained, weeks old, living rough stench. I felt embarrassed to move away, for fear of being seen to be rude. After a couple of stops, he exited. But the miasma remained. Then, what should happen, but a very smartly dressed ‘city’ man in a blue pinstriped suit, highly polished shoes, a tie pin and so on, entered. He sat next to me and then stiffened in horror as the stench assailed his nostrils, which flared in disgust. He looked over at me over the top of his rimless glasses, and then his one foot, crossed over the other, stated bobbing up and down. All the while he kept glancing at me. I was going to explain, but then thought “He has no idea who I am or where I am from.” So I left it. I wonder what story he has told people?

Profile photo for Journey Li

Mmm I was going home from work one day and I had missed my stop so I went to take the train on the other side to go back to where I had needed to go. While I was waiting on the platform, there was a woman who had been at the platform before me, she paced around a bit and then eventually, she was out of my line of sight. It wasn’t until the smell of urine hit me that I realized what she had done not too far from me. She had taken her pants off and peed onto the floor of the subway platform. I was mortified and I walked to the other end of the station. It smelled horrible. Even though I kind of

Mmm I was going home from work one day and I had missed my stop so I went to take the train on the other side to go back to where I had needed to go. While I was waiting on the platform, there was a woman who had been at the platform before me, she paced around a bit and then eventually, she was out of my line of sight. It wasn’t until the smell of urine hit me that I realized what she had done not too far from me. She had taken her pants off and peed onto the floor of the subway platform. I was mortified and I walked to the other end of the station. It smelled horrible. Even though I kind of knew this happened because of the stench of urine in areas, I had never seen this happen right before my eyes. I wanted to throw up - Dramatic? I know but my brain was still trying to process what had seen and I was very young at the time. But hey, it’s NYC…

Profile photo for Quora User

I once got on to a subway car, and there was a full-fledged party going on: table with table-cloth, drinks, cups, food, plates, chairs, people in party-hats blowing party-horns throwing streamers and I was invited to join in.

The organizers said that they’d periodically pick a train and a car as the party-venue and a bunch of them would converge with party-stuff at the origin-station, and they’d create a party-car to the end of the line, to everyone’s surprise and delight.

It looked something like this (not actual photo).

What a blast!

Thanks for the A2A

I once got on to a subway car, and there was a full-fledged party going on: table with table-cloth, drinks, cups, food, plates, chairs, people in party-hats blowing party-horns throwing streamers and I was invited to join in.

The organizers said that they’d periodically pick a train and a car as the party-venue and a bunch of them would converge with party-stuff at the origin-station, and they’d create a party-car to the end of the line, to everyone’s surprise and delight.

It looked something like this (not actual photo).

What a blast!

Thanks for the A2A

Profile photo for Joshua P. Hill

I think it must have been the woman with the see-through top. But that was before the day of cellphone cameras, so I’ll post a photo from an ordinary day:

I think it must have been the woman with the see-through top. But that was before the day of cellphone cameras, so I’ll post a photo from an ordinary day:

Profile photo for Greg Passuntino

Once I was in the subway tunnels and it was completely silent. Then I started to hear the sound of small rocks hitting the ground near me. There wasn’t a pattern to the sound, but they would hit near me. Not hard. It was strange.

I looked around to try and figure out where they were coming from. After looking into the darkness for a few minutes, I saw a man tucked away tossing them toward me. He wasn’t trying to hurt me, I think he was just trying to let himself be known that he was there…

Profile photo for Rosina L. Wachtel

People eating fried chicken with their hands, grease dripping from their fingers, down their wrists and talking at the same time. Disgusting!

Profile photo for Wendy Lehn

I witnessed a man masturbating while singing the National Anthem at the top of his lungs. I was 19 yrs. old. That was pretty weird…

About · Careers · Privacy · Terms · Contact · Languages · Your Ad Choices · Press ·
© Quora, Inc. 2025