Gawker: Transportation

Good News: Even More Subway Ads

Hamilton Nolan — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 10:13:13 EDT

Not content to simply line the subway station entrances, station walls, station signs, and interior of buses and trains with advertisements, New York City transit is reportedly set to enter the final frontier: ads on the outsides of subway trains. They're already testing out the idea with Continental Airlines ads on the 42nd St. shuttle [NYP]. Subway officials think this idea will go great with their existing "brand cars," where one advertiser takes over the interior of a whole car. As terrifying as this practice sounds, we know they need the money. So we'd like to strike a compromise: they're allowed to sell every last inch of the trains to advertisers, but in return they have to bring back this practice:

Walking Yourself Out Of The Subway: Awesome?

Hamilton Nolan — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:04:36 EDT

When a Chicago subway train got stopped for an hour in a tunnel yesterday morning, riders there did what many of us have thought of doing many times, but have not for fear of our lives: they got out and walked. That is just awesome. Less awesome: when officials heard people were walking along the tracks, they shut down power to the entire line as a safety precaution (for third rail zapping possibilities), which automatically stranded thousands more riders. It's a grassroots revolt ethical quandary!

The rest of the riders on the line then had no option but to walk out, which left some of them stranded underground for hours. Everyone agrees the Chicago Transportation Authority failed miserably, but opinion on the righteousness of the self-evacuating riders is split. I think most people who have been stranded on packed subway cars would say: righteous indeed. Or maybe: selfish pricks. Philosophers are welcome to weigh in. Subway officials can go to hell.

[pic of Superwoman evacuee looking incredibly spiffy after traipsing through a subway tunnel via Chicago Tribune]

Get It While It's Here

Hamilton Nolan — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:00:05 EDT

A new service called Bolt Bus is offering one-way bus trips from New York to Washington, DC for a starting price of $1. Over the next month, the price will gradually rise to $10 or so—still a good deal. The buses also have wi-fi access. An affordable, modern, clean bus line? Its financial ruin is certain. [Bolt Bus]

Wheeled Shoe Soon To Be Ubiquitous On New York Streets

Hamilton Nolan — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 10:10:15 EST

Remember how the invention of the Segway in 2001 revolutionized urban transport, to the point that cars have now vanished from the streets of Manhattan in favor of a fleet of two-wheeled scooters? Well get ready for the next generation of city movement: iShoes. Achieve 13.5 miles per hour for only $600! To see them in action is to become a believer[iShoes]:

Kitchen Sink Link-Dump #1: Damn Coffee Shops and Public Transit Workers

krucoff2 — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 09:33:29 EST

"You know that charming little cafe on New York's Lower East Side that just closed after a mere six months in business where coffee was served on silver trays with a glass of water and a little chocolate cookie?" No, but I guess it doesn't matter now. [Slate]
Because Brits have been following our lead since 1783, it should come as no surprise that London Underground workers are set to strike on New Year's Eve. Tell me again why we should be pro-union? [BBC]
If you need a J. Lo 2005 retrospective, direct your attention away from us and go here. [OAN]
The Corsair details every little thing that happened in 2005. This is just Part One. [The Corsair]
If I had a hammer, I would say shut the fuck up with it in the morning. Be glad you're not one of these philosobloggers. [Fake Barn Country]
Will your book sell? Statistically speaking, who knows. Realistically, no. [Maud Newton]

More Musings on India's Wondrous Highways

Jessica — Tue, 06 Dec 2005 08:53:29 EST

As the Times series on India continues to douse the brown folk with love, Gawker's subcontinental intern Neel Shah — who just happens to be languishing about the homeland as we speak — writes us in response to Sunday's first article on India's highways. As we're sure you recall, the moving piece was a brooding, brobdingnagian exploration of the national highway system, one of the country's most glorious achievements. Neel reports:

If the roads are so goddamn good in India, fair New York Times, why did it just take me 6 hours to go 60 miles? I really wish I were kidding.

Interesting. Good thing we outsource.

Earlier: The Unintentional Poetry of The New York Times : Subcontinental Edition