Recently, I have started a new commute. It involves two trains; one that takes me into the heart of Manhattan and another that takes me far, far north, out of the city. No matter how you look at it, it still is a two-hour commute. It is a little out of hand. No, it is lot out of hand, but I am not writing to complain about my daily voyage. Heck, most people would be happy to get a good half hour of shut-eye on their way to work.
What I’ve been thinking about is one of the subway mores. (By the way, what is the singular of mores?) If you didn’t know, there is an unwritten list of rules to follow if you are to be a New York subway rider. The sheer density of riders, especially during rush hour, keeps compliance remarkably high. The subway is probably the most orderly environment in all of New York.
Let me see if I can list the Train’s informal rules, so you can get a picture of what I am talking about. This is how rush hour keeps itself in order:
Sit in one seat only
Please, no talking
No eating of food, especially McDonalds french fries
Small, non-protruding bags only
Let people off the train before you get on
Keep reading material out of other’s personal space
Let the more deserved sit before you
I have been thinking about the last one on the list. It is the women, children and the elderly rule. Of course, if I pregnant woman stands in front of you, you should let her sit. A mother and a kid, without question. Anyone with a cane, definitely. But what about those in the grey area? What about a middle-aged woman? Someone who is obese? Someone who just got out of the gym?
My question is at what point should does chivalry stop and equality take over? Considering the fact that I recently ran the New York Marathon, a fairly large portion of the population that is more deserving of a seat than skinny ol’ me. I am on the top of the give-your-seat-up list. Does this mean that I should never sit down?
I have started standing during this half-hour segment of my commute till I figure this out. It makes me feel better about the whole issue. I just don’t know about the grey area. Where does it start or end? If I never sit down, I don’t have to get up for anyone. Because, I dare say, when I lay claim to a seat, you better be pretty damn well deserved for me to stand back up.
