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The Dangers of Leaning on a Subway Pole
By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 22, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jun 22, 2004
Modified Mar 6, 2008
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Gothamist has long wondered about subway train car etiquette - we do give up seats for the elderly, disabled, pregnant, or enchilded; we do move into the subway car when it's crowded - but we've never gotten into fights about it with people, just shot them dirty looks when they bock the train doors or refuse to move their bags from the otherwise empty seats. The Village Voice reveals that an argument between a 23 year-old woman who was leaning against a subway pole on a B train and a supervising Kings County DA over the pole led to the woman's arrest and 30 hours in lock-up! Eleanor Black and Aaron Nottage (5'2" and 5'9" respectively) argued over the pole (Nottage felt Black was hogging the pole and told her not to take up so much room; Black retorted that Nottage should not take up so much room by going on a diet), then got into a fight outside after Nottage took her bag off the train with him (Black told the Voice "I started hitting him on the arm. I grabbed his dreadlocks. I mean, I'm a girl, that's how girls fight."), then the police came... Read the Voice story for details on how Nottage threw his (figurative) weight around to make Black go through the system and how some cops felt very badly for what happened ("My heart went out to her; so did everyone's in the precinct. This guy [Nottage] was about twice her size."). Black is now out on $1,000 bail and has a hearing today. This is just a crazy, crazy story. It's a good lesson about not getting into fights on the train. And Gothamist was worried about the photo ban!
Black says she was leaning against the pole after giving up her seat to an old Chinese lady. Gothamist admits that we've leaned on poles - who hasn't - but usually during times when the train is fairly empty. We tend not to lean when there's the possibility that people would rather grab the pole, since Gothamist isn't fond of holding onto the pole when people are leaning on them...what's your subway pole policy?
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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