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Subway Station Emergency Exits Are Busted
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 20, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 20, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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You know those "Emergency Exits" at subway stations with the panic bars? And how even though they are "Emergency Exits," they are inevitably the ones that people with big packages or strollers often use, whether with help from a station agent or just setting off the "WEE!! WEE!! WEE!!" alarm? Well, that kind of usage is causing the alarms to break down and malfunction frequently.
The Post reports that even though the Emergency Exits were designed as emergency exits for the High Entrance-Exit Turnstiles (the "Iron Maiden" turnstiles; since the HEETs are more cumbersome to deal with), riders don't get it and use them so much that now their alarms will go off randomly. The Straphangers Campaign suggests that the MTA embark on a public awareness campaign to explain what the panic bars really mean. We're not sure if that's going to stop anyone from using them, unless more HEETs are installed or people get less impatient.
The special Emergency Exits were added last year. And Emergency Exits are different from Service Entries - but either way, you need permission to use them.
Photograph of emergency exit at Lawrence Station from the MTA
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The Straphangers
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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
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