Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Hilarious D Train Fight Caught on Tape
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 23, 2009
Modified Oct 23, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 23, 2009
Modified Oct 23, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
While it lacks the visceral intensity of the San Francisco bus fight video masterpiece, in some ways this audio recording of a nasty argument on the D train is even more enthralling, because it leaves something to the imagination. (We're picturing Edith Bunker vs. Rachel Dratch.) Commuter Joellen Nicholson, who published the video on YouTube, calls it "just another night on the D train comin' home from work. Kudos to the subway Samaritan, who I've named 'Father Subway,' for taking control of the situation."
"Be quiet, I've gotta BABY-sit you!" Nicholson tells us the fight broke out between two women who definitely knew each other, on Wednesday night around 10 p.m., between the Grand Street and Atlantic/Pacific stations. She says one of the women had "a beer belly, as her friend kindly pointed out in the audio. She kinda reminded me a little of Penny Marshall." The other woman "had kind of a manly build, short bi-level hair cut."
According to Nicholson, "There was a little bit of 'smacking' but it didn’t get too far because two men jumped in right away to separate the two ladies... From what I could get out of the conversation one was upset that the other didn’t leave the bar when she said she was going to... I have an old iPhone so couldn’t shoot video. I used the voice memo app on my phone. I started about 5 minutes into the fighting after I realized a) this wasn’t a set up b) it was only getting better AND c) I needed proof to give the moment justice!" And give it justice she did. Who wants to help put together a sock-puppet play to match the audio?
Tagged
d train
drama
fight
nyc
subway
video
voices
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Forest Hills Stadium can keep its concerts under deal with neighbors
Neighbors had complained of traffic and loud concerts for years.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 2:49 p.m. ET
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
News
NYC Council to grill Mamdani officials on collapsed Hunts Point Produce Market deal
Council Speaker Julie Menin called the $650 million plan "mission critical."
By
Elizabeth Kim
NYPD arrests 17-year-old in fatal Midtown subway platform shooting
By
Charles Lane
Ex-Adams aide accused of pocketing kickbacks from community program funds
By
Samantha Max
MTA to begin 6-year project to upgrade signal tech on A and C lines in Brooklyn and Queens
By
Ramsey Khalifeh
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .