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Should the Subways Have Conversation Cars?


By

Ben Yakas

Published Jan 15, 2011

Modified Jan 15, 2011


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By

Ben Yakas

Published Jan 15, 2011

Modified Jan 15, 2011


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Everyone has heard of quiet cars (even if it's sometimes hard to define "quiet"), but what about conversation cars? That's the question posed by a piece in the News today. The idea is to reclaim the lose art of conversation, and to disconnect ourselves from our iPods, iPads, smart phones and obsessive self-interest. "What if, instead of treating your morning commute like a yoga retreat, you actually wanted to take a (wholesome, noncreepy) interest in one or two of the several thousand human beings around you. Where's the car for that? Where, on your bus or train, do you go for decent conversation?" We like the idea of it, but we wonder if it would descend into something more akin to a "pickup car" for singles (not that this would necessarily be a bad thing). Would you ride in a conversation car?

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conversation cars

quiet

rats

subway


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

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