Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

News

Video: Sleeping Man Arrested On Nearly Empty F Train


By

Rebecca Fishbein

Published Jul 3, 2014

Modified Jul 3, 2014


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

Rebecca Fishbein

Published Jul 3, 2014

Modified Jul 3, 2014


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

A YouTube video of a man being arrested on a nearly empty F train—for allegedly falling asleep during his early morning commute—has been making the rounds on the Internet. According to the NYPD, which confirmed the arrest, the unidentified individual was "occupying more than one seat," which is a violation of the MTA's rules of conduct.

2014_06_subwayarrest1.jpg

Cops say the incident reportedly took place on May 30th at around 4:18 a.m. on a northbound F train stopped at 57th Street and 6th Ave. Though the video's poster has not responded to request for further comment, the caption claims in shows a man being arrested "for dozing off on his way home from work." In the video, the man repeatedly tells the NYPD he fell asleep, and eventually informs whoever is filming, "I'm coming from work, and they fuck with me because I'm sleeping. And there are bums that sleep on the train."

NYPD says the individual was "committing a Transit Rules and Regulations violation of laying outstretched occupying more than one seat," and was also charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration in the second degree and violating a local law. The video does show him shoving the cops while they are trying to restrain him and a female police officer appears to hit him with a baton.

It's not unusual for cops to ticket people for taking up more than one seat on the subway, and there have been reports of fines being issued even during late night commutes on empty trains.

As per the MTA's rules of conduct, sleeping or dozing on a train is permissible provided it is not "hazardous to such person or to others or may interfere with the operation of the Authority's transit system or the comfort of its passengers."

Tagged

arrest

f train

nypd

subway

subway seat hog

original


Rebecca Fishbein

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE news

Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says

It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.

By

Liam Quigley

Published Sep 28, 2026 at 4:15 p.m. ET


New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ

The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.

By

Arya Sundaram

News

New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ

The Garden State now requires that corn masa dough and flour made and sold in the state be fortified with folic acid.

By

Arya Sundaram


A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.

By

Samantha Max

Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910

By

Michael Sol Warren

NYC nor’easter dries up after weather service reports minor flooding

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 .