Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Barefoot Subway Manspreading: The Real NYC Horror Story


By

Ben Yakas

Published Jun 15, 2018

Modified Jun 15, 2018


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 .

Megan Paolone

 


By

Ben Yakas

Published Jun 15, 2018

Modified Jun 15, 2018


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

Sometimes nice things happen on the subway. Other times it is an unyielding hellscape filled with frustration, pervs, and sociopathic behavior. This week, one New Yorker was confronted with the worst of humanity on her ride home: "Tried to go to Hereditary and it was sold out but the great news is that I saw something else just as horrifying on my train ride home!!!!!" tweeted Megan Paolone.

Paolone was riding a Brooklyn-bound R train Wednesday around 7:30 p.m. when she encountered the gollum in the flesh, bemoaning "the double horror of manspreading + a bare foot. (Triple horror if you consider he's also wearing flip-flops.)"

"I'm not sure it went unnoticed by most people, but no one said anything to my knowledge," she said of her fellow straphangers, whose sheer terror at the audacity of such a person sent them scurrying into the panic rooms of their minds.

61518foot3.jpg
HELLO THERE STRANGER

We've talked about this before. We've talked about this several times. The subway is a communal space; it takes just a modicum of courtesy to realize that wiping your fungus-infested toes all over seats where millions of other people sit everyday is pretty rude. Do you think that subway seats are cleaned every day? Don't kid yourself. And just as bad, you're hogging seats that other people might really want (or need) to use. Most people are just trying to get from Point A to Point B—let's all be mindful of other people.

Unless you are a beer-drinking subway riding mama. Then you get a pass. But everyone else is on notice.

Tagged

MTA

subway

subway etiquette

train

we the commuters

original


Ben Yakas

Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.

A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.

By

Sonia Rao

Published Sep 26, 2026


There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.

See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.

By

Hannah Frishberg

Arts & Entertainment

There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.

See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.

By

Hannah Frishberg


A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.

By

Hannah Frishberg

How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest

By

Sonia Rao

NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says

By

Hannah Frishberg


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 .