Public Service Announcement: Empty Subway Cars

If you've recently moved to New York or are preparing to visit, there are a number of helpful things you should know. Subway routes. North, South, East and West. Landmarks. How to tip (if anyone feeds you or moves you from one place to another, give them money). Burgers cost a minimum of $9, even at the divey dives, so don't act all shocked. Beers cost $5 and cocktails are at least $10, and you gotta tip the bar staff extra nice. This isn't the Midwest. You gotta pay to play. But, in your defense, eager tourist or bright-eyed new resident, you can't be expected to know the finer points of taking on the city and keeping your sanity on your first day. To improve the quality of your time here in the Big Apple, The Karma Cycle is henceforth issuing Public Service Announcements to cue you in on the hard-won knowledge that you won't find in guide books or Zagat's.

Today's PSA: If, during peak commuting times, the train is completely stuffed except for one car, DO NOT, under any circumstances, enter the empty car. There is one and only one reason for the lack of passengers. A homeless person has set up residence in said car and is compromising the air quality with his or her body odor and/or stench created from bodily functions.

I made this mistake once as a NYC neophyte and just today saw some unfortunate soul make the same error during the evening rush hour and run gasping for the doors between the cars. The stink had invaded my car too, which was behind the empty one, no doubt due to people escaping the offending vapors. Occasionally, in summer, the air conditioning in a car will break and the car will carry fewer passengers than usual. Even in this situation, there will still be people in the car if the train is crowded. But, to maintain your commuting comfort, choose a different, normally-populated car if possible.

EMPTY SUBWAY CAR = STINKY SUBWAY CAR