Subway Culture

I experienced something I rarely have while riding the subways in New York City. It’s probably because this time I was in a morning rush=hour situation, rather than the gentle late morning travel.

The experience was “rudeness!”

Crowded lines waiting for a train. The train was late and the crowd large. I was there first, but kept being pushed back from passengers who wanted the same train.

I didn’t make it on two trains that arrived and departed and finally I left the gathering crowd underground and hailed a cab topside to get to my destination.

Actually I remember this type of pushing rudeness when traveling in other countries. I won’t name names, but there are cultures that push and shove because that’s all they know or have experienced in their home countries.

The only country where politeness in crowded transportation situations was the norm, in my experience, was Japan.

I am in the great New York City several times a month. I love it, but I will try to keep my meetings away from early morning.