How shitty will my trip be? With no subways, no busses? Anyone have any ability to calculate the percentage more I'll be spending on transportation? I can get a $24 metrocard for free rides all over the city for 7 days

taxi fares:

Initial fare.............$2.00
Each 1/5 mile (4 blocks).$0.30
Each 1 minute idle.......$0.20
Night surcharge..........$0.50 (after 8pm until 6am)
Additional riders........FREE

will my trip suck ass if there's no transit? will everyone in the whole city not be using the cabs? surely there's not enough cabs for the whole city

12/19/2005 11:14:20 PM

Sounds like you need to put on your walking shoes.

30 cents per 1/5 of a mile? That's laughably ridiculous.

12/19/2005 11:16:15 PM

oh i'm gonna walk alot anyway, but I was hoping for the subway. it's going to fucking suck to have to walk the whole city.

12/19/2005 11:24:34 PM

How far is your trip.

If it is __________ distance it will suck _________

walking not that much
biking somewhat
marathon lots

12/19/2005 11:25:31 PM

i heard from an nyc friend they did a sort of half-strike the other day.

the trains still ran, but they would only open the doors halfway and they turned the heat all the way up so that the cars were unreasonably warm.

12/19/2005 11:25:57 PM

1. buy a cheap bike that no one will want to steal
2. ...
3. profit!

12/19/2005 11:28:01 PM

^^Haha, I hadn't heard about that.

- The buses here in Queens stopped running this morning. They aren't officially part of the MTA, therefore aren't subject to legal action for striking.

- Last Friday, they intentionally slowed down the 4,5, and 6 lines (the commuter lines on the East side, that go down Lexington) during the morning rush hours seemingly to show that they weren't bluffing, causing many people to catch cabs or walk downtown instead to get to work.

-ZiP!-

12/20/2005 12:42:42 AM

By the way, DirtyGreek, perhaps you hadn't heard the cab contingency plans. Apparently there has been a citywide push by Bloomburg to charge a flat $10 in given "zones" (Manhattan was split into 4 zones, and each other borough is a single zone), with an additional $5 fee to go into another "zone." On the news this evening, not all drivers were aware of those charges, so who knows what will happen. I'm not sure that the livery cabs (the black lincoln town cars, not the yellow cabs) would follow that, though.

-ZiP!-

12/20/2005 12:45:49 AM

12/20/2005 1:54:56 AM

Sounds like it's officially happening... I don't have to go to work tomorrow. I hope they get this settled by thursday so i can get to the airport........

12/20/2005 2:16:59 AM

the terrorists win

12/20/2005 2:34:46 AM

darn, my sienfeld rickshaw pic went away.

"City officials have said a transit strike could cost the city as much as $400 million a day."

12/20/2005 3:49:50 AM

Greek: You will be FUCKED as a tourist if they strike, because every taxi in the city will be BOOKED until it ends and they are going to jack their rates to compensate.

Get used to walking.

12/20/2005 4:55:48 AM

Quote :

"By the way, DirtyGreek, perhaps you hadn't heard the cab contingency plans. Apparently there has been a citywide push by Bloomburg to charge a flat $10 in given "zones" (Manhattan was split into 4 zones, and each other borough is a single zone), with an additional $5 fee to go into another "zone." On the news this evening, not all drivers were aware of those charges, so who knows what will happen. I'm not sure that the livery cabs (the black lincoln town cars, not the yellow cabs) would follow that, though."

yeah but won't they all be full?

^ like noen said

12/20/2005 7:13:29 AM

Well they struck. Guess you will be able to tell us now.

[Edited on December 20, 2005 at 8:01 AM. Reason : -]

12/20/2005 7:58:20 AM

crap crap crap.

i've got a carpool for today, but i'm screwed the rest of the week

-ZiP!-

12/20/2005 8:43:07 AM

^^^I forgot to mention, they are allowed to pick up multiple passengers that are going in the same direction (not sure if they'll do that or not)

-ZiP!-

12/20/2005 8:44:00 AM

taxis can't jack their rates - right?

12/20/2005 9:02:03 AM

see my earlier post. but legally, no, the yellow cabs are supposed to charge the amount that the city agrees on.

-ZiP!-

12/20/2005 9:06:46 AM

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/20/nyc.transit/index.html

bloomberg walked

12/20/2005 9:22:41 AM

YOU'LL BE FINE. I would say get a rental car at the airport, but I heard on the radio this morning that certain zones require a minimum of 4 total being in the car.

12/20/2005 10:01:28 AM

anywhere below 96th st you cant cross in to manhattan with less than 4 people in your car. U better pick up some hitch hikers.

12/20/2005 10:03:16 AM

The zone thing is really good if you live in the Bronx and are going downtown, or to Brooklyn. But in Manhattan it's very expensive. The "zones" are like twenty blocks, so it can be $15 to go 20 blocks.

If you're going to be in Manhattan, get a cheap bike. The west side has that fantastic strip where there are no cars allowed. Then you can just lock it up and walk crosstown.

I'm trying to think of something positive to say about this, but this week is pretty much going to suck

12/20/2005 10:06:20 AM

So who do you guys think is in the wrong the MTA or the union?

12/20/2005 10:39:01 AM

fuck riding a bike. its freezing. i'm considering not going now. i planned on flying up monday for a few days, but i'm staying my ass in florida.

12/20/2005 10:49:04 AM

do you think I shouldn't go? The thing is, I'm hearing from some people "in the know" that this won't last until the 27th, which is when I'm going. god dammit! It doesn't happen my entire lifetime, and when I finally decide to go with my girlfriend and plan it for 3 months, i get fucked

and the thing is, I don't know if the strikers are in the right or not, so I don't know whether to be mad at them or the city. not that it matters, either way I'm screwed if they don't fix this shit

12/20/2005 10:51:34 AM

a) If this lasts a week I'm moving back to NC.

b) No privately owned business in the world pays people without an education as much as the MTA. Nobody allows their workers to retire with half pay at 55. And no company gives a 28% raise over three years. Fuck the union. Plus, Sharpton is never on the "right" side.

12/20/2005 11:01:28 AM

it's all about you isn't it?

12/20/2005 11:12:15 AM

Quote :

"So who do you guys think is in the wrong the MTA or the union?"

well, given that:

the rule of law of these united states says that the strike is illegal

and

the only reason that the strike happened is because the union workers are lazy and don't want to be accountable for their lives

i'm going to go with MTA

12/20/2005 11:22:05 AM

Quote :

"the only reason that the strike happened is because the union workers are lazy and don't want to be accountable for their lives"

um care to elaborate on this? just curious to see how far out ur ass u can talk.

12/20/2005 11:27:30 AM

^ nobody is prevented from getting a better job in this country, they just have to go get it



lolers

the union workers AVERAGE 13 SICK DAYS a year

that's not vacation, that's i'm just not coming to work days


[Edited on December 20, 2005 at 11:29 AM. Reason : ghdfg]

12/20/2005 11:27:42 AM

no subway is going to suck

the times i have visited nyc we walked everywhere but still used the subway for distances
and my feet were still tired every day even using the subways.
manhatten may not look big on a map, but when you have to walk from 14th st to 76th st you are going to hate yourself. and i'm sure the cab fare would hurt as well.

12/20/2005 11:29:33 AM

i don't really know who to blame. but somehow, part of me can't help but be a little angry at the striking workers picketing around each of the significant stations.

-ZiP!-

[Edited on December 20, 2005 at 3:22 PM. Reason : i have to ride a bike tomorrow to work ]

12/20/2005 3:22:19 PM

Quote :

"the only reason that the strike happened is because the union workers are lazy and don't want to be accountable for their lives"

sounds harsh, but its probably true. this isn't about wages or anything, this is about these bastards wanting to be able to retire EVEN EARLIER than they already are allowed. NO ONE gets to retire at 55, which they already do, but they want to be able to retire even earlier?? thats ridiculous

it would be impossible to pay the all retirees half their salary for the extra 30-40 years or so they'd be alive.

12/20/2005 3:32:41 PM

CBS) NEW YORK The international arm of the Transport Workers Union is stunned and angry that its Local 100, representing New York subway and bus workers, turned down a contract offer from management and ordered its members to walk off their jobs, CBS2 News has learned.

Sources within other large public employee unions tell CBS2 reporter Marcia Kramer that the TWU's international leadership is considering taking over the local and seeking a settlement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Those sources say the upper level of the TWU thinks the MTA's latest offer is fair and worthy of further consideration and negotiation. They stand against a militant faction within Local 100 that pressed hard for a strike.

Here's a look at the key issues in the transit talks:

PENSIONS: The Metropolitan Transportation Authority had originally wanted to raise the age at which new employees become eligible for full a pension from 55 to 62. The union balked at that proposal. The MTA later agreed to allow pension eligibility to remain at 55 for new employees, but asked that the new workers contribute 6 percent of their salaries for their first 10 years of employment.

WAGES: The MTA had proposed annual raises of 3 percent. The union wanted higher pay increases; a later MTA offer included annual raises of 3 percent, 4 percent and 3.5 percent.

HEALTH: The MTA wants new employees to contribute 1 percent of their salary to pay for health insurance. Transit workers currently do not have to pay anything for health insurance.

SECURITY: The union wants disaster-preparedness training for its work force, following transit system bombings in Madrid and London.

HOLIDAYS: The latest MTA proposal also included added the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

DISCIPLINE: The TWU would like to eleiminate several rules and penalties that go with them. The union considers these rule and penalties "draconian."

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_354094519.html

12/20/2005 3:35:42 PM

THE MTA IS WAY OUTTA LINE, I MEAN, NONE OF THAT IS REASONABLE AT ALL

RIDICULOUS

12/20/2005 3:38:58 PM

so how long are they striking for.


my ex-gf is headed there for a week and I'm hoping she has a terrible time and misses me dearly.



btw: i'm a bitter son of a b!tch.

12/20/2005 3:46:33 PM

I had no problem getting a cab this morning, I was fortunate enough to only have one other person join me...but I did see and hear a couple stories of cabs with 5 people crammed in. That was at like 7:45 though, so it might be a lot worse when I get out of work.

The 10 bucks really isnt that much of a ripoff. If you are going anywhere that would be less than a $10 ride than you could walk without TOO much of a problem, although its pretty damn cold.

I would say that depending on what you are planning on doing in the city it might not be worth it. If you are planning on doing a lot of stuff in one area or areas, i.e. spend a half a day in midtown, halfday going to UES museums, half day downtown/WallStreet/Chinatown/Battery Park you will be alright. But if you are thinking youll go eat at Tom's Restaurant on the UWS, see the Statue of Liberty, then go the the Empire State Building, and shoot around like that its probably not the best time.

12/20/2005 3:47:25 PM

Quote :

"13 SICK DAYS a year"

thats about one a month, thats nothing

12/20/2005 3:48:22 PM

haha, holy shit

just saw on the news that a judge just imposed a ONE MILLION dollar a day fine against the union.

12/20/2005 3:53:42 PM

honestly i hate unions... if you don't like the job, quit. sure, i think it is important for workers to be treated with respect and paid fairly. but every interaction i have had with them just shows me that A. they protect the lazy and don't reward those who work hard (flat hourly pay rates) B. their workers are overpaid (i.e. people working in my refinery with NO degree and little skill STARTING at $55k) C. they act like a bunch of mobsters (oh wait, half of them are run by mobsters) threatening and leaning on companies for unreasonable and unjustified benefits and D. their strikes cost their companies and people in general $$$ (think if refinery workers went on strike... i'm sure you all would love $5/gal gasoline)

12/20/2005 3:59:30 PM

God damn.

I'd quit my shit right now and get a job as an NYC bus driver if I was smart.

12/20/2005 4:08:23 PM

^^^^ i only get five days a year :-(

[Edited on December 20, 2005 at 4:16 PM. Reason : ^bump^]

12/20/2005 4:16:04 PM

^that is how many sick days they actually take off not how many they get

12/20/2005 4:25:28 PM

Quote :

"NEW YORK -- The city's subway and bus workers went on strike Tuesday for the first time in more than 25 years, stranding millions of commuters, holiday shoppers and tourists at the height of the Christmas rush. A judge promptly slapped the union with a $1 million-a-day fine, beginning Tuesday."

http://www.wnbc.com/traffic/5532275/detail.html

12/20/2005 4:36:17 PM

Quote :

"just saw on the news that a judge just imposed a ONE MILLION dollar a day fine against the union."

the article also said the union has about 3.6 million in assets.

12/20/2005 4:54:04 PM

this is why living in a big city sucks. i don't know how people stand it regardless

12/20/2005 4:57:48 PM

I'd go anyway. Use cabs, walk, and if you want to see the tourist sites, use the red "Grey Line" buses that take you from place to place. You can get a 3 day pass on those for pretty cheap as I recall and they're not owned by the MTA so they'll still be up and going. Make an adventure of it.

12/20/2005 5:01:30 PM

^my bet is that those graylines will be full of new yorkers.

[Edited on December 20, 2005 at 5:08 PM. Reason : er]

12/20/2005 5:08:41 PM

set 'em up

-ZiP!-

12/20/2005 5:27:17 PM