Eating on the subway

Should eating on the subway and platforms be illegal?  A State Senator has proposed a bill that would bring a $250 fine if passed to anyone caught eating on the subway.  Eyewitness News wants to know what you think.  Post your comments (below) and they could appear on Eyewitness News First at 4 p.m.

Comments

[plumbing]

I personally don't like that kind of policy. Anyway, it is the only way to maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the subway.

[kmk]

How are they going to enforce this law? Let's spend more time worrying about things we can actually enforce like spitting on the street and using cellphones while at the theater. If the real issue is rats, wouldn't we be talking about littering...not eating.

[Mellisa @ Bank IFSC code details]

i dont think so it should be illegal. Its all about freedom. A person has rights to eat in public.

[Jeff]

I absolutely agree. There should NOT be any eating allowed on the platform, trains or the bus for that matter. This new law is not new at all. Its been on the books for years, just not enforced. Same as baby strollers are not allowed on the subway, UNLESS its folded up and the child is held or sits on parents lap. But nothing is enforced and thats the problem. The MTA spending more money on rat abatment is stupid. Dont eat in the subway and there wont be any food for the rats. PERIOD.Its just common sense.

[Jason R]

If you think about the amount of money taxpayers pay to have that food cleaned up out of subway cars it starts to make sense. Of course, the majority of New Yorkers don't throw their discarded banana peels on the train floor, but still, with over 4 million people riding each day you're bound to have a few slobs. This causes MTA workers to hire more people to take time to clean out the food at the end of each run. I think banning eating on the train is a good idea, but banning it on the platform is a little ridiculous.

[Cheri]

one more thing, sometimes I suffer from allergies and need to take a benadryl asap and I carry water with me for those times, so this Senator is saying ticket people, yeah you give me a ticket and I will see you in court! I repeat not a good idea!!! go play tennis and walk away from this one Senator!

[Cheri]

State Sen...needs to take a chill pill, he is asking for law suets! What if someone is choking and needs water, what if someone is diabetic and needs something and needs to eat something asap..., just ticket the ones who litter and move on from this, not a good idea....

[Lisa Lynn Hays]

Honestly speaking, I agree that it would be a "GREAT IDEA"! Why?Because, there would be "LESS RODENT'S and ROACHES" on the subway cars as well as the subway platforms. I ABSOLUTELY HATE RATS and I AM SERIOUSLY PETRIFIED of THEM. So if this will help to alleviate some of them, then so be it.

[Roksana]

There's many other important things to worry about then eating on the subway. Eating on the train or the platform is not fun but people are forced to do so because their lives are so busy. Most people grab their coffee in the morning and run for the bus or the train becaus they would get late for their job. Therefore it shouldn't be illegal to eat on the subway. Why does it bother the MTA or the Government? They just want to make people's life harder?

[Chad McCabe]

Are you for REAL ... come on ... what is this going to change ? what would be the reason to make it illegal ? what litter ? OK then have stricter monitoring of littering ... come on REALLY ... I see no positive reasons for this and like others have said above we have busy lives here in NY sometimes you only have the time you are in transit to get a quick meal in ... its not like they are setting up a table and having a 5 course meal ... come on ...

[Chanel]

I'm not sure if it needs to go as far as a law, but it IS disgusting. The subway is an underground petri dish. Between the rats (& possums) running around, people wiping their noses (and who knows what else) and then touching the poles, no way would I ever eat on the subway!

[Cee]

No, this should not be illegal. What needs to be taken into consideration is that some people have a long distance to travel, and they may be running late and during their commute might be their only way to get some food in their system. If they want to avoid rats in the station, CLEAN THE SUBWAY. NYC Transit is one of the greatest things in NYC that people take for granted. Being able to travel to basically anywhere in NYC for such a cheap price is a privilege, however not too many people value it because the subway is quite dirty and rat infested. The already existing mess in the subway causes some people to feel as if they can make mess as well. I travel to and from school five days a week, and I eat food in the train all the time however I make it my priority to make sure I actually throw away my thrash. If there is one thing they should make illegal and apply heavily is littering in the trains and stations. Also, NYC should pay more attention to other things in transit, for example, taking care of the homeless people. The homeless people refer to transit as their mobile home, which only causes discomfort and an odor in the trains and stations. NYC should attempt to place them in a shelter rather than have them live in the subway.

[Isabella]

Yes I think it should be illegal because if you think about it, it costs money to clean up the subways after the people who eat and don't clean up after themselves. So yes it should be illegal.

[Kevin S]

Aren't you tired of seeing people eating their lunch or dinner on the train and then throw their trash under the seat? 6 train riders know what I'm talking about!

[Schareese]

ABSOLITELY NOT!! What do you do if you have a hungry child OR if you y take medication that requires a snack first then what?? A sickening thought! Punish those who actually litter not all of us!!!

[marlene zeitschik]

YOU CANNOT STOP COMMUTERS FROM EATING ON THE SYSTEM, THEY NEED TO TAKE THE GARBAGE WITH THEM WHEN THEY GET OFF,

[Angie]

Since when did the united states become Russia. Sooner or later your going to get maimed for j walking. This is step one of Marshall law. What happen to this being a free country?

[Frieda]

Definite YES--some people are--& I hate to say it, but they are--PIGS! I saw a woman once throw garbage unto the subway tracks after eating & her child was with her.

[Damian]

I think this might be getting a little too much can't do this and that.
But unfortunately with so many people being ignorant and having no manners, it's unfortunate that laws like these will happen; they ruin it for the rest of us who actually have manners and don't litter!
So what we should do, is ticket people who are pigs and litter! Then maybe that will teach them some manners when they have to pay for it!
Make them pay not everyone!

[Caprice Shepherd]

What is this a communist country now. We can't grab a bite on the train, what's next no picnics in the park!

[Kathy]

Any changes to the laws on eating on subways must include exceptions in the cases of medical necessity such as a diabetic needing to eat something to bring glucose level to acceptable level.

[Tisha]

No I don't think eating on the the subway or platform should be banned. Everybody eats at some point of the day and for many busy New Yorkers it happens to be on the train or platform. I think some strap hangers just need to be a little more responsible and considerate i.e. PLACE YOU TRASH IN THE GARBAGE BIN. You do not throw your trash on the floor in your house, so why would you come on on the street and litter the train or platform!

[Corrine]

I think it should be because most people ignore the garbage bins and throw there trash on the floor. On the trains they throw it under the seats or leave it on the seats. I must admit I do eat on the platform but I find a garbage bin or if there isn't any I take my trash with me until I locate a garbage bin. I have encountered rats on the platform and I am scared of them. I will now learn not to eat in train stations and trains.

[Jaya]

No I do not believe eating in the subway should be illegal. When I get out of school I am starving and all I want to do is get food get on the train and go home. If eating in the subway become illegal then...well I think I just might cry! =,(

[Mike H]

Eating on the subway has always been inappropriate -especially in moving cars. It's a terrible & selfish habit, and if it significantly reduces vermin underground, then it should be outlawed as a fine. Still, $250 is too steep a cost. Perhaps $100 is appropriate.

[ROLANDE]

NO,IT SHOULDN'T BE ILLEGAL,BECAUSE HOW ABOUT PEOPLE WITH DIABETES,HBP OR PEOPLE WITH KIDS, AND YOU DONT KNOW HOW LONG IS THEIR TRIP TILL THEY GET HOME,KEEP ON EATING...........

[Johanna from BK]

NOT AT ALL! I don't think people should be fined for eating because there are people that don't have the time to eat elsewhere, while on their way to work, school, errands, etc. I think that the same way they will take measures to fine people who eat, they should fine the people who are actually littering!

[Lindsay Kiln]

This is the most ridiculous thing ever brought about. Of course not!! What if someone is running late and they need to eat something... or a little kid with a snack. Eating on the subway should always be aloud. And plus where else will all these New Yorkers enjoy their food, they are too busy. CRAZY.

[Hira Ahmed]

Yes, eating on subways should be illegal because people don't throw out their trash in the garbage cans after eating. They just throw their garbage on the floor. The garbage may lead to more rats and may be dangerous for health.

[Emily Grant]

If the Senator has his way, Transit will lose more money. Did they forget that they have concession stands that bring revenue to Transit? If straphangers can not eat in the subway, chances are, they wont buy snacks from the stands...
Provide more garbage cans for the trash... Fines should be for littering.

[Triston]

yes i think that i will see less rats and faster train service

[Christie]

I have an idea...why don't we just eat the rats? Other countries do it! Let's be really international.

[Anthony I]

If it will truly prevent rats then, YES!!!

[Joe Pinto]

One Word.....RATS!.The city is loaded with them and you can find them in any train station-Day or Night...RATS

[David Brooks]

Signs and announcements don't work...removal of the garbage cans didn't curb the problem...I've sat watching a member of NYPD's finest - as well as countless MTA employees - chowing down. No one takes the "no food or drink allowed" policy seriously...legislation and fines won't change it either. Instead, put the trash cans back underground and create food/drink friendly cars so people can do what they already do - and those who don't want to be subjected know they have a choice.

[mag51085]

HELL NO!!! There are some subway stations that have convenience stores in the station!!! Seriously what is the problem with it? Just another politician trying to stick his nose where it doesn't belong and try to generate revenue to make up for their over spending.

[Pochiraju Sivaram]

It's a genuine concern by the officials concerned. Banning won't help since journey by subway takes even one and half hours to two hours to reach the destination considering the waiting time, train transfer and delay.Commuters especially diabetic patients,children and senior citizen get hungry since they can't wait that long to have food. It is too harsh on them.

The commuters should be warned strictly not to throw any leftover food either on platform or in the train.

[dl]

Most of the rats are from the MTA "garbage" storeage, and from garbage thrown in the tracks (i.e. already consumed proably before entering). I don't know if those who bring coffee on the train would consider their beverage "rat food"!?! In addition, who would enforce the "no food/no beverage" ruling????

[Elisia Dones]

Eating on the subways and platforms is part of being a New Yorker. As a tansplanted person from Oklahoma the first thing I learned in NYC was eat a slice of pizza on the subway. The MTA should use more of the money they charge us for rat control.

[Rosemarie]

NO. doesn't the state senator have more important issues to be worried about? Sometimes people eat in the subways and platforms between jobs and school or other activities. Our lifestyles are just to damn busy to stop and eat elswhere. REALLY!!!!