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TheRealPatricio44 t1_j8fzpp8 wrote

Reply to comment by DirectorBeneficial48 in Hey Transit People: We've got to do better than 1 comment about PATH service cuts by ffejie

Speaking about the lack of trash cans ... A few weeks back I was waiting for a delayed train at journal square, went from the middle of the station area where you board the trains all the way to the front of it searching for one but of course there aren't any. I asked the conductor who happened to be in the other train if he had any idea why there are no trash cans, and he told me it was something about a security risk??? Meanwhile almost every NYC subway station has at least one.

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DirectorBeneficial48 t1_j8gu439 wrote

It's an excuse. I printed out pictures of trash cans at subway stations everywhere from NYC to DC to Atlanta to Israel to Tokyo. "The PATH is the most threatened network in the world". Fuck outta here. Anything to save a buck

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ffejie OP t1_j8g61vn wrote

Sadly, a lot of MTA stations have taken out trash cans as well. It turns out that people put trash in them and then someone has to empty them. Novel, I know.

Anyhow, the MTA figured out there's less trash in the stations if you don't have trash cans, because (most) people will just hold on to their trash rather than throw it near/on an overfull trash can. Also, then the MTA doesn't have to empty any trash cans. A real win/win if you're the MTA and a real lose if you're a customer who wants basic services. See also: bathrooms.

This would be like if a restaurant decided not to use utensils because they were sick of cleaning them, and just told everyone to eat with their hands/bring their own. But hey, when you're a government service ...

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Maleficent-Walk6784 t1_j8gmkss wrote

Trash cans in stations ARE a security risk. In the UK we used to have IRA bombs planted in them in busy stations especially by the exits where there would be dozens of people. Now if there are any they are clear so that you can see the contents. It was a surprise to me when I moved to the US to see trash cans in station locations with heavy foot traffic.

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ffejie OP t1_j8gmtka wrote

But you gave the answer! Clear trash cans! Novel!

It turns out we can do the same here, but it was never really about security. It was about cost cutting. Always.

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Ainsel72l t1_j8gpjdt wrote

Most of our cans were removed after 9/11. Bombs being hidden in trash cans was a real fear here, too. Backpacks were randomly searched. Look what happened at the Boston Marathon. Exploding backpacks. Clear cans are a nice idea though.

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PutridLight t1_j8lh9p3 wrote

Subways with a bathroom? Now your just adding jet fuel to a homeless crisis fire and the inevitable person with a mental illness attack on an innocent straphanger.

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ffejie OP t1_j8lhqb4 wrote

I have bad news about what happens when you take away the bathrooms. The homeless crisis doesn't go away and neither do people's bodily functions.

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PutridLight t1_j8lkopw wrote

Correct, it doesn’t go away, it further encourages it.

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NewNewark t1_j8jjjey wrote

> Anyhow, the MTA figured out there's less trash in the stations if you don't have trash cans, because (most) people will just hold on to their trash rather than throw it near/on an overfull trash can. Also, then the MTA doesn't have to empty any trash cans. A real win/win if you're the MTA and a real lose if you're a customer who wants basic services. See also: bathrooms. > >

This is false. They ran a pilot on this assumption (based on Japan) and found people were happy to throw their garbage on the tracks. Many trash cans were restored.

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