Just as the NYPD tried to tackle jaywalking a few years ago, cops are not stringently ticketing commuters (who are already being screwed by the MTA) for putting their feet up on train seats…even when train cars are nearly empty.
The Gothamist details how two people have received $50 fines for putting their feet up on seats nearby despite the fact that they did so on nearly empty cars after midnight.
One such case included a Fashion Institute of Technology student who received two fines on two consecutive days even though he did so at around 2:30 AM.
According to the Gothamist, here is what happened after the student was ticketed for the second time: “’After the second time, I asked the officer, ‘Really, what’s going on? Why is this happening?’” the Harlem resident and Cincinnati native said. “And he told me, ‘Recently we’ve been told to write tickets instead of give warnings for this type of thing.’ He said they need to hit quotas.” Stevens admitted to stretching out the first time, but in the second case he insists he merely had his legs crossed. “The officer said it was a danger because people can get robbed on the subway if they fall asleep, which I didn’t. Give me a break.’”
In another case, a 58-year-old man received the same ticket at almost the same time of night when he wouldn’t be bothering anyone.
Since the MTA instituted the law that prohibits taking up more than one seat the city has been fining nearly 1,000 commuters for the violation in a cheap attempt to raise money for the city by collecting from taxpayers who haven’t done anything wrong.
