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by chimeracoder 2904 days ago
> I think you may be confusing the countdown clocks with the kiosks

No, I'm not. I know the difference between the kiosks and the overhead clocks.

> I simply don't believe that somebody could take the subway on a daily basis and think the countdown clocks are that inaccurate.

Benjamin Kabak, whom I linked above, has been covering the MTA and transit in New York for over a decade, in addition to being a daily subway rider. Offhand, I can't think of a single independent journalist who has more comprehensive knowledge of the minutiae of the NYC transit systems than he does, let alone a more established track record of documenting not only the visible problems, but the factors that create those problems. If that, combined with the other data provided, isn't convincing, I don't know what else could be.

1 comments

You haven't really provided any data. A few random tweets about incidents, only one about the countdown clocks where the next response offers a probable explanation.

You're trying to sell me on a different version of reality, here. You're telling me a system I rely on every single day is completely unreliable.

Do you live in NYC? Do you take the trains? Go put your theory to the test. Go sit at at a busy train station for 20m and watch the countdown clocks tick down until the train comes. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised. The countdown clocks are just about the only part of the MTA system that works.

> You're trying to sell me on a different version of reality, here.... Give the MTA their single, well-deserved victory. Put your theory for the test. Go sit at at a busy train station for 20m and watch the countdown clocks tick down until the train comes. I promise you'll be pleasantly surprised.

I'm not trying to sell you on anything. In fact, I'm not even interested in continuing this discussion. I've provided you with a reference to the most well-respected journalist covering the technical details of the MTA and NYC transit. If you're really interested in learning more, it's not hard to do some basic Googling and find their extensive coverage and analysis of this problem.

> Do you live in NYC? Do you take the trains? I'm so confused -- are you astroturfing for some reason?

Just because someone presents information that contradicts your anecdotal experience, that doesn't mean they're astroturfing. Though at this point, if you're going to start slinging bad-faith accusations with no basis, it's pretty clear this conversation is going nowhere.

> it's pretty clear this conversation is going nowhere.

Yes, obviously, because you keep saying "look at the data" while providing none of relevance. Nobody's arguing that the MTA is rife with delays and poor planning, we're talking about the countdown clocks specifically.

The countdown clocks do not show the scheduled time. They use Bluetooth receivers to physically track the trains [1]. Your fundamental premise is wrong.

I'm honestly curious -- do you Uber everywhere? How often do you take the train?

1. http://www.thetransitwire.com/2017/09/01/mta-uses-bluetooth-...