Attacks and crime make New Yorkers afraid to ride the subway – they are increasingly renting scooters or bicycles

When Devin Stagg and his wife Ashley moved from Provo, Utah to Manhattan in March 2021, they were relieved to unload their cars. They live in Midtown West, which is close to the N, R and W trains, as they wanted to avoid the hassle of parking. But just over a month after they moved in, Ashley, a nurse, had a harrowing experience on the F train near Prospect Park, reports New York Post.

A group of men riding the subway on a Friday night around 19:00 pm began to make eyes at her and the other women. They pointed to their wallets. A moment later, Ashley saw that one of the men was holding what looked like a sharp weapon. She was unharmed, but felt in danger, so she got off the train at the next stop. Now the couple avoids the subway at all costs.

“It was that moment when you hear, read about these things, and suddenly it happens to you,” Devin said.

A wave of crime continues to terrorize the city, and New Yorkers are abandoning the subway in favor of Citi bikes, scooters, expensive taxis, Uber

From January to August this year, 373 subway passengers and workers were assaulted for violent crimes, compared to 314 during the same period in 2021. The latest MTA passenger survey showed that only 33% of them are satisfied with their safety on the trains. And the remaining 67% want more police in the subway. Meanwhile, in August last year, Citi Bike had the highest attendance figure ever. And according to the spokesperson, as of Sept. 1, the number of participants is up 10% year-on-year.

“We chose Citi bikes and try to avoid the subway,” said Stagg, who works in the marketing department. The couple shelled out $185 each for a membership, and they recently bought a $1000 electric scooter.

“It's safer to take risks with New York traffic and pedestrians than to worry on the subway,” he remarked. “At least you can drive safely.”

Lesley Keppel, 57, an Upper East Side psychotherapist, bought her first Yamaha motor scooter shortly after 11/XNUMX for safety reasons.

Now every member of her family - husband, son, daughter - has his own scooter. And they ride it more than ever.

“I don't ride the subway. I don’t feel safe there,” she stressed. “So many mentally ill and drug-using people are now on trains seeking asylum.”

On the subject: Robbers on a scooter operate in Brooklyn and the Bronx

Her daughter, who is a student at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, has had several bad experiences on the subway in recent months.

“She got into an empty carriage, and there was a half-naked man who started playing with himself. She could not see it, ”Keppel shared her story. And she remembered how her daughter witnessed an incident where a teenager threatened other school-age children by patting the pocket of his jeans, as if he had a weapon.

“She was just dumbfounded,” the excited mother said. “I feel safer when I send my 22-year-old daughter on a mini motorcycle to race through the streets of Manhattan. You have more control compared to the subway, where you can't control the people around you."

Morningside Heights resident Veronica Ehamo, a part-time teacher and Ph.D., was horrified by a mass shooting on a train during rush hour in April in Sunset Park

Since then, she has been cycling. Either spending more than he can afford on taxis or Ubers and reminiscing about the simple old days.

“Many years ago, I would have fallen asleep on the E train from Jamaica, Queens to Manhattan’s 42nd Street stop without a second thought,” Ehamo, 28, said. “Then I felt really safe. I was on the phone with headphones on and didn't think twice about who might be around."

But now, in most cases, she does not take the train even in broad daylight. And if it sits down, it is in a state of high alert.

“In this case, I try to avoid eye contact,” she explained.

Teresa Alessandro cares more about convenience than safety

She first received her red Vespa zippy in 2020 when she felt the train schedules were unreliable. Since then, the real estate agent has been delighted with how much easier it has become to move around the city in search of work.

“I can drive around Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan all week long,” she says. “Above ground is a more civilized way to travel.”

Parents are also rethinking modes of transport. Isabelle Burney, founder of Buggy, a Miami-based private school bus service, plans to expand to Manhattan in January because she sees demand.

“In the past, parents didn't mind their kids taking the subway. But then this attack happened (mass shooting in the subway - Ed.), and they became uncomfortable,” she said.
Keppel loves her scooter, though she admits her Yamaha has its own safety issues.

“I don't recommend anyone just buying a scooter,” she advised. “It can be extremely dangerous for most people.”