Ever been stuck at Grand Central overnight?

[SmackFu]

NY Times had a great article about the time between the last train running out of GCT at night and the first train the next morning.

I take the last train a lot, since it’s really not that late if you’re at a party or something. (It’s at 1:30 AM, but you have to leave the bar or whatever at 1 AM.) You always see people sitting in all corners of the station waiting for the next train, and I assumed that if you missed the 1:30 train you would just do the same thing, but for 4 hours. Crappy, but tolerable. Well, the article says that the police kick everyone out at 1:35 or so, and you’re forced to fend for yourself on the streets, which sucks!

Anyone been stuck in this situation and have some horror stories?

[ZaLucky1]

you have to subscribe to the NY times to read your article … but no I’ve never experienced this. I am a stickler for getting to where I’m going on time.

[friedo]

Grand Central has an image to keep. They need time to clean and maintain the place, unlike that filthy rat’s nest of a station accross town.

I’ve never been stuck, fortunately, but I did come close to missing the 1:30 train a few times. Fortunately I don’t live in Westchester anymore, so I don’t have to deal with it.

[SmackFu]

@ZaLucky1

you have to subscribe to the NY times to read your article

Oops… you don’t have to pay, just sign away all your personal data. Anyways, here’s my favorite part of the article, about the cabbies who prey on the people who miss the last train:

These cabbies are a smooth-talking, philosophical bunch, well versed in the art of negotiation and feigned concern. Sometimes, when Milton sees a couple in the station vestibule engaged in a long goodbye kiss at 1:29, he will stop the would-be traveler to ask a throwaway question in hopes of tripping him up. “He’ll pay me $100 for that kiss later on,” he says with a smirk.

When Erum Naqvi, 29, a student from Harrison, N.Y., rebuffs the proposed $70 fare and starts to call her family, Milton warns her against it. “Why would you make your mother drive 40 minutes at 2 a.m. when you could be on your way, sitting in my air-conditioned car?” he asks. “I take credit cards.” (Ms. Naqvi ignores him and persuades her brother to come fetch her.)