I happened to be on a nearly deserted subway car the other day. This is an increasingly unusual circumstance on the New York City subway system; even on weekends, trains are jammed, and weekday evenings–forget about it. (Yes, I did try to write that with slang spelling, but it looked weird coming from my computer.)
One problem with a deserted car is that the debris really shows up.
Without other passengers, however, there is plenty space to look at the signs. A new series posted by the MTA itself gave me a clue as to why the system is so decrepit.
There is, for example, the sign detailing a seemingly new repair policy: “If it’s broke, fix it!”
The sign explains: “instead of waiting to fix everything in a station at once, we’re fixing critical parts as soon as they need fixing.”
Wow! What a great idea. Fixing critical parts! Instead of waiting for complete break-down!
“Can our buses go faster? You bet!”
(Then, um, why don’t they?)
Another: “Improvements don’t just happen.”
I’m concerned that they reversed some words on that one. How about “just” and “don’t”?
PS – the above illustration is more iPhone art, which allows for endless iterations. There, the elephant’s in a hoodie. Here’s two earlier versions – it’s a bit like playing with paper dolls.
ManicDDaily 
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