Straphangers Slam Subway Snacking Bill

Think that frappacino is expensive now? Wait ‘til a cop catches you drinking it on the subway. According to the New York Post, if a new bill makes its way through the state legislature, having food on the subway could be a fineable offense.

It might be time to bag the Cheetos, straphanger. Proposed by Senator Bill Perkins, D-Manhattan, the hopes to discourage rats and litter from stations, says the report. A fine of up to $250 would be handed out to straphangers found snacking on any train, platform, or shop throughout the city’s transit system. The Post says that money from the fines would go towards a litter-prevention fund.

On a Manhattan bound E-train from Forest Hills, thoughts among straphangers were somewhat split on the idea.

Zoe Chen, 19, who said she thought it was already illegal to eat on the subway, agreed that it was a good way to prevent litter from piling up in cars and stations.

“The subways are already dirty enough without people throwing their garbage everywhere,” she said.

Her friend and fellow York College student, Shirley Chen, no relation, said she didn’t like the idea of what would happen to her daily commute if she couldn’t drink her morning coffee.

“My commute is two hours, waiting to eat breakfast for that long, I’d starve,” Shirley said. She added that the bill was certainly coming from a good place, however.  “I do see people eating all the time, and if they don’t like the food, they just throw it on the ground. That’s disgusting.”

Latoya Pulley, 24, of Queens, was working her way through a bag of McDonald’s French fries on the train platform as she thought about the question. She said the bill might be coming from a good place, but it's authors probably didn’t think about the needs of one very motivated group.

“I’m pregnant,” she said. “If I don’t eat every ten minutes, I get very cranky.”