A blogger traveling in the NYC Subway System noticed something which bothered him, and wrote the following letter to the MTA. While the new practice by the MTA may concern some, the response by the MTA to this blogger is quite interesting to say the least.
To whom it may concern at the MTA:
I was at the 14 St – 8 Av station this evening when I saw an (A) train come in with Coca-Cola ads covering the windows of approximately every other car of the train. I was quite appalled by this.
I didn’t get on the train, but I assume that these ads are similar the wraps that cover the windows of buses. That is, they have tiny holes in the ad that supposedly make it so that people inside the vehicle can still see out. Well I dislike those wraps immensely, as outward visibility is significantly reduced in outdoor lighting, and severely reduced to totally eliminated at night or in low lighting.
The point of windows are to look through (both in and out), not to cover. I recognize that there is value in covering the windows with ads – you get advertising revenue. However, I believe that there are better reasons NOT to cover the windows with ads, and thus you should instead try to earn the advertising revenue with ads on other (non-transparent) parts of the cars.
Advertising can and should be placed on the car body, and not on the windows. I ask that you reconsider the decision to cover them. People look out the window for many reasons, including to sight-see, to see what station they are at, and just to pass the time. They should not have to have their visibility compromised because of advertising.
And people all the time look in to the cars, through the windows, to see how crowded the cars are. If they see a crowded car, they know to move down to another door or another car. If they can’t see that until the doors open because the windows are covered, then there will be additional boarding delays.
Furthermore, having the windows covered prevents people outside the cars from seeing in (I could not see in to the car), and that could be a security risk.
Again, I do not like these ads covering the windows, and I doubt many people will like them. Please consider removing them immediately and replacing them with ads on the metal car bodies. The exterior “stripe” ads (History Channel and Monroe College) on the cars on the (1) and (3) lines are quite harmless and an excellent idea. Something similar to that could possibly replace the window ads on the (A) train cars.
Thank you.
MTA RESPONSE:
This is in response to your recent e-mail to MTA New York City Transit regarding the advertising on our trains.
Please be aware that CBS Outdoor handles the advertising space in our subway system. You may contact CBS Outdoor at (212) 297-6400 with regard to your complaint. Their address is 405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10174.
We hope that this information has been helpful and thank you for taking the time to contact us.
BLOGGER COMMENT:
It seems the customer service rep thinks I’m complaining about the content of the ads, for which contacting CBS Outdoor would be the correct course of action. However, I was clearly complaining about the placement of the ads, something that I’m strongly inclined to believe the MTA / NYCT had to approve before CBS Outdoor could implement. I’ll have to write to them AGAIN….
(LINK to The Railfan Window Blog)
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8 Responses
B”H
Would contacting the Office of Homeland Security in NYC be a good idea for this? It seems that the security concern is the most serious of the problems mentioned–and a very real problem at that!
I think the real security problem with MTA ads is their immorality, and the danger they pose for our growing youth in their forming ages.
I can’t see why any yid should be concerned with anything else re: MTA ads other than their “shmutz” content.
This is what WE should be writing to them about, without stop.
Commenter No. 2:
While I agree wholeheartedly with your comment, I am amused by your name: Daas Torah Watch DOG! How can a Kelev know Daas Torah? Unless DOG means fish. But that would be fishy too.
The MTA proves a very real fact; computers have no sechel.
We need to “speak their language”. By “them” I mean many bloggers who think it’s “free-for-all” on the blog, to quote posts that should foriegn & distant from any Jewish mouth or pen (or mouse).
As for the merit of the “kelev”: please Perek Shira – the description of ther last animal, the kelev.
And “yaasher koiach” for your support. We need to be mechazek each other in the face of the other “farkrumte” voices coming, unfortunately, from our very own.
the stupid guys in charge of every organization of government, etc…continue to do more and more stupid things and only learn AFTER terrorism happens— as if the terrorists wont change strategies once their M.O. is known. like checking people’s shoes at the airport…come on already
Interesting that no one mentions the value of being able to see whether you are about to enter a car near a sketchy-looking character. There are all kinds of creeps and wierdos out there and our first defense is awareness of our surroundings. I think that is the biggest concern of all in this issue.
The response of the MTA to the person who wrote the letter was ‘interesting’ because the MTA missed the point, due to the fact that the writer, I believe, did not stress enough the security issue but rather spent much of his letter on other types and areas of window advertising.
#1, in my opinion, offered what sounds like an appropriate suggestion.