If you live in New York City or the boroughs and own an automobile, you have undoubtedly seen this written on one of the digital highway signs.  It’s going to be 98 degrees Fahrenheit and there’s going to be smog and haze.  The solution to this air quality alert according to the city is to use mass transit.

Whenever I pass one of these signs I think to myself, “sure, let me leave the comfort of my air-conditioned car with the Beatles or New York Legend Billy Joel playing in the background so I can torture myself in the concrete, rat infested, steam bath that is the New York City Subway system”.  Not to mention that I highly doubt that the recycled, stagnant air in the subway tubes is any better than what’s above ground.  With the risk of sounding over dramatic, riding the subway of NYC in the heat of the summer is the equivalent of being water boarded.  Yes Torture!!

One of the local news channel reporters was riding the Number 1 train the other day and recorded readings on the train in the low 100’s Fahrenheit.  That temperature along with the over crowded conditions can certainly be equated with torture.  And in the case of older adults, might very well be dangerous or even life threatening.

So NYC, MTA, Mayor’s office, stop suggesting that those of us who are lucky enough to own cars, (and there are thousands of them on every road, every day hence the congestion) that we leave the safe, uncrowded, air-conditioned confines of our cars for the torture dungeon that is the New York City Subway.  When it becomes a civilized place like the subways of Europe or even Washington DC. perhaps those of us who drive, would consider changing their commuting habits.  But I’m not holding my breath.