My very first time in NYC, I went into a subway station, found an out of the way corner, studied the system for getting a subway token, confirmed with my map which train I wanted for the Staten Island Ferry, then proceeded to breeze through the system with smug aplomb.

Then found myself giving directions to a group of tourists who had left one of their party back at the last station because they couldn't decide if they should get on the train or not and the door closed in the person's face. The map is on the wall, people! It was (probably) not put up there by sadists who are trying to direct you to the white slavers and the hopheads--unless you mean to go there.

It's so easy to be an intelligent tourist. I weep for my kind.

That's absolutely right, in fact, at one point all the trash bins were removed. Some are back now...on the platforms. I meant that there are no bins in the trains themselves.

I feel like I need to say that I'm not anti-kids at ALL. I love my tot friends...and their responsible, responsive parents...and goodness knows, I am a fan of creative strategies for getting by.

This particular story was focused on non-thinking, uncaring tourists. I've got no patience with folks marveling about the clean, safe, efficient public transit they aren't used to in their hometowns while trailing their rubbish through mine.

Fabulous sunset happening right now.

mac did not start asking about me until about 3. I, of course, am happy he started asking.

I've got a gorgeous sunset too. Pretty, pretty pink clouds.

Okay, I think the cart escalators in Greece must be different from here. The ones I've seen here basically grab the cart by one of the lower bars and bring it up or down - they're not people movers.

Ah. Yeah, these here are basically inclined conveyor belts. They've got handholds like escalators and the deeply-grooved treads like escalators, and the carts have special wheels that lock into the grooves (which incidentally make the carts impossible to push on a normal floor when full). In a couple stores, they are the only between-floor option so they get ped traffic also. The escalators are wide enough for a cart and a thin person, if the cart is well over to one side, so naturally half the people with carts plant them in the middle, blocking the foot traffic, and half the people on foot don't slip by easily, knocking other people over.

Now I understand why I think it's safe for Mal to ride in the cart on the cartscalator, and why it's not allowed in the States.

Now I understand why I think it's safe for Mal to ride in the cart on the cartscalator, and why it's not allowed in the States.

Yes! All is made clear!

Raq, ours are like this one here: [link]

Edit: No children! [link]

I've got no patience with folks marveling about the clean, safe, efficient public transit they aren't used to in their hometowns while trailing their rubbish through mine.

That is an issue. I cart my trash out of everywhere--like you're supposed to do at Yellowstone. I clean out my pockets (jacket/pants, etc.) and my purse/bag and it's full of cookie wrappers, foil packets, empty juice boxes, used baby wipes (NOT diaper wipes) and it's fairly gross. I've had to deal with the same in shopping carts and rented strollers and it pisses me off to no end. It's not that hard to stuff your trash in your pockets, rather than leave it around for someone else.

ours are like this one here

Yeek!

However, as a child, I would have totally begged to ride in the cart for that.