240 Comments
User's avatar
oscarphile's avatar

"IOW, kids, you're not fucking worth $9 to me."

(Actually, he probably makes his kids reimburse him.)

Expand full comment
zuzu's avatar

I read so much when I lived in NYC and had a 40-odd minute commute. Now I live in Chicago and own a car, but it stays put most of the time because I take the bus to work or walk/bike in good weather. It's there mostly for shopping trips and getting me to appointments that I can't get to via transit.

Expand full comment
tegrat's avatar

The pearl-clutchers are out in force on this one. I hope the poor shmoe who lives across the street from central park, no doubt a low rent district, starts a gofundme or something to help him avoid walking, egads, a mile no less!

Expand full comment
Pixeloid's avatar

I used to live in NJ and often want to NYC. I almost never drove into the city: expensive, difficulty parking, and traffic problems. I always parked on the NJ side and then took the trains in/out. It was cheaper and easier, and that was over 30 years ago.

Expand full comment
Ms.Moon's avatar

When I went to college in Manhattan I walked a majority of the time to get around. One of the few times I remember driving to Manhattan was because I was having surgery and the hospital was in Manhattan.

Expand full comment
Zyxomma's avatar

We live in a 100% walkable neighborhood. Unfortunately, we don't work here. I commute five days a week from the east village to The South Bronx. I get a lot of reading done, but I always travel masked. And armed. Remember a few years back some insane asshole pushed a woman in front of a 5 train? That was MY train. I saw the nutcase doing pushups on the concrete subway platform and walked very quickly past him to where I get on the train (back of the conductor car). She suffered minor injuries only, and I was shocked that the train personnel were honest about what happened. That train was put out of service and I texted work to tell them I was taking the L across town to get the 2. It only took me an extra 45 or 50 minutes.

Expand full comment
a. diderot's avatar

I am embarrassed by the New Yorker who can't walk 18 blocks, or take a cab for goddess's sake. He probably lives in a building with a doorman whose duties include hailing cabs for entitled farts.

I do feel for the people in the outer boroughs where the subway service kind of dissipates. I believe there were plans to create a special subway line on an old railway in the along the eastern part of Queens and Brooklyn, which would connect the two boroughs, and the subway lines. Maybe congestion pricing would help with that.

Personally, I hate the subway and take my bicycle most of the time. But I am really glad it is there when I need it and it would be fabulous to get better service and improvements to the system.

Expand full comment
Satanic Pancake's avatar

Should have done a sliding scale -- the poorz pay $1, comfortables pay $9, billionaires pay $1,500.

Expand full comment
Regret's avatar

Eh, just reduce parking, much more effective. Sure, you can pay your $9 to drive into the city, but then you will have to drive out again because there isn't available parking, when you could have just taken the subway and already been there. Also, you can ride the subway drunk, can't do that with a car!

Expand full comment
Sgt JMK's avatar

(Still shaking my head over the man who can't see his kids because of the crushing expense involved in driving 15 blocks. Poor babby. Bet he has some interesting opinions about people who walk thousands of times that distance with their kids on their backs to seek safety.)

When I was younger, from a distance, the city always seemed to be enveloped in a sticky-looking brown fog, and when I was in college, I could actually see the grime that smog deposited run off me every time I showered.

Now, although the place is sparkling, comparatively, there's still a lot of work to be done, and I'm glad they're implementing this.

Expand full comment
Meccalopolis's avatar

Uh ... a new park and ride. It is no park and ride, and if you live in one of those neighborhoods, you are not going to be happy. Also, there is no exemption for city workers, like me, who have to drive. And it is a case of have and have not, when the wealthiest neighborhoods, the upper east and west side, are out of the zone because the cut-off is 60th street, Conversely the zone extends all the way to the southern tip of Manhattan, when it should be cut off at 14th street.

Expand full comment
WTAF's avatar

Hope it doesn’t end up like that “well intentioned” but ultimately waaaaay worse voting change that got Adams elected Mayor… it’s allllways the little people paying more

Expand full comment
Meccalopolis's avatar

It's essentially a tax on the outer boros.

Expand full comment
WTAF's avatar

Workers

Expand full comment
Stephen St John's avatar

"Hard to imagine a more heart-rending case than the plight of this man who lives across the street from Central Park Pond and, thanks to Congestion Pricing, will never again see his children..." JFC, these people are dramatic! I guess, if you're gonna lie, lie big. Just like Adolf.

Expand full comment
Hank Napkin's avatar

It's where Sarah Palin goes to huff her them emissions! Now what?

Expand full comment
el duderino's avatar

Restrictions on cars? Money for transit?

Robert Moses is rolling in his grave

Expand full comment
Taji Blue's avatar

A bit mixed on this one. While I am for the congestion pricing, it’s tough for those living in the Boroughs who work there but cannot afford to live there. I took the subway to work. I paid federal, state and city taxes. Subway fares kept going up and Albany sent little back to repair subway rails. I’m thinking that there has to be a better idea. It’s going to mostly bleed those who are already paying so much. I’ve had to take taxi or uber home after late nights at work. Adding an extra $9 to that tab would have been disastrous.

Expand full comment
WTAF's avatar

💯

Expand full comment
JustDontSayDittos's avatar

adding: but fuck the 1%-ers living in the swankiest parts of Manhattan and their whining. They're part of the problem.

Expand full comment
Taji Blue's avatar

Yeah, I worked for a florist back in the day. 5th Avenue addresses are not on 5th Avenue. You have to go to a service entrance to make the delivery. NO TIP. Most of the people working there were immigrants and living in Queens. Congestion pricing might hurt these people.

Expand full comment
JustDontSayDittos's avatar

I feel the same way. It's regressive, like CA's increase to the gas excise tax a few years ago: yes, it makes road users pay for road upkeep (sorta), but it's most painful to those who have to drive 50 miles each way in 80's-era gas guzzlers to get to work. And lord help the folks who drive trucks and such as part of their service businesses.

Expand full comment
WTAF's avatar

& gig drivers 😅

Expand full comment
JustDontSayDittos's avatar

Wife and I once visited NYC for a week or so. No car at all. We walked or took the subway. What was that poor schmuck's distance from his (presumably now-grown) children? 61st to 73rd? Put on your fucking sneakers, you pathetic fucking whiner!

Expand full comment
Stephen St John's avatar

Exactly. Too lazy to walk, too scared to take the subway. Good old reich wing paranoia!

Expand full comment