sitting on stairways is strictly prohibited

If you don't follow me on Twitter, you probably don't know that I was in New York until yesterday.

I'm working on a full-on trip report, with lots of pictures, a review of Spamalot, and a few jokes, but I'm busy getting actual work done so it'll have to wait a day or so.

Until I have time to properly show you New York the way I saw New York, please enjoy this example of why New York is so awesome:

For the photographically-challenged, that's a girl sitting on a stairway in Grand Central Station, next to a sign which explains that Sitting on Stairways is Strictly Prohibited. Yes, those are three New York City police officers watching -- and laughing -- at her audacity. I don't know if they wrote her up, but I doubt they did. I got the sense that the NYPD had much better things to do with their time than write stupid tickets to college students who were on their cell phones.

Comments

[marco polo]

Note for newbies: A delay of a few days before a trip report from Wil means you will never see it. He gets on to other things, then the desire to write it up is not there anymore. Oh I wish this were not the case, but have been burned too many times with promises of full trip reports and never getting that promise fulfilled.

No offense Wil, I really enjoy your blog and consider myself a fan. But let's be honest...

[Wil]

Yep. marco polo is probably right. In fact, you just shouldn't bother reading my blog at all, because it will only end in tears.

[Barbara]

A NYC meetup would have been really cool! Oh well!

[Dave DuJour]

While the image is amusing, people like that annoy me. I'd walk down the stairs and "accidentally" bump into them. If the phone falls out of their hand all the better.

Stupid people bug me.

[zeldor]

I too saw spamalot in NYC almost 2 years ago now. it was fabulous.
I hope you bought a pair of the vicious bunny slippers during intermission.

[Clinton the Trekkie]

I hope you enjoyed the full version of Spamalot. I saw the "Shaved to 90 minutes" Edition when I was in Vegas last year for the Big and Honkin' Star Trek convention (Where I had autograph ticket 0001 for you, and got my copy of JAG signed).

I'm probably going to go see Spamalot again when I go to this year's Vegas convention, too. :)

Ni!

[klingonpixie]

People like that are annoying in person but amusing in photos.

I just spent twenty minutes reading your Twitter, Wil... and remembered why you're my favorite internet personality EVER.

[Jacquilynne]

We used to have 'no smoking on the stairs' sign at the back door of the office building I worked in, because the fresh air intakes for the whole building were right next to those stairs. People used to lean on the signs while they smoked.

I generally wanted to hurt them very much.

[ed2010]

So, this means that you won't be in town for the NYC ComicCon? To bad.. I was hoping that you might had stayed for that..

Looks like fun!

http://tinyurl.com/5bzrdm

[Pockafwye]

I recently took a photo of a woman smoking right under a "no smoking" sign. I agree with klingonpixie. Funny in photos, but annoying in person.

[angie k]

@marco polo - LOL. True. I, personally, am still waiting for the "Linucon/Stand By Me screening @ The Alamo Drafthouse/Dallas Comic Con 2004" report to go up.

@Wil - So you're telling me to not read WWdN anymore? That really *does* make me cry. Wait, but that just applies to newbies? *whew* P.S. KROQ - Roq of the 80s online is the best thing EVER! Thank you for name dropping KROQ enough that I finally caught on and looked it up.

[Alan]

You know what would be even more funny?

If you had pretended to trip over her and do a spectacular prat fall followed by "Oh my God! I am in so much pain! Oh my God!" Then turn to her and totally deadpan "How much money do you have?"

I've found that things that are funny on television or in my head are not as funny when done in real life.

[Dave]

Leave it to New York City to spend money on printing signs that say where not to sit...instead of putting benches next to the damn stairs!

That wouldn't happen in good old Boston. Nah, those police officers would be too busy detonating that sign as a suspicious device to notice anyone sitting on the stairs

(damn mooninites)

[Pablo Defendini]

@ Dave DuJour: I'm with ya. It particularly annoys me when someone will stop to finish a phone conversation in the middle of the steps down into a subway station (instead of, say, outside the station, out of other people's way), utterly and obnoxiously obstructing the flow of harried commuters. . . I tend to 'bump' into those paragons of mindfulness on purpose, as well.

@ Wil: I saw you were in town on Twitter as well, and will also chime in with a hearty "It's a shame you won't be around for Comic Con, Wil!" Glad you enjoyed our fair city, nonetheless.

[Adam875]

Most people have the good sense to not sit on the stairs in Grand Central. I generally make it a point of going out of my way to kick people who do that. That's not an illogical anti-terrorism sign (we have plenty of those too), it's a get the frak out of my way sign!

[Mad Monk]

There's a cool picture of the Beatles sitting next to a sign that says Stay Off the Grass.

[lilyharlequin]

Oh, Twitter. I read all your posts from this weekend and was highly amused. Journey and LOLCats... oh geez.

[WildRose]

Being a New Yorker when I moved to silly Vally I was amazed at how basically law abiding people in California are.

The day it was brought home to me was when friends of mine were schocked to find me jay walking and then amazed that a ticket could be given to someone for that. While it is all so agenst the law here in NYC any cop who tried to give a ticket to someone for such a thing would also have to call EMS because the law braking jay walker would be dead from laughter.

Nope we are not like the rest of the country or even like folks out on the left coast.

ash

[WildRose]

Being a New Yorker when I moved to silly Vally I was amazed at how basically law abiding people in California are.

The day it was brought home to me was when friends of mine were schocked to find me jay walking and then amazed that a ticket could be given to someone for that. While it is all so agenst the law here in NYC any cop who tried to give a ticket to someone for such a thing would also have to call EMS because the law braking jay walker would be dead from laughter.

Nope we are not like the rest of the country or even like folks out on the left coast.

ash

[MonkeyT]

But when it comes to photos of signs with persons, I'd have to count this one as funny in person.

[ZiggyNJ]

Rules only apply to out of towners :) Too bad you couldn't stick around longer and come to Comic Con this weekend.

[Magic_Al]

That sign is almost as much an obstruction as a stairway sitter. It's actually more functional as a de facto "Sliding Down Handrails is Strictly Prohibited" sign, unless one enjoys a shiny brass smack to the nuts.

[meredith]

I walk past that sign almost every day. If you really want a good shot, go to GCT any time after 11 pm. There will be so many people sitting/sleeping on the stairs around the sign, even if you wanted to use the stairs there would be no room to move.

I must admit I'm guilty of sitting on those stairs at that time of night, after having just missed my train home to New Haven and having to wait an hour for the next one. (I've actually seen cops bug people to move, but usually when the sun is still up.)

So are you still in NYC? I'll keep an eye out for you when I'm there tomorrow, just in case. *g*

[Glenn Curry]

And no book signing...no public appearances for us easties who never get to see you out here?

WAAHHHH!!! SOB...I will not share my dice with you now.

[Nathan]

Signs like that are mere suggestions to New Yorkers...and may I tell you where you should stick your suggestions?