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50,000 Monkeys at 50,000 Typewriters Can't Be Wrong

sitting on stairways is strictly prohibited

  • WWdN in Exile

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:
Img_2323

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.

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14 April, 2008 Wil

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32 thoughts on “sitting on stairways is strictly prohibited”

  1. marco polo says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:31 pm

    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…

  2. Wil says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:34 pm

    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.

  3. Barbara says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:35 pm

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

  4. Dave DuJour says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    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.

  5. zeldor says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:40 pm

    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.

  6. Clinton the Trekkie says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    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!

  7. klingonpixie says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    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.

  8. Jacquilynne says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:48 pm

    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.

  9. ed2010 says:
    14 April, 2008 at 12:59 pm

    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

  10. Pockafwye says:
    14 April, 2008 at 1:29 pm

    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.

  11. angie k says:
    14 April, 2008 at 1:38 pm

    @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.

  12. Alan says:
    14 April, 2008 at 1:41 pm

    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.

  13. Dave says:
    14 April, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    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)

  14. Pablo Defendini says:
    14 April, 2008 at 2:04 pm

    @ 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.

  15. Adam875 says:
    14 April, 2008 at 2:06 pm

    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!

  16. Mad Monk says:
    14 April, 2008 at 2:23 pm

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

  17. lilyharlequin says:
    14 April, 2008 at 2:34 pm

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

  18. WildRose says:
    14 April, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    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

  19. WildRose says:
    14 April, 2008 at 3:22 pm

    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

  20. MonkeyT says:
    14 April, 2008 at 4:51 pm

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

  21. ZiggyNJ says:
    14 April, 2008 at 6:12 pm

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

  22. Magic_Al says:
    14 April, 2008 at 6:52 pm

    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.

  23. meredith says:
    14 April, 2008 at 10:35 pm

    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*

  24. Glenn Curry says:
    15 April, 2008 at 5:09 am

    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.

  25. Nathan says:
    15 April, 2008 at 6:06 am

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

  26. Myshtuff says:
    15 April, 2008 at 7:26 am

    Great photo. Awesome composition. 🙂 Really funny too. A+.

  27. Bike Stop says:
    15 April, 2008 at 11:01 am

    I got a text from someone at the same wedding; portly guy with a lot of ink and ear lobes stretched? His wife had a monstrous Nikon.
    And you didn’t even swing by to take me up on FREE GUINNESS!
    But you will probably like overheardinnewyork.com

  28. Alexia in Toronto says:
    15 April, 2008 at 6:59 pm

    Haha… I love coming across stuff like that. If only I carried around my camera more often…

  29. DanaNYC says:
    16 April, 2008 at 9:07 am

    No book signing or anything. Not even ComicCon. 🙁
    Please come back soon!
    In the meantime, you haven’t said anything about Spamalot’s American Idol cast member. Seemed an interesting casting choice. Was he any good?

  30. Offshored2007 says:
    16 April, 2008 at 12:18 pm


    Grand Central Terminal, Grand Central Station is a subway stop

    And get off the d*** stairs, lady.

  31. sageautumn says:
    18 April, 2008 at 7:12 pm

    “If you don’t follow me on Twitter, you probably don’t know that I was in New York until yesterday.”
    First thought—How cool!! That’s so so nifty.
    Second thought–waaay too close to cyber-stalking, this guy doesn’t know you.

  32. marco polo says:
    26 May, 2008 at 2:02 pm

    Wil,
    You belittle my comment (see first and second comments above), and follow through by giving us part of the story. Stopped at end of Part 3 with the promise of more to come.
    I rest my case.
    You lost it because it took too long and you got on to other things.
    I thought this was going so well that you could put it into your next book. But pretty tough to do if you don’t finish the story.

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