Fight on NJT train on May 4

In case one or more of the participants in the brawl on the train today at Newark Broad St. have managed to bail themselves out of jail, and have access to MOL, I'd like to address them in an open letter.

Dear Idiot(s):

Thanks for delaying 1,000 commuters by an extra half hour on top of our already 30-minutes delayed rush hour Midtown Direct train today.  Yes, it was a crappy morning.  Chilly, constant drizzle.  Increasing train delays due to a "stalled train."  Yes, the train was outrageously packed full.  We know.  But I have to ask -- what the hell were you thinking getting into a brawl with another passenger?  Did you think it would get us to NY faster?  Did you feel like you had to take some frustration out by opening a can of whoop ass on someone?  Seriously, what was going through your mind (if anything)?  All you accomplished was piling on another delay as the conductors waited for the police to arrive and toss your sorry behinds in the clink.

In case you ever get another genius idea like starting a fight in a public place (like a crowded rush hour train), I have a suggestion.  A solution if you will.  Next time you feel like a fight, just take a deep breath, look down at your hand, ball your hand into a really tight fist.  And then punch yourself in the face.  Hard.  If the urge is still with you, punch yourself in the face again.  Repeat until the urge subsides or you fade into unconsciousness.

Thanks in advance,

Midtown Direct Commuters

Nice of you to vent. It is a "feel better."

But do you really think someone who got pissed enough to get in a major fight leading to arrest will give a damn about your letter? I'm sure whatever is on thse persons minds at this point is not minor and its not your letter.

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

ml1, thanks for making me feel less bad about sitting in traffic on the Parkway. : - )

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

Could have been worse.

We're not "right to carry" in New Jersey.

Otherwise, either the participants, or the other commuters, could have "opened up". 

Just sayin' ...

nohero said:

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

Could have been worse.

We're not "right to carry" in New Jersey.

Otherwise, either the participants, or the other commuters, could have "opened up". 

Just sayin' ...

Might as well just go back to horses and call it the Wild East.

No, you got it right. 

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

The idea of someone punching himself in the face strikes me as funny

Can't NJT just bypass Newark Broad altogether already?

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

I thought it was interesting and amusing. But I don't think the offenders would find it so, if they even paid attention. Their main concern is regret. Not at delaying commuters but regret at getting themselves into trouble.

Wow that's pretty messed up, you would think they would be more concerned about getting to work instead of starting a fight. Lets see work/fight? work/fight?

Hmm. I've seen numerous near-fights in my ~15 years commuting via mass transit, but never an actual fight. 

Did anyone see what transpired? Were the pugilists dressed for work or were one or both scruffier types?

What a drag. 

The only fistfight I've ever seen on NJT was between two teenage girls who were on their way home from a Taylor Swift concert.

BG9 said:

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

I thought it was interesting and amusing. But I don't think the offenders would find it so, if they even paid attention. Their main concern is regret. Not at delaying commuters but regret at getting themselves into trouble.

I don't think anyone really expects the offenders to read it, do you?  

I think the OP is venting his frustration in an amusing fashion, that's all.

@Student_Council:

Dressed for work, definitely. I didn't see the event take place, but as the train pulled away I saw the (at least) three people involved --two of whom board the train at my spot every day-- standing on the platform with the police.

Student_Council said:

Hmm. I've seen numerous near-fights in my ~15 years commuting via mass transit, but never an actual fight. 

Did anyone see what transpired? Were the pugilists dressed for work or were one or both scruffier types?

Back in the 70s, I got slugged in Port Authority when two people fighting over who would get on the escalator first missed his intended target.  Yes, it's been the wild west from the beginning of time.  As far as today's episode is concerned, again I say THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALLOWING ME TO RETIRE EARLY!!!  And again, I'm so sorry for the rest of you.

Where's the obligatory youtube link cellphone vid of the fight?

What time/train did this happen? I was waiting for connection at Newark from about 7:30 to 8:00 to NY

lainie11 said:

What time/train did this happen? I was waiting for connection at Newark from about 7:30 to 8:00 to NY

A friend of mine takes the 7:34am (or whatever it is now) and she texted me about the commute from hell, so I imagine before that.  What trains other than Hoboken stop at Newark Broad at that time?

BG9 said:

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

I thought it was interesting and amusing. But I don't think the offenders would find it so, if they even paid attention. Their main concern is regret. Not at delaying commuters but regret at getting themselves into trouble.

One can only hope they now regret it.  But I doubt many are concerned about what they think at this point.

lainie11 said:

What time/train did this happen? I was waiting for connection at Newark from about 7:30 to 8:00 to NY

I'm not sure exactly what train it was, because the schedule was already screwed up before the altercation took place. It was on whatever train made the stop to pick up those of us who normally take the 7:27 Midtown Direct out of Maplewood. (The 7:27 always stops at Newark Broad, by the way.)

lanky said:

Where's the obligatory youtube link cellphone vid of the fight?

Worldstar!

damn it Rob, you beat me to it.

ctrzaska said:

BG9 said:

ml1 said:

I thought maybe some people would find it a bit amusing (or maybe bemusing).  Especially anyone unfortunate enough to have been stuck on that train.

Maybe not  

I thought it was interesting and amusing. But I don't think the offenders would find it so, if they even paid attention. Their main concern is regret. Not at delaying commuters but regret at getting themselves into trouble.

One can only hope they now regret it.  But I doubt many are concerned about what they think at this point.

Anyone who would be concerned about what others think would likely have dialed back the anger in the first place.  Presumably nobody was drunk or high at 8am (but you never know).  So most likely it was people unable to keep their tempers in check.  Also, there are some people who take everything as personal.  The type who think that if you bumped them in a crowded train car, that you did it on purpose.

A lot of people would be a lot happier if they realized that most of the things that they think are "done to" them are inadvertent.  Like the people who get road rage because another driver cut them off.  Or went through a stop sign.  99.9% chance the blown stop sign or the cutting off was a mistake.  And we all make those kind of mistakes once in a while.

Thankfully most people don't feel the need to escalate these things into punch-ups.

BrickPig said:

lainie11 said:

What time/train did this happen? I was waiting for connection at Newark from about 7:30 to 8:00 to NY

I'm not sure exactly what train it was, because the schedule was already screwed up before the altercation took place. It was on whatever train made the stop to pick up those of us who normally take the 7:27 Midtown Direct out of Maplewood. (The 7:27 always stops at Newark Broad, by the way.)

Does that mean the fighters are from Maplewood?  

Not surprising as Maplewoodians are constantly causing trouble in Newark.  

Woot said:

BrickPig said:

lainie11 said:

What time/train did this happen? I was waiting for connection at Newark from about 7:30 to 8:00 to NY

I'm not sure exactly what train it was, because the schedule was already screwed up before the altercation took place. It was on whatever train made the stop to pick up those of us who normally take the 7:27 Midtown Direct out of Maplewood. (The 7:27 always stops at Newark Broad, by the way.)

Does that mean the fighters are from Maplewood?  

Not surprising as Maplewoodians are constantly causing trouble in Newark.  

As I say, I didn't witness the fight itself. All I can personally attest to is that two of the people who were speaking to the police, and who remained on the platform with the police when the train pulled away, board the train every morning in Maplewood.

In that case, it wouldn't be a stretch to think that they might be directed to this thread.

BrickPig said:

Woot said:

BrickPig said:

lainie11 said:

What time/train did this happen? I was waiting for connection at Newark from about 7:30 to 8:00 to NY

I'm not sure exactly what train it was, because the schedule was already screwed up before the altercation took place. It was on whatever train made the stop to pick up those of us who normally take the 7:27 Midtown Direct out of Maplewood. (The 7:27 always stops at Newark Broad, by the way.)

Does that mean the fighters are from Maplewood?  

Not surprising as Maplewoodians are constantly causing trouble in Newark.  

As I say, I didn't witness the fight itself. All I can personally attest to is that two of the people who were speaking to the police, and who remained on the platform with the police when the train pulled away, board the train every morning in Maplewood.

I wasn't there, but heard from a friend of a cousin who was holding the backpack of people who were there that the argument (not really a fight) began because someone at Newark got on the train and was trying to force themselves into a packed car and there was literally no room for anyone to let that person in, and this led to a lot of unnecessary pushing and shoving, which led to guards and the police being called.

But like I said, I wasn't there, so it could have been nothing like that.

Nobody got the fight on their cell phone?  what a tease!  Some of us retirees need entertainment.

Too bad I wasnt on that train, I could have waved my cane at them whippersnappers