Subway Irritation and Germ-o-phobes

I ride the subway to and from work every day and never cease to be amazed at how rude and totally oblivious people can be. When I get on the train, I head straight for the middle, where the AC is the coolest and there is WAY more room than by the door, because for some reason people like to crowd by the door. (And, I could get lucky if someone gets up to get off and I can easily take their seat!) Crowding is not usually a problem in the morning because there are more trains running to handle the peak hour traffic. This morning was different. We rode the express train from 96th St. to 42nd this morning, which is not unusual for us as we will more than likely pass a local train we can switch to. This morning we arrive at Times Square/42nd street and discover a PACKED train platform with people waiting for the local train. Not a good sign. One finally does arrive, and we all squeeze together to make sure we get on THIS train and not have to, God forbid, wait for the next one. This one jack-ass middle-aged guy in a business suit with his briefcase pushes his way to the front of the line, then doesn't move all the way in. He takes the obligitory, half-hearted one-step in towards the middle. I guess he thinks this will appease people behind him and make us think he's trying to move in more. I am squished between Joel and this very large stinky woman and can't even reach over to grab hold of anything so I don't fall over. There is literally room for 4 people on the other side of this guy, as well as two seats, TWO, in the middle of the car! At the next stop, I ask him to move in some, and he doesn't do anything but move a little step and lean over so I can climb OVER him AND his big briefcase. Joel has no such luck, and asks him again. His answer....'I'm getting off at the next stop.' Yeah, well you and half of this car, buddy, so I'm sure you'll be able to get off. He doesn't move, and Joel even says, 'We'll let you off you know.' I am all stretched out in my seat, which I didn't even have to squeeze into, and Joel is elbow-to-elbow with people seething at this one guy all stuck by the door. He in fact does get off at the next stop, and Joel and the rest of the people move into the middle of the car, cursing under their breath.

I don't know WHY people HAVE to stand by the door in the subway. Half the time they won't even move for you to get out or in! I just throw them a shoulder now, serves them right for not stepping out of the door and letting the rest of us off. I swear, it's like they think they won't be able to get back on or something. Pisses me off no end. Everyone walks around in this crowded city thinking THEY are the only thing that matters. Take care of Number One, and screw the rest of you.

All of this irritation was lessened only slightly by the silly girl who got on at 72nd street and didn't want to touch the pole in the subway car to hold on to for fear she might get cooties. We made fun of her lots! She was bobbing and swaying and stumbling around like an idiot, and bumping into the people around her who were smart enough to hold on. She was about to fall into the person next to her and had to finally reach out and grab it, and she only touched it with 2 fingers!!! Really, people will risk bodily injury to avoid 'germs' they can get off of the door knob. Haven't these people heard of hand sanitizer!? We have a whole generation of people that are wussies. If you are THAT afraid of germs, what the hell are you doing in New York City!?