Josh's Super-Duper Subway Adventures

This is in response to Jay Shuffield's "The Subway as Intermediary Public Space". The area surrounding the station is very commercial and fairly busy at most times during the day. Therefore it is a natural placement for a subway station. Contrary to many of the stations I have been in, the Delancey St. station, which only houses the F,J,M,Z, is well planned. It is a small station that has a lot of artwork, making the subway experience more pleasant than one usually expects. It is also relatively well lit with spacious waiting areas. I almost wish that the Delancey station was a little worse off, so that this would not be such a bore. The entrances are well marked, without any confusing architecture. Colored globes allow the rider to realize that certain entrances are 24 hours, and that there is an attendant present in the station at that particular point. That certain sense of freedom (Shuffield refers to this as release) is experienced, but not to the extent of some other stations. This is because the Delancey station does not generally pose as a threat. One aspect of the subway that is ever-present is the fear of people. No matter how much art there is, there will always be a sense of danger in encountering strangers on the subway, where many New Yorkers find themselves most vulnerable. I myself was admittedly afraid when taking pictures underground, unsure of the reactions I would get from fellow subway riders. Also, the neighborhood of the station is historically low class, though it is surrounded by nicer parts of the village and other areas of downtown Manhattan. All in all, the Delancey St. station is one of the more comfortable public spaces that I have visited since coming to New York City.