Right-wing media has been pumping out terrifying images of people being assaulted on mass transit. Would you be safer in a car?Short answer: almost never. Ov...
As a fellow Chinese American, I have heard of cases of such hate crimes (which seemed more severe during the height of COVID times), though I recognize that instances of this are much fewer than instances of speeding, running red lights, improper turns, ignoring pedestrians and cyclists, road rage, and more, that drivers bring to the roads. (Also, like @[email protected] mentioned, the perpetrator was arrested: https://nwasianweekly.com/2025/10/man-arrested-in-series-of-anti-asian-assaults-in-new-york/ .)
One need not be actively targeted to be harmed by others doing wrong – as a cyclist and pedestrian I’ve literally seen drivers waiting to turn right never looking at me when I approach from the right, and as a driver, I also found myself making this same mistake and barely missing a pedestrian whom I only saw at the last moment. None of this was targeted violence. It is a hazard born from the design of our roads and our laws and the way we end up doing things given our situations, poor design and policymaking leaves us as individuals (including but not limited to drivers) needing to deal with these things.
That said, you make a very good point – platform safety barriers are much needed feature at subway (and similar) stations. Modern stations are built with these, and they not only help with safety but can (especially for air-conditioned spaces) also save money on energy costs while making for a more pleasant rider experience. The YouTube channel NotJustBikes covers these aspects as part of a larger video covering the Seoul Metro system; here’s a timestamped link to the relevant part of the video: https://youtu.be/aLKN_Rmb39I?t=230
I would love to see older metro stations/systems like NYC and Washington DC be retrofitted with these things. The edges of subway platforms are definitely a dangerous area, with people potentially falling off by accident, being pushed off by others (by accident or malicious intention), or even attempting self-harm. Even for people who aren’t trying to fall off, it can still be a bit anxiety-inducing. So having these physical barriers would be pretty awesome. Thanks for highlighting this.
Edit: Also, even half-height barriers can help. Not for air conditioning, but can help safety and comfort (less wind against passengers) and also prevent some amount of litter. I actually happened to visit China last year and saw both full-height barriers (most stations) and half-height barriers (e.g. the famous Liziba Station in Chongqing), but as NJB’s video mentions, these are pretty standard for newer metro systems around the world. Just that retrofitting can be something of a pain.
As a fellow Chinese American, I have heard of cases of such hate crimes (which seemed more severe during the height of COVID times), though I recognize that instances of this are much fewer than instances of speeding, running red lights, improper turns, ignoring pedestrians and cyclists, road rage, and more, that drivers bring to the roads. (Also, like @[email protected] mentioned, the perpetrator was arrested: https://nwasianweekly.com/2025/10/man-arrested-in-series-of-anti-asian-assaults-in-new-york/ .)
One need not be actively targeted to be harmed by others doing wrong – as a cyclist and pedestrian I’ve literally seen drivers waiting to turn right never looking at me when I approach from the right, and as a driver, I also found myself making this same mistake and barely missing a pedestrian whom I only saw at the last moment. None of this was targeted violence. It is a hazard born from the design of our roads and our laws and the way we end up doing things given our situations, poor design and policymaking leaves us as individuals (including but not limited to drivers) needing to deal with these things.
That said, you make a very good point – platform safety barriers are much needed feature at subway (and similar) stations. Modern stations are built with these, and they not only help with safety but can (especially for air-conditioned spaces) also save money on energy costs while making for a more pleasant rider experience. The YouTube channel NotJustBikes covers these aspects as part of a larger video covering the Seoul Metro system; here’s a timestamped link to the relevant part of the video: https://youtu.be/aLKN_Rmb39I?t=230
I would love to see older metro stations/systems like NYC and Washington DC be retrofitted with these things. The edges of subway platforms are definitely a dangerous area, with people potentially falling off by accident, being pushed off by others (by accident or malicious intention), or even attempting self-harm. Even for people who aren’t trying to fall off, it can still be a bit anxiety-inducing. So having these physical barriers would be pretty awesome. Thanks for highlighting this.
Edit: Also, even half-height barriers can help. Not for air conditioning, but can help safety and comfort (less wind against passengers) and also prevent some amount of litter. I actually happened to visit China last year and saw both full-height barriers (most stations) and half-height barriers (e.g. the famous Liziba Station in Chongqing), but as NJB’s video mentions, these are pretty standard for newer metro systems around the world. Just that retrofitting can be something of a pain.