Jun 28, 2012
A step in the New York City subway that everyone trips on
Brooklyn-based filmmaker Dean Peterson noticed recently that people were constantly stumbling on the same stair as they came out the subway at his stop. It turns out that step is a fraction of an inch taller than the rest…
He posted this video to Reddit yesterday where it hit the front page and has since spread to other large sites. Whether or not all this attention made a difference, I don’t know, but now the stairway is closed off…
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Sheldon said that one time on Big Bang Theory, I think if the stair is off by more than 1/8 of an inch people will trip.
You’re missing the benefit: A lot of those people actually started going faster when they tripped. Those last few steps were a breeze once they started thinking they were going to climb them with their faces.
Seriously, though, it’s the little things like this about about our world and bodies that I find fascinating.
It’s actually not the stair, it’s a subway ghost that keeps shoving people.
Is he going to make a 2nd video now of people coming around the corner to that stairwell and cursing that they have to double-back and find another exit? And will he leave his camera running for 6 months (because I bet that’s how long it is closed)?
One of the men tripping on that stair was carrying a baby. Bore me later with your griping.
What time shall I start griping (seeing as how I haven’t yet griped)? In no way did I state or imply that Peterson ought not to have made this video.
Peterson made a video about a gov’t fail. It went viral (thereby garnering lots of attention) and swift — albeit, somewhat lame — action was taken. If similar focus is not given to the closure (and length thereof), the exit will remain closed for months. With his existing precedent, Peterson would be a great candidate for bringing that focus.
There is a staircase at my sister’s that has one slightly shallower step (front to back.) I slipped on that step going down regularly until my brother-in-law measured it and we realized why. It’s still shallow – I’m just more attentive.
Cool Story Bro
bhahaha I was thinking the same thing.
By bringing public attention to this nuisance, he increased the city’s libility, which resulted in the quick action. Hope they actually fix it as quickly.