Dropped Apple AirPods are such an issue on the Manhattan subway tracks that the New York MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) is considering making an official PSA – and requesting that riders no longer insert or remove AirPods when entering or exiting trains.
Because the Bluetooth earbuds are so expensive, many subway riders recruit MTA employees for daring rescue missions. Employees wait for trains to pass, then use eight-foot “picker-upper thing[s]” to grab the lost pods. While this might not seem like a big deal, AirPods are exceptionally small, and with as many as six official rescues in one afternoon, this process can be dangerous and cause train delays. Even worse, some commuters try to hop onto the tracks themselves. One subway cleaner explains,
“They are more valuable to [passengers] than their lives… just last week I had to stop a man from going down [to] the tracks to get it. I told him to go upstairs to the booth and make a report.”
It should go without saying, but if you happen to drop your AirPods on the NYC subway tracks, do not, under any circumstances, try climb down the tracks to retrieve them.
Many passengers don’t realize how deep the tunnels are, or how difficult it is to get out.
If you drop your AirPods, the correct course of action is to report the lost pod to an employee. Still, it may be a better idea to keep your earbuds in until you are out of the subway tunnel altogether.
While AirPod retrieval is becoming a bit of a nuisance for the New York MTA, and over 104 AirPod-related devices were rescued in the last year, the issue provides an excellent opportunity to remind commuters about metro safety. One woman who lost her $65 AirPod now makes a habit of standing further from the train platform. This is a good idea, even if you’re not wearing AirPods.
Whatever you do, don’t risk your bod for a pod.
For more advice on subway safety, or if you have been harmed in a subway accident, contact our attorneys at Belushin Law Firm, P.C. We are proud to serve Brooklyn and NYC and can be reached at (888) 918-9890. You can also schedule a free consultation online.