An Amusing History Documenting How Much New York City Residents Love to Hate Public Transportation

1750 Waterfront

The New York Times has created “An Animated History of New York’s Love-Hate Relationship With Commuting,” an amusing and very realistic essay about how much New York City residents have loved to complain about public transportation throughout the ages.

Commuting is critical to New York City, and the metropolitan life it pioneered. Yet for most of the 19th century, the city repeatedly teetered on the brink of its capacity, each generation facing a commuting crisis. But in cycles that always seemed to begin with dreamy utopianism before giving way to disgust, the city has led the world in generating a miraculous daily movement – first of hundreds, then thousands, then millions of people a day – that has now been mostly in place for a century. It is the marvel that everyone loves to hate.

Elevated Trolley

1904 Subway

Bike

images via The New York Times

submitted via Laughing Squid Tips

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.