I can't win.

This morning there was a train in the station when I started down the stairs to the platform, but throngs of people coming up from the train blocked my descent, and of course, I got to the doors just as they closed. Okay. I waited, finally another train came. Then, on the other end of the trip, I exited to find two packed up escalators and one near-empty stairway. I headed for the stairway, only to be stopped by a uniformed MTA worker who shouted that it was reserved for "Down only" during rush hour. "But there's no one on it!" I pointed out, but she said, "No, there are people. Those are people." All four individuals casually strolling down the long flight of steps must have been proud.

I generally choose stairs over escalators anyway (in the subways they are generally right next to each other) because of the added exercise, but this was super frustrating. Where was the MTA lady when I was blocked from getting to my train in the morning? Sigh.