Toronto no-Philly a little but not as bad as NY, DC- You could eat off of the Platforms,Chicago-I have seen one rat in 25 years.
The reason why Washington's METRO does not have the vermin problem that NYC does: METRO is closed during the night for maintenance plus the consuming of food and beverages is prohibited. NYC's system is open 24/7 and even food was sold by concessions inside the system; this goes back to the early 1900's when the first lines were opened.
“Things of quality have no fear of time.”
In Toronto you occasinally see mice on the tracks but I've never seen any in the rolling stock.
divebardave Toronto no-Philly a little but not as bad as NY, DC- You could eat off of the Platforms,Chicago-I have seen one rat in 25 years.
40 years ago,the State Street subway stations on the Red Line now, Englewood-Jackson Park/Howard then, were loaded with rats.
Warren J The reason why Washington's METRO does not have the vermin problem that NYC does: METRO is closed during the night for maintenance plus the consuming of food and beverages is prohibited. NYC's system is open 24/7 and even food was sold by concessions inside the system; this goes back to the early 1900's when the first lines were opened.
Or is it because the Washington rats realized that they had too much competition from those masquerading as politicians and moved to New York for easier diggings?
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
New York has always had a rat problem- It was the East coast's largest seaport for many, many years. Sailing ships were loaded with rats and some decided to settle down for a life on dry land. They figured if they could make it there, they could make it anywhere.
Sing it Frank!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEjq8ZoyXuQ
Agree with what some earlier posters stated. It has to do with the abundance of food refuse more than anything else. If you ban food consumption in the subway system and you do not have an issue with humans living down there. You won't have a rat or roach issue. Collect the trash and garbage at collection points that are kept clean......same deal Mandate that trash and garbage be kept in sealed compactors or bags, significant reduction or no rats and roaches.
They make large sealed dumpsters compactors when you dump the garbage you press the button and poof......no exposed garbage. Put those in your restaurant districts and keep them relative clean. No issues with the rodents or roaches. North Texas mandates those in several suburb shopping malls that have restaurants. Never saw one roach or rodent in the eating establishment I ran but I followed a few basic principles. 1. No trash or garbage kept overnight in restaurant. 2. All drainage traps in kitchen cleaned of all food particulate matter. 3. Floors swept mopped and cleaned nightly with fresh clean mopwater.
Could it be that the Norway rats are part of the natural flora and fauna of Manhatten Island that is at and below Sea level and these guys have been there for 500 years and have addapted to the Island?
CMStPnP Agree with what some earlier posters stated. It has to do with the abundance of food refuse more than anything else. If you ban food consumption in the subway system and you do not have an issue with humans living down there. You won't have a rat or roach issue. Collect the trash and garbage at collection points that are kept clean......same deal Mandate that trash and garbage be kept in sealed compactors or bags, significant reduction or no rats and roaches. They make large sealed dumpsters compactors when you dump the garbage you press the button and poof......no exposed garbage. Put those in your restaurant districts and keep them relative clean. No issues with the rodents or roaches. North Texas mandates those in several suburb shopping malls that have restaurants. Never saw one roach or rodent in the eating establishment I ran but I followed a few basic principles. 1. No trash or garbage kept overnight in restaurant. 2. All drainage traps in kitchen cleaned of all food particulate matter. 3. Floors swept mopped and cleaned nightly with fresh clean mopwater.
The New York version of Snow White's helping the Seven Dwarves clean house:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n15UKexKf4k
(EDIT: as this hasn't had any replies and it's now morning even in Central Time -- Wayne, you might observe safe coffee management practices before viewing this too far, if you're unfamiliar with it or the movie it's from...)
Wonder how many were displaced when Sandy hit ...
Remember that Sandy flooded only about 20% of the subway tunnels, mostly Manhattan below 42nd Street.
Overmod- I haven't seen a Disney cartoon since "The Little Mermaid" but wow, that was something!
BTW, Washington D.C. itself has a serious rodent problem in and near the restaurants near the White House. They dwell in the rain drainage sewers during the day and venture out at dusk en masse. So bad in some places it looks like that old rat movie Willard. Again they look for food and food abundance on the ground or in easily accessible dumpsters is the issue.
I post this video link as proof that London's Underground has a rodent problem so out of hand that they are fighting each other!!
https://news.yahoo.com/photo-mice-fighting-subway-platform-033119965.html
Overmod The New York version of Snow White's helping the Seven Dwarves clean house: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n15UKexKf4k (EDIT: as this hasn't had any replies and it's now morning even in Central Time -- Wayne, you might observe safe coffee management practices before viewing this too far, if you're unfamiliar with it or the movie it's from...)
I finally got around to watching this. Um, I'm a little too old for a gross-out this early in the morning. I need a shot of "Virginia Gentleman." Is it five o'clock somewhere?
NKP guy I post this video link as proof that London's Underground has a rodent problem so out of hand that they are fighting each other!! https://news.yahoo.com/photo-mice-fighting-subway-platform-033119965.html
I venture the cause is just the opposite - the food sources are so limited that the only two rodents have to fight over the scraps available.
After all there could be a raccoon problem....
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Flintlock76Is it five o'clock somewhere?
The sun never really sets on a good bourbon opportunity.
I'm sad you didn't appreciate the humor from just over the river. Perhaps it's because the first DVD I played for my kids was the original Snow White, but I had something of a soft spot for that schmaltzy scene in it, and gloriously enjoyed the send-up.
Oh, I appreciated the humor from "over-the-river" all right, but as I said I'm too old for "gross-out" jokes!
Maybe if I was still in high school...
Nah, forget it! Who in their right mind wants to go back to high school?
I didn't see it as a gross-out joke at all. The 'trope' is that Cinderella and the other princesses can talk to animals and call them for company. Thumper and Bambi are not Manhattan denizens, and it would be interesting to see what other healthy little forest critters would respond to the call -- which, note, is exactly the same one Snow White used at the dwarves' house.
In lieu of which ... just what critters are there to respond?
Note how she herself is a little nonplussed at who shows up ... but they get the job done, mostly, and you will note that she stays cheery even when her rhyme is 'vermin'. It's always nice to make new friends!
It was the "cock-a-roaches," to use the local dialect, that was the last straw.
"In lieu of which ... just what critters are there to respond?"
Here in my city we have Coyotes,Deer and more skunks then squirrils
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