The SideshowNYC subway workers running “rate my rat” contest
New York City subway workers are hosting a contest for riders to rate the level of rat infestation at their home stations. The Transport Workers Union 100 is giving away a free unlimited MetroCard pass to whichever rider posts the "best" photo or video of subway rats to their site.
Among the many options offered on the site, you can visit the "Rat Gallery" to check out other user photos like the so-called beer rat pictured above.
The contest is actually part of an effort by the employees to get the subways cleared of the growing rat infestation. Local affiliate WGAL writes that the effort has already produced significant clean-ups at 20 stations. But as the subway workers write on the site, there are many more MTA venues still awaiting rat purges:
Rats are proliferating in the New York City subways. Riders overwhelmingly agree--it's getting worse. Aggressive rats are bolder about coming onto the platforms, and have even been known to bite riders. They invest the "refuse rooms" where garbage is stored. Since the Transport Workers Union began shining a spotlight on this problem, the MTA has announced a program to clean 20 stations--that's less than four percent of the stations system wide. It's not enough. More must be done!
Meanwhile, MTA riders and employees who were unable to capture an award-winning photo of their rat trauma can still contribute a written testimonial to the site's "Rat Tale" section.
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