New York Subway System Flooding Takes New Yorkers-And MTA-"By Surprise"

There isn't much that will slow down a New Yorker, or keep a New Yorker tucked away at home for the day. With arguably the best public transportation system in the United States, New Yorkers almost never have an excuse to stay home from work or school because of inclement weather. Growing up in Manhattan, I had only one snow day (during the famed "Blizzard of 1996"), and New Yorkers generally roll their eyes when the national government shuts down and Washington, D.C. comes to a halt because of half an inch of snow.

All that changed on August 8, 2007. Heavy rains in the early morning caused severe flooding that crippled the city's transportation system, flooding and/or shutting down nearly every subway station. Without the subways to rely on, the streets were teeming with people, as commuters resorted to means of surface transportation instead. But with buses either canceled or too crowded to board and the severe competition for cabs, many were forced to either walk or simply stay at home for the day.