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No smoking on the subway. Really.

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11 comments

No smoking on the subway. Really.

POSTED: Friday, October 31, 2008, 2:41 PM

Leaving Citizens Bank Park the Broad Street Subway train was almost empty. Not even half a car was filled with passengers. Everyone on the car, however, was in good spirits, mainly because they were drunk or drinking their way to it. Since there were only a few people, everyone became friends with everyone and sharing beers and chugging contests soon began.

The friendliness and emptiness ended once a platform full of people piled on at Lombard-South Station. After that, it was standing room only. The crowd wasn't as rambunctious as the crowds heading to the stadiums, except for the one or two intoxicated passengers..

The mood quickly turned sour about 1:45 p.m. when a passenger lit a cigarette on the car. After many failed requests that he put it out, the ride went from a calm, quiet one to a violent, overexcited one. In the middle of the car passengers were trying to hold back from swinging. As soon as the doors opened at the Race and Vine stop, a pile of 10 or so men tumbled out throwing punches every which way. The brawl lasted only a few moments after they had gotten the smoker off the train. Some men, still angry and wanting a fight, continued to go after the smoker but were then pulled back onto the car. Blood was everywhere: on the participants and on the platform.

Once the doors shut and the smoker was left behind - beaten, bloody and bruised on the platform - the car erupted with cheers and applause.

Jillian Smith

Inquirer Online Desk @ 2:41 PM Permalink | 11 comments

11 comments

Comments (11)

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:46 PM, 10/31/2008

Wow. I'm against smoking in areas that force others to join in your habit, but mob violence is unacceptable. Not to mention the danger of blood-borne pathogens/viruses. Wow

— State-Man

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:53 PM, 10/31/2008

FTW!

— ChrissMari

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:55 PM, 10/31/2008

Wow

— rbnbrwn

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 2:58 PM, 10/31/2008

It is ridculous that people would beat up smoker, First I would have smoked in the empty platform if i had to not the train but to get beat up for that? They should go to jail its form of habitism ( I am copying writting it) If the guy had pot he would have probably been fine to thats whats funny but it was a cig!!!

— Jp85

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 3:03 PM, 10/31/2008

I think that was a disgrace..yes he was wrong for smoking but to beat him up that was so wrong........and leaving him behind bleeding..what is wrong with these people they make our city look bad

— Babetta

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 5:04 PM, 10/31/2008

The Subway that runs under a once proud city that is now more like a Third World pesthole, must be lovely to any tourist so freakin' stupid to visit Philly.

— joedog

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 6:01 PM, 10/31/2008

hahaha, now that's funny! So when folks get second hand smoke from this fool, let's see if we care about him getting beat up then.......

— westphillysherry

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 8:32 PM, 10/31/2008

I understand that second hand smoke still no reason to beat him up they could have call the police.....

— Babetta

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 11:55 PM, 10/31/2008

Police wouldnt respond... they were swamped already! Even then, how do you figure they get through the crowd? After the 5th or 6th warning, you simply deserve a beating. Come on, its not like people had a chance to move. They had nowhere to go. And he refused to heed warnings. Even with that said, when will the army's occupation of philly begin?

— uh

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:20 AM, 11/01/2008

You got a good handle on it Jp85. There's a lot going on here. The health nazis with the enthusiastic help of the government have succeeded in ostracizing and marginalizing smokers to the degree that they are considered subhumans with no rights at all. So here we see vigilantism against a hapless smoker. It is reminiscent of a gang of fascist thugs from the Thirties. And there is no valid motivation whatsoever. It is preposterous to believe that inhaling one person's so-called "second hand smoke" for a few minutes is going to damage anyone's health one iota. What it boils down to is that since a mob runs a great risk in beating up on a recognized and protected minority they have found themselves a new category of victim to bully. And smart of you to point out the hypocrisy since you can bet that many if not most of the attackers smoke more than their share of dope.

— HappyJack

0 like this / 0 don't • Posted 1:47 AM, 11/01/2008

This is the type of behavior that results when a citizen body, educated as it has been for the past generation or two upon the leftnotion that all morality is relative and that people can make up their own notions of right and wrong on the spot, actually take it upon themselves to act accordingly. Except more of the same under the coming Obama junta.

— George Tomezsko