Suspected fare-beating straphanger gets stuck in new MTA turnstile gate, wild video shows
A woman got her head stuck in the fare turnstile doors at the Broadway/Lafayette in Manhattan subway station. Instagram / @jmbp000
A New York City subway rider found herself trapped in an MTA turnstile at a Manhattan station after the automated doors clamped around her neck while she apparently tried to sneak through without paying, according to a viral video.
The incident took place at the Broadway/Lafayette station, where a woman in a long black coat rushed to catch a train and got slightly ahead of herself. An MTA worker was seen on the other side of the gate trying to pry the doors open as she flailed helplessly, the video—originally shared by Juan Manuel—shows.
Technicians told The Post that the woman likely attempted to slip through behind another commuter, triggering the sensors that automatically close the gate. “This happens when two people try to get through the door together. The sensor picks that up and closes the door on the second person,” one MTA employee explained.
A Bronx-based technician said the incident occurred a few days ago. To release someone from the turnstile, the automated doors must be powered down and opened manually, he added. The MTA is still piloting the new gates at select stations.
Reactions from New Yorkers ranged from humor to frustration. John Raine, 23, called the turnstile redesign “dystopian.” “It’s like having a controlling boyfriend,” he joked. “That’s mad over-engineering.”
Mia Rade, 34, urged riders to simply “pay attention” and “start paying for the MTA,” while her brother, tourist Alex Rade, 27, added: “How stupid do you have to be to get your head stuck in there?”
Social media users were quick to poke fun at the incident and criticize the MTA. “Great. Now the MTA is guillotining people,” one Reddit user quipped. Another asked, “I guess whoever designed this didn’t think about human head decapitation. Can she sue for that???”
The NYPD confirmed it had no official record of the mishap. Meanwhile, the MTA told The Post on Thursday: “This video is from the first hours of the pilot and was in the news then, as we responded to reporters last week. The equipment is being monitored, and as part of the pilot, we are keeping an eye on how the fare gates work.”
Similar automated doors have been installed at Boston’s transit stations, though with mixed results. Alarms are triggered if multiple people attempt to pass at once, but the doors rarely close quickly enough to catch a straggler.
The MTA has also installed other fare-dodging deterrents, including “fins” and sleeves on older turnstiles, a $7 million upgrade across the city’s 472 subway stations. However, some commuters have found ways to use the fins as a boost rather than a barrier, proving that creative solutions can sometimes outsmart even the strictest systems.
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