A person lying on the tracks caused train delays in NYC on Wednesday morning, but it appears the incident ended with no one hurt. Though the story had a somewhat happy ending, footage of it provoked a bigger conversation. Mental health care, like all health care in the U.S., has long been neglected. With Trump, Musk, and insurance companies concerned only about themselves, countless people will continue to be ignored. Until the community comes together to support its least fortunate, everyone will suffer. We need to get health care on track if we want the train tracks clear of people.
NYC Trains Delayed by Person on Tracks
On the long list of things worth rallying for, health care and social services rank near the top. America’s predatory health care system caters to the wealthy while leaving the poor to suffer. While it’s not clear exactly what motivated those who lay on the tracks in NYC, it’s fair to say they could’ve used more support before things got that far. Unfortunately, the U.S. rarely prioritizes or even thinks about people with disabilities. The result is that problems are left to fester when they could’ve been caught early and managed.
A TikTok by nyasha_92 about the delays received over 33k upvotes and numerous comments. One commenter was quick to point out the uselessness of the metro police, saying, “And yall wanna summon me for not paying $2.90? Right.” Among the variety of opinions, most seemed to at least agree that something needs to be done. We can’t fail our communities so badly that a person lying on the tracks in NYC becomes even more of a norm than it already is. As one commenter said,
It is DEFINITELY New York’s responsibility to deal with the homeless and people who are mentally ill. It is the GOVERNMENTS JOB to help its citizen. Too many people here are okay with billionaires- Stealing from us, but not okay with the government helping its citizens. [Sic]
Whether the person on the tracks in NYC was unhoused, confused, or otherwise in need, one thing is clear. That person being there is a sign that NYC and the U.S. need to be doing better. That’s true of affordable housing, mental health, and more. Train delays are disruptive, but fatalities would be worse. Unless New York cares more about healthy people than happy billionaires, Pizza Rat is going to start feeling like life goals.
