Hack, Hack, Cough-cough

New Jersey Transit claims not to allow smoking in stations. But people smoke regularly at the Long Branch Station, and for years I've been complaining regularly about it to the NJT people.

I've mentioned it to the conductors.  They say it's not their job to enforce it.

I've gone to Customer Service at Penn Station in Newark.  They told me to call the police.

I called the Long Branch police.  They told me to call the New Jersey Transit police. Yeah, right.

I went to the ticket booth and asked the attendant to make an announcement reminding people they're not allowed to smoke on the platform.  "Attention passengers static.  Please be considerate of your fellow passengers and static static static platform."

(To be fair, there is also another ticket seller.  When she sees me coming, she goes right to the mike, and she's clear.)

I emailed the American Lung Association.  They said they'd see what they could do, and a few weeks later there were lots and lots of nice new "no smoking" signs in the station.  People still stand under them smoking.

I went to Customer Service at Penn Station, and got a nice email message thanking me for my complaint and telling me they would increase patrols at the station.

And I got to the station yesterday, and watched two men smoking under a no smoking sign.