I didn't anticipate a subway strike when I bought my commuter this past summer, but now I'm doubly glad I did. It's already a little easier for me to get to work on my bike than underground so it won't have that much impact, at least in terms of getting to work. However, I work in the film industry and I have heard that the city will cancel all location permits for the duration of any strike, so one effect is that I will probably lose a few days of work.

I'm rather torn about what to think about the whole thing. On the one hand, I have a lot of sympathy for the TWU. The MTA have zero credibility when it comes to what they tell the public about their finances (witness the miracle surplus that "suddenly" appeared after the last gubernatorial election). And they chose to spend their budget surplus this year on holiday fare reductions instead of reinvesting it in the people who keep the system running, and are asking for huge reductions in worker benefits to boot, which is a total slap in the face.

On the other hand, NYC will grind to a near-complete halt without the subways or buses. Many many people will be severely inconvenienced, and the effect on the economy, coming as it may during the high shopping season, will be devastating.

I'm really hoping something gets worked out.