Travelers Turn to Humor Amid Chaos from Long Island Rail Road Strike

In response to the suspension of all trains on the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) during the strike, some social media users have shared a witty collection of ‘alternative’ travel methods for stressed out commuters.

The strike that started just after midnight on May 16 halted all service on the busiest commuter systems in North America where over 300,000 ordinarily use the rail line on an average weekday.

Adam Carlson, an ‘X’ user under the handle @admcrlsn, responded to the Monday LIRR suspension announcement post with an image of a train with commuters filling the cars to the brim and the overflow commuters clinging onto the outside of the jam packed rail cars. He captioned the image with “The A, E, F, J, M, R, Z & 7 trains this morning.”

NYC Bike Lanes, an ‘X’ user under the handle @NYCBikeLanes, took to the social media platform to offer another alternative form of transportation: railbikes, platformed bicycles which can ride atop of railway tracks.

“Now offering service from Long Island direct to Penn station,” one of the posts wrote, accompanying an imagine of a railbike on a track. “I’ll get you to the city faster than an LIRR express train.”

The account continued, sharing two more photos of railbikes for the Monday morning commute, noting “Some cycling experience preferred.”

However, despite promoting the railbikes through another photoshopped image of two commuters on a railway track using a railbike, NYC Bike Lanes included an important disclaimer for commuters who might be inspired to use the alternative transportation method.

“Do not attempt without the express permission of @LIRR. The track is electrified and deadly,” the account wrote. “For legal reasons I must state this image is photoshopped and didn’t actually happen.”

“Hoping the ride home is just as smooth,” the account added.

In real life, some commuters combined multiple different travel routes in substitution for the LIRR, including using a bus service and then transferring to a subway train. Throughout the LIRR strike, commuters have continuously used social media platforms such as ‘X’ and ‘Reddit’ to provide travel advice for other commuters.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and MTA officials advised commuters to work from home if possible and also provided alternative travel options such as shuttle buses, the NICE bus in Nassau County, and “Kiss-and-Ride” at Brooklyn and Queens subway stations.

A ‘Reddit’ user under the handle @brianpumperjewels corroborated Carlson’s sentiment, saying “JAMAICA AVE ABOUT TO BE POPPINGTON.”

User @djmaniak667 shared yet another satirical travel method to LIRR services: walking.

“Guess I should start walking now?” the ‘Reddit’ account wrote Sunday, May 17.

While users post their own opinions and make light of the strikes through memes, the MTA shared that they will continue to take part in negotiation meetings with the labor unions, hoping to resolve the strike soon.