Zealot leaps onto subway tracks to retrieve iPhone

At first listen, one may assume that leaping onto subway tracks for an iPhone is completely and utterly insane, and while we'd tend to agree, it's not like we haven't seen folks do similarly zany things in the heat of the moment. Reportedly, a vacationer in New York recently dropped his iPhone down onto the subway tracks while shuttling back home, and after realizing his dear mobile was missing and backtracking quite a ways, his pal finally spotted it down below. As you can probably imagine, the crazed owner leaped down, snagged the scratched up (but still fully functional) device and managed to climb back out unscathed. Granted, we can only imagine how painful it would be to drop even more dough on yet another iPhone when all that stands between you and your current one is a leap of faith, but we'd probably just ask one of those friendly MTA employees to help us out before going mano a mano with the Reaper.

[Via Switched]

[ComeGetVirus @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:01PM]

I've done that a couple of times. Not for something as expensive as a phone, either. No biggie, as long as you don't die, a miss is as good as a mile.

[SuperPrime @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:55PM]

Yep. I've done it myself a couple of times. If you walk just a little outside the station there's a ladder/stairs to walk back into the station*.

*idiot note: if you're not sure DO NOT DO THIS!

[LegendZ28 @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:02PM]

I just don't drop things on the subway tracks. I can't imagine how anyone could do this "a couple of times", did you just get done eating a bucket of popcorn with extra butter or something?

That being said, if you did drop something, you're better off getting it on your own or letting it go. The MTA workers are absolutely worthless, they just sit in their booths and act pissed off everytime you have a simple question so forget about asking them to actually get OUT of the booths and DOWN into the grime of the tracks. They'd probably just tell you it's against policy or some such nonsense.

[SuperPrime @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:33PM]

No I didn't but I've retrieved stuff for people. Other people drop stuff all the time and they're too chicken to get it back. When I hear them wailing "OH GOD it's lost forever even if it's only 2 meters from me" I usually look for the train, jump down and bring the item back.

[Alex @ Jan 4th 2008 10:02AM]

LegendZ28,

You mean this guy? http://www.iris.org.il/blog/uploads/20031016-token-booth.jpg

[Nedy78 @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:01PM]

"Leap of faith." well, they don't call it the jesusphone for nothing.

[Mike @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:46PM]

Evolution didn't do its work. Damn you, Evolution!

[Flashpoint @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:36PM]

FIRST OF ALL, I live in NYC (for 26 years) and I know our subways well. There are very, very few stations where you can't see the entire length of the track to scan for oncoming trains.

#2 The height from the platform to the track bed is only about 5 feet. If you are relatively tall, you can jump down and climb back up easily. You can hop up, onto your butt and then lift your legs over.

#3 The 3rd rail - electrified - is on the opposite side of the track from the platform. if the iphone was smack dead in the middle of the track bed, you could get down there and get back without coming within a foot of the 3rd rail.

In most stations, the risk is negligeable (so long as you plan to spend less than 10 seconds down there) because trains don't speed past the platforms and even where they do, they blow the horn constantly to warn anyone who might be on the track to get out of the way.

I've pondered to myself whether or not I would ever jump down on the tracks for something.
I certainly wouldn't risk my life for an Apple product.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:38PM]

FIRST OF ALL, I live in NYC (for 26 years) and I know our subways well. There are very, very few stations where you can't see the entire length of the track to scan for oncoming trains.

#2 The height from the platform to the track bed is only about 5 feet. If you are relatively tall, you can jump down and climb back up easily. You can hop up, onto your butt and then lift your legs over.

#3 The 3rd rail - electrified - is on the opposite side of the track from the platform. if the iphone was smack dead in the middle of the track bed, you could get down there and get back without coming within a foot of the 3rd rail.

In most stations, the risk is negligeable (so long as you plan to spend less than 10 seconds down there) because trains don't speed past the platforms and even where they do, they blow the horn constantly to warn anyone who might be on the track to get out of the way.

I've pondered to myself whether or not I would ever jump down on the tracks for something.
I certainly wouldn't risk my life for an Apple product.

[blade417 @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:01PM]

and i'm sure his iPhone would do the same for him...

[striggity @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:02PM]

I guess handset insurance doesn't cover being crushed to bits by the NYC transit system. :-D

[alex @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:05PM]

A moron that got lucky, is a phone worth your life ?

[ScareyJ @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:17PM]

With the NYU poll showing some 60%+ would give up their voting rights for an iPod or similar device ... I'm surprised he wasn't met by more morons down there to fight for the glorious prize. sigh.

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:06PM]

if I was crazy enough to spend $600 on a phone, I'd be crazy enough to play around on subway tracks.

[riggs @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:09PM]

stupid* :D :D

[riggs @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:08PM]

"but we'd probably just ask one of those friendly MTA employees to help us out before going mano a mano with the Reaper."

haha as a former MTA employee i know that all you would get is a HA dee fucking HA. come on its new york, we give wrong directions to tourists ON PURPOSE.

[Phillip @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:25PM]

I assume this is why you're a -former- MTA employee? Being nice to people doesn't hurt.

[riggs @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:47PM]

umm no, better pay elswhere. calm down champ learn to take a joke.

[fastolfe @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:04PM]

Actually, I've seen an MTA employee help someone, not for an iphone, but for a freaking music cd. I guess it helps that it was a good looking woman. So yeah, he might as well have jumped down himself. As long as you don't see the lights of an oncoming train, it's not a big deal, just a little dirty.

[MEAT! @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:06PM]

Actually, he got fired for being too nice to the tourists. Official NYC MTA guidelines clearly state that each confused customer is to be punched in the stomach and have his wallet stolen.

"Whadda' I look like, a friggen map?" *THUMP!*

[Chebwa @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:18PM]

Yeah man, giving wrong directions is HYSTERICAL! HAR HAR!

[riggs @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:47PM]

so is dimwitted sarcasm.

[Clay @ Jan 4th 2008 6:04AM]

I'm from Texas and I went to visit NYC this summer for the first time in my life. I asked a cop for directions and she just sighs and then tells me directions. Turns out, they we're completely wrong. (I wanted to go to the big library...)

NYC people are mean. :( And crazy, apparently, as they risk their lives for expensive over-hyped iPhones.

[Rob @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:11PM]

Slow day Engadget? Unless you live in a town without a form of subway system this may sound like a daring act. People jump down onto the tracks, ride from the back of subway cars, do all kind of stupid crap that is more dangerous than this guy retrieving his phone. I thought there was a train coming and he had to duck and people screaming... Please. This is as scary as someone telling me "man, this guy jaywalked to pick up his wallet on the other side of the street." Oh, but I forgot, he was retrieving his "iPhone" and we have to give Apple more free publicity.

[Mike Campbell @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:40PM]

"Unless you live in a town without a form of subway system"? Exactly how many US cities have subway systems? Way to exclude and talk down to a vast segment of our society.

[Mike Campbell @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:43PM]

"Unless you live in a town without a form of subway system"? Exactly how many US cities have subway systems? Way to exclude and talk down to a vast segment of our society.

[Rob @ Jan 3rd 2008 6:52PM]

Oh please, go away with your silly sensitivity. Did you take the time to reply to everyone else who is basically saying that what this guy did was not even news worthy as well, because plenty of others have done it too. If you can't understand that this is silly publicity for the iPhone, then you're not reading between the lines. And who's to say he's not making it up. Again, it's not like he's the first to have done it.

Want to know what takes balls to do? Read about the man who jumped down onto the tracks of an incoming train and saved the life of someone who was having a medical emergency. He hovered over the victim while the train ran above them. Thank God he, and the other person came out without a scratch. For his heroic behavior, he received a medal from the city, plenty of press coverage, and paid tuition for his daughter. That's news worthy. Not this clown pictured above who, for all we know, could've made the whole thing up.

[Dr.Awesome @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:12PM]

Just looking at the guy, I'd throw him on the tracks to save my iPhone.

[riggs @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:13PM]

this post is as awesome as your username.

[Miranda Kali @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:19PM]

I once did the same thing for a friends hat. We were at one of the outdoor, elevated stations for D.C.'s Metro and the wind blew it off.
The trick to such feats of daring-do, is this. (pay attention, now. This is for professionals only!)
Carefully, just like your parents taught you, as if your life may depend on it, ('cause it does), look to see if there's a train coming. If there isn't, you've got some time to grab whatever you dropped. Just make sure and pay attention to those florescent orange signs with three foot high lettering, and don't touch the third rail.
Yeah, I'd sure as hell do it for my iPhone. Stylish hats and nifty gadgets are always worth a little risk... ;)

[wickedpheonix @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:19PM]

It's not really that dangerous. Just get down, get it, and climb back up. If there is a train coming while you're down there, the edge of the platform is actually an overhang that people can climb under so that they're not hit by the train. So while it may be really frightening, it's probably worth it to save a $400 phone especially if you can't afford to buy another one.

[helloUser @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:20PM]

I would have left in on the tracks and watch what happens.

[paragraph @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:26PM]

Does it Crush?

[Perplexer @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:22PM]

This is newsworthy? Had the owner dropped a laptop and jumped down to retrieve it, the story wouldn't have made Engadget. Unless it was a Mac.

[Jonathan @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:56PM]

This.

Hey! My uncle dropped his cellphone while balancing his tray at McDonlads and dropped it. He backtracked to the cashier, and picked it up from the floor. Get on the news post, Engadget! No? Um. The cellphone was an iPhone! Now get on the news post, Engadget!

[Phillip @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:22PM]

"friendly MTA employees"

Which New York are we talking about here?

[JC @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:31PM]

*whoosh*

Watch out, Sarcasm just flew over your head!

[mehdi @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:22PM]

lol, that guy was an iranian lol (bijan rezvani is a native iranian name)

[roole @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:10PM]

So, why is the fact that he's Iranian funny? (I am not Iranian..... just curious).

[mabedan @ Jan 3rd 2008 5:13PM]

lol is for the whole story, i just gave some information :)

[Sotheby @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:25PM]

When I read stuff like this, I cry for humanity. I cry because dumbass didn't get pulverized get accelerate his inclusion into the Darwin Awards

[Jcasebmw @ Jan 3rd 2008 4:12PM]

I love my iPhone but I doubt I would ever jump on subway tracks to fetch it. When I am thinking about jumping on subway tracks to save something I usually stop and think, in five years from now would I still jump on the tracks to save this item? If it a piece of tech then the answer is no but if its a human life then in five years I would still have them. I hope this helps any of you that have to make this difficult decision. : )

John Case
Prime Source Products
www.ShopPrimeSource.com

[Michael @ Jan 4th 2008 5:08AM]

Just because the readers ranked you low doesn't mean this wasn't good advice.

I like it and I'll take it.

(And I voted you up.)

[wrabbit @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:41PM]

It's not like he jumped in as the train was approaching the station. Other than that and the risk of electrocution, which isn't hard to avoid, the subway tracks aren't more dangerous than the platform. Took him what, 1 minute to do that, and he saved himself 6-hundred bucks, I wouldn't call that crazy.

[Tim @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:42PM]

It's funny... but I've had this thought cross my mind a number of times. As a commuter using Boston's T system I've always wondered if I dropped my iPhone would I jump down to get it. You can really see well in both directions, but on the tracks isn't a place I'd like to be. I'm sure it's against some law too.

[Mike @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:43PM]

Seeing that we don't "officially" have it up here I would wager he was a Canadian.

[Mike @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:49PM]

Still playing catch up to our beloved iPhone.

[Luke @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:50PM]

As a number of the other posters have already noted, jumping into the tracks is commonplace. I've done it a couple times in NY. Why do it yourself? First, go ahead and try asking one of the employees for help. The response is inevitably, "Sorry, we have two people in the system assigned to picking up lost valuables on the tracks. Neither person is nearby. You'll have to wait several hours before they can accomodate your request." In the meanwhile, some sharp-eyed commuter goes home with your iPhone.

[Wwhat @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:55PM]

Good news, the new firmware can triangulate him and forward the bill.

[Zak @ Jan 3rd 2008 3:51PM]

So what you're saying is that Nokia is copying Apple? Again? A long time after the iPhone came out? Wow, people copying Apple. You're right, that is totally newsworthy, because it never happens. Ever.