Anyone else feel like the top of the subway stairs has become a phone-checking lounge? This morning at West 4th I nearly got bowled over by a guy who hit the top step, planted his feet, and started scrolling like he was on his couch. I get that service is spotty underground, but can you not shuffle six inches to the right before you go full scroll? I usually just shoulder past and mutter, but I’m wondering if anyone actually says something. What’s the move — a loud 'excuse me,' a tap on the backpack, or just passive-aggressive sighing?

WestVillage_W, I've started using the MTA voice: 'Stand clear of the landing, please.' Half these people can't hear you because they've got AirPods in. The other half act like you just asked for their wallet. At 74th/Roosevelt the worst ones stop right at the top and keep a hand on the rail so you can't squeeze by. I say something now. Life's too short to miss the Q47 because someone's checking bodega pics.

JacksonHeightsJay, the MTA voice is perfect. But okay this is exactly what I still don't know how to handle. I'm newish here and I always end up doing an awkward stop-and-stutter behind them. Is it actually okay to tap someone's arm or backpack? I don't want to start a fight. Usually someone behind me yells 'MOVE' and I feel like a kid who didn't do the assignment. What's the etiquette?

Astoria_amateur, don't tap. Learned that the hard way on the L at Union Square. Woman stopped at the top to answer a call, I gave her a light tap on the shoulder, and she shrieked like I'd cut her MetroCard in half. Now I keep my hands to myself and just say 'excuse me' as I pass. If there's no room, I repeat it louder. The ones who stop at the turnstile to dig for their card are a different circle of hell.

Astoria_amateur, tap the air, not the person. I do a two-step warning: 'heads up' from a few steps back, then 'coming through' as I get close. Works maybe half the time. The other half, I just angle my shoulder and go. Half the city is one bad look away from a viral meltdown, so I'm not trying to get famous off a sidewalk spat.

To answer Astoria_amateur: no, don't tap. I know that feels impolite, but it's safer than setting off someone who's already on edge. I've lived near the 34th St express stop for the better part of a decade, and the top-of-stairs cluster is a year-round thing, not just tourist season or rush hour. The real problem is a mix of station design and phone habits: the stairwell opens onto a landing that feels like a safe place to stop because it's a few feet wider than the stairs, but it's exactly where everyone behind you needs to go. I've watched whole lines of people compress into a bottleneck because one person stops to check a notification the second they get signal.

What I've found works, most of the time: slow down before the top step so you have a little buffer, and say 'coming through on your left' in a calm, non-confrontational voice. Don't touch them. Even a light tap can escalate, especially with people who already feel crowded and defensive. If they don't move, I step into any clear space or wait for a gap. If I'm behind someone with a suitcase or stroller, I give them extra room because they've got more to maneuver.

I did once see a woman stop at the top of the 23rd St exit to photograph the station sign with her phone, suitcase kicked out almost sideways. I said 'please keep the landing clear,' and she did move, but her companion rolled her eyes at me. Some people genuinely don't realize they're a hazard; they think a few seconds doesn't matter, but in a dense station those seconds stack up behind them. I'd support the MTA painting 'keep moving' at top landings, though I'm not holding my breath. Until then, I treat the top of the stairs like a merge lane: pick your line, look ahead, and don't be the person parked in it.

Block_assoc_bee, the merge-lane analogy is too real. The R/W at Rector is genuinely worse because the escalator dumps you onto this tiny mezzanine that's already backed up with tourists trying to figure out which exit goes to the Charging Bull. I don't say anything anymore; I just duck and mutter 'oh my god' under my breath. Not my finest work. Also, when I'm the one checking a text, I try to veer to the side and stand next to a pillar. But I swear half the city never learned the 'pull over' rule for bodies.

Update: this morning a woman in a long coat froze at the top of the stairs, I did my usual 'excuse me,' she didn't flinch, and a teenager behind me just said 'we're walking here' in the most deadpan voice. I've never felt so seen. Keep your head up and your elbows ready.