Just moved to the Myrtle-Wyckoff area and started taking the L into Manhattan around 8:15. Is it always like this? The train pulls in, doors close, then reopen because someone shoves an arm or shoulder in, then close again, maybe a third time. I tried the front car thinking it would let me out near the stairs at 14th, but a conductor-ish person was yelling 'all doors.' Honestly I got knocked by a backpack and almost missed the train. Is there a car that isn't a mosh pit, or is this just every stop on the L? Also why do people at this station not move to the middle? They all crowd by the doors. I'm not trying to complain too much, just want a less painful commute.

Welcome to the L. Myrtle-Wyckoff is extra rough because you've got the M transfer, the buses, and everyone from the Ridgewood side piling in. The front car is a trap at that stop: the staircase and the elevator are right there, so nobody moves down. If you want a little air, board the last car or second-to-last. A lot of people get off at Myrtle-Wyckoff from the rear. The door reopen thing isn't just your stop though; it's a mix of the door edges being sensitive and people holding them. Don't stand right at the door seam if you can help it. And if you're going to 14th/8th, the last car might actually put you closer to the 8th Ave exit than the front. Depends which staircase you want.

Same thing at Halsey. I moved here in September and thought the L was supposed to be the easy line, but the trains come so often that the platform never clears. I've tried standing by the middle doors, but then everyone shoves around you anyway. Is 7:45 just a lost cause? I leave earlier than the worst rush and it still feels like a team sport. Also, does anyone actually use the second door from the front? Every time I'm there, it's three people deep, but a third of the car is empty in the middle. Maybe I'm just not aggressive enough. Do you just push through and say 'excuse me' or is that how you get a bag in the face?

Okay, reporting back. I tried EastHarlem_E's rear car idea this morning. Leaving at 8:05 instead of 8:15 definitely helped. Got on the last car and there were seats at Myrtle-Wyckoff, no joke. But then at Bedford the crowd burst in and I was trapped behind a double stroller and two guys with bikes standing in the door area, so getting off at 8th Ave took about 40 seconds of 'excuse me, sorry, me too.' Not the worst, but maybe I'll do second-to-last next time and stand near the middle of the car instead of the door. Does anyone know which exit at 8th Ave is closest to the A/C/E stairs from the last car? I ended up on the opposite end and walked half a mile underground.

@firstwinter, 7:45 is a lost cause because it's the shoulder of the 8 am crunch. Try 7:20 or just accept the scrum. The empty middle is a NYC mystery. People hover by the doors because they're afraid they won't get out, then act shocked when the train stalls.

@trenton_transplant, yeah the Bedford surge is real, no car saves you from that. At 8th Ave, the last car is usually the long walk to the A/C/E? I want to say the front sets you down near the 14th St/8th Ave corner, but I can never remember until I'm already underground. Maybe if you're mostly 8th Ave-bound, try the second car from the rear and stand a step inside, not in the doorway. You'll still get out, just later than you want.

Honestly the L is just a moving game of Tetris now.