Daring New Yorkers have begun filming themselves surfing on MTA buses, months after the authority cracked down on subway surfing following the death of a teenager.
Videos circulating on social media show people sitting and sometimes jumping on top of buses as the heavy vehicles travel through the city.
In an Instagram video shared by a page called @_thisisnyc_A man wearing Nike shoes can be seen sitting on the roof of an M15 articulated bus as the vehicle speeds down Second Avenue in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan.
At one point in the video, the daredevil stands up to show viewers the other vehicles around him as the bus continues to travel quickly.
A man wearing Nike shoes can be seen sitting on the roof of an M15 articulated bus as the vehicle moves down Second Avenue in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan.
At one point in the video, the daredevil stands up to show viewers the other vehicles around him as the bus continues to travel quickly.
But although the man tried to gain popularity with his risky behavior, viewers criticized his actions.
One Instagram user frustratingly wrote: ‘Can we stop encouraging boating on buses and trains?’
Another demanded collective change, saying: “We have to stop reposting these videos because it encourages this stupidity to continue seeking influence.”
One user also requested that the page stop encouraging people to post these types of videos.
He wrote: “Don’t encourage this… it’s really dangerous and a lot of people don’t take this kind of thing seriously.”
Another user also asked who would be blamed if something happened to the risk taker.
‘Very stupid, something is happening to him now. Is it the driver’s fault?’ the concerned user wrote.
One of the men was seen in a jumping position and jumping on the roof of the bus while another filmed him while the bus was traveling.
The video was originally posted to an unidentified person’s Instagram story and was later shared on X by a man named Jonathan Eli.
But he’s not the only reckless New Yorker pulling this stunt. Two other city residents were seen standing and jumping onto another MTA bus.
One of the men was seen jumping on the roof of the bus while another filmed him as the bus moved forward.
He video was originally posted on an unidentified person’s Instagram story and was later shared on X by a man named Jonathan Eli.
Bus surfing cases emerged two months after the mother of a 15-year-old boy filed a lawsuit against the city’s subway network, along with TikTok and Meta.
Norma Nazario’s son, Zackery Nazario, died while riding the subway on a Brooklyn-bound J train over the Williamsburg Bridge on February 20, 2023.
A crossing light hit the teenager in the head, causing him to fall between the subway cars and before he could escape, a train hit him.
Norma Nazario’s son, Zackery Nazario, died while riding the subway on a Brooklyn-bound J train over the Williamsburg Bridge on February 20, 2023.
A year after his death, Norma filed a lawsuit against the MTA and social media platforms alleging that the apps ‘encouraged’ her son to perform the deadly stunt by recommending similar videos.
Additionally, Norma sues the public transportation company for not closing the subway doors.
In February 2024, Norma filed a lawsuit against the MTA and social media platforms, alleging that the apps ‘encouraged’ her son to perform the deadly stunt by recommending similar videos.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages from TikTok, Meta and MTA.
According to Norma, she found several videos of people surfing the subway after she started checking their social media accounts.
The distraught mother also claims that Zackery had received an advertisement for a balaclava, which surfers often use to hide their identities.
In addition to damages, the lawsuit also demands that tech companies “change their dangerous technology recommendations,” saying it causes others to join life-threatening trends.
Additionally, Norma is suing the public transportation company for not locking the subway doors.
The MTA has not yet commented on the new bus navigation trend.
