http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/national/A...Potty-Stop.html

October 31, 2003
Commuter Gets Arm Stuck in Train Toilet
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 11:33 a.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) -- A man riding a Metro-North train dropped his cell phone in a toilet and got his arm stuck trying to retrieve it Thursday, forcing the train to stop and delaying the evening commute for thousands of people.

Edwin Gallart, 41, of the Bronx, was stuck with his arm in the toilet for 90 minutes, The Advocate of Stamford reported in Friday's editions.

The incident happened on the 6:19 p.m. train from Grand Central Terminal. Crew members were alerted to the problem at about 59th Street, a few blocks north of Grand Central.

``When this moron's arm went down the crapper, so did our evening commute,'' Metro-North spokesman Dan Brucker said.


.... more at article.......

This has got to be the best quote I have ever seen! I'm sorry, but if something I own goes down the toilet on a train, it's going to remain in the retention tank. Besides, the cell phone probably was shot as soon as it hit the water. Powered-up electronic equipment (I'm assuming the cell phone was on) tends to be very intolerant of water.

That's too rich...however, how come no one is giving the moron at least some credit for at least making his call in the bathroom rather than annoying his fellow passengers with it. At least he deserves some points for courtesy

He still owes us points. He got 2 points for courtesy, but lost 10 points for stupidity. Five for being dumb enough to actually think that he could retrieve the phone from the toilet. Another five for actually wanting the phone back after it fell into the toilet, not to mention thinkin that it would still work after that.

So at present he owes MN commuter's 8 points.

Is he gonna having a blue-stained hand and arm from chemical liquid in retention tank?

WB11 (WPIX) is doing a poll on whether people would reach into a public toilet to retrieve their phone.

That quote is hillarious I enjoy listening to Dan Brucker, he was the one that hosted "Seven Secrets of Grand Central".

They also said Metro-North is considering suing the guy. That'd be an interesting case.

Ah yes, another way for the MTA to waste taxpayers dollars. Not that I'm not against suing people (I need the money) but still.

As for the points, I think MN gets another 5 for the great quote, and for the moron all I was saying was he should get his 2 points not win the game

I would have loved to hear the reaction of people in that car once they freed his arm, tired commuters in NY would have made it colorful to say the least.

I also wonder if he had to get a teatnus shot and did he burn his clothes after that?

There would have been no colorful comments or reactions from his fellow commuters, as they were all evacuated from the train long before this clown was freed.

They actually had to cut the toilet up in order to free him. This took in excess of a half hour.

Metro North can go ahead and sue, but it wouldn't suprise me if this guy makes a countersuit for slander. Or better yet, sues for injuries because a sign wasn't posted warning him that it could be harmfull to himself to put his hand in this toilet.

You're probably right, he will go and sue MN.

Unfortunately Metro North can't put up signs saying "Morons shouldn't use this bathroom", as they would get sued for insulting people. So there is simply no way to protect one's business from the idiots.

TRUTH is a complete defense to a frivolous lawsuit.

Guys,

Great thread....Normally I would say "nobody's that stupid", but being in California, with the "hunter" who started the massive San Diego fire with a flare gun because he couldn't find his buddy, yeah, I can believe this...

Wb

Truth is a complete defense to slander or libel whether a lawsuit is frivilous or not is of course something to be determined based on the merits of the case...(sorry lawyer in training coming out )

Is this man very mad when he stuck his arms in the train toilet?

I don't know about mad, but I'm sure he was wet and smelly afterwards. I wonder if his wife or girlfriend let him back into the house or did she make him hose himself off beforehand

This man has no right to be mad at anyone, except himself. He's the fool who stuck his hand into the toilet. He could havr and should have asked a conductor for help, instead of putting his hand into the toilet.

The people who have a right to be mad are the thousands of commuters who were delayed because of then need to rescue this man. The police and firefighters who had to waste a half hour of their time to rescue him have a right to be mad. And of course Metro North has a right to be mad, since they now have to fix that train car before they can use it again to carry passengers.

Fixing that car will require several thousand dollars. All because this man didn't use common sense.

Your right Alan B next time the man need to ask somebody for help.

Putting your hand down a toilet for a lost cell phone is stupid in my opinion. Does ones cell phone really mean that much to a person. If it were me I would have called the cell phone company and just paid the $50 some dollars for a new phone. Now if it were a gold ring that went down the toilet, then I could understand going after it. Even still, I wouldn't be that desperate.

The only way I'd be that desperate for a ring is if it were somethng of great sentimental value, or my wedding ring as you don't want to deal with angry wife for losing that

Even then I don't think that I would have put my hand down the toilet.

I'd have called the conductor and asked him to call for help.

It's not an opinion - It's a fact! Putting your hand down a toilet for a lost cell phone IS STUPID. I hope he does get sued. It seems like Metro couldn't lose this one! Let's start racking up the damages... inconvenience to all the passengers and possibly loss of future business (hard to assign a real $ value, but could be estimated), cost of emergency personnel for responding to this frivilous case, inconvenience to other train traffic on the line, cost of the toilet cut up that needs to be replaced, overtime for any train crew required to stay on scene throughout the "rescue", money lost for the train car being out of service for repair... and the list goes on...