First Weekday For LIRR, Metro-North Smoking Ban
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Many commuters may be able to breathe a little easier while waiting for the train today.
WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs On The Story
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Smoking is now banned at Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad outdoor platforms, ticketing, and boarding areas.
The new ban caught some by surprise on Monday, the first weekday it has been in effect.
"Oh my gosh!" exclaimed one rider, cigarette in hand, to WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs.
He kept puffing away, hiding behind an advertisement.
"I think it's an infringement on our freedom and on our Constitutional rights," he said.
Infringement or not, it's now the law.
For now, offenders will get off with a warning.
But when the grace period ends, and the MTA hasn't said when that will be, violators will face fines of $50 dollars and as many as thirty days in jail.
Do you like the new smoking ban? Sound off in the comments section below!
