Every few days in New York City, a subway operator stops a train, speaks the phrase "12-9" into a radio, and waits what may feel like an eternity for a police officer to arrive and inspect the train and tracks. In the parlance of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 12-9s describe collisions between trains and people. In 2019, the M.T.A. recorded a hundred and ninety-five 12-9s, the highest number in at... see more