The Toronto Transit Commission is encouraging people to immediately report broken or missing subway train windows after a TikTok user appeared to have filmed themself sticking their hand out a moving vehicle on Line 2.
The 11-second video, set to the song Tokyo Drift by Teriyaki Boyz and posted by Paul K. Kim with the caption “TTC hit different,” started off at the left-hand side train door before the camera goes outside of the subway train as it pulls into St. George station.
The camera then comes back into the train and a person’s hand holding a drink bottle can be seen outside of the train, tapping on the outside of the door.
It’s unclear when the video was filmed as well as when and how the window became missing.
TTC spokesperson Stuart Green said staff were aware of the video and after investigating, they found the only recent report of a subway train missing a window on Line 2 was on an eastbound train on Jan. 16.
“Eventually it was reported to us, but it got as far as Donlands station with no window. Once we became aware, we immediately took the train out of service,” he said.
Green said there’s a strong chance of someone being seriously injured or killed when a rider comes out of a moving train.
“Putting any object out of a moving train is not a good idea,” he said, adding there are other risks to worry about if a window is missing
“When the train is in the tunnel and there’s no window there, there’s a chance debris could fly in and do some injuries. All around it’s not a safe situation to have.”
Green was asked what riders should do if they come across a missing window on a subway train.
“What they should not do is make TikTok videos. They should immediately report it,” he said.
“It’s probably one of those cases that would warrant pushing the emergency alarm and having the train come to a stop at the next station, and alerting staff immediately — that would be our preference.”