ADVERTISEMENT

Keeping the virus at bay is the top and foremost priority these days. A face mask has been added to the "check before leaving" daily bundle next to keys, wallet, and phone, and as we’re on our way to the second wave, we're kinda used to this whole thing.

But people are still getting creative with the most questionable face (and body) coverings that defy science, common sense, and simply aesthetics. I mean, would you put a plastic bag on your head? While you think, let me tell you that this time, we’re covering not the random bunch of people wearing "wut da heck is dat" in a public space, but the full-on "subway creatures." Compiled by the amusing Twitter page by the same name, “Subway Creatures” give us a glimpse of weird, weirder, and the weirdest, but in times of pandemic.

After you’re done, check out our previous post about people spotted reading incredibly strange books on the subway. As they say, reality is stranger than fiction.

More info: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok | Reddit

#1

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
nicolaroberts avatar
Nicola Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think this is ridiculous. I think this normalises wearing masks.

colombinabc avatar
JN
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree with you. And I think it's a very cute and friendly way to support wearing masks and protecting others!

Load More Replies...
lisagoetsch avatar
sergiobicerra_1 avatar
glowworm2 avatar
glowworm2
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love that Ernie's wearing one too, although it may be too late for him. I think he's dead!

dorisemenov avatar
Dori Semenov
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm more concerned about the lady on the left on a subway without a mask. Yikes.

edwardh317 avatar
Edward Hara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Aren't you just a terrified little sheep? Just the way our lying government and lying media want you to be. Hey, here's a clue for you. The death rate for this virus is .0001% !! Did you get that? Less than 1 % and mostly found in older people and those who are obese and have other conditions. You are being scammed!!!

Load More Replies...
onpegasus avatar
Linda Harms
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Masks can be fun if you are creative. They are only a violation of your civil rights if you are an idiot.

edwardh317 avatar
Edward Hara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The death rate is .0001%. The CDC and WHO have said that masks do not work. Who's the idiot now?

Load More Replies...
fidelitas-ut-terminus avatar
Jane Doe
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Anything that makes it less frightening and more “cool” for children is okie dokie anytime

mtnpacrat avatar
Les Izmore
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So many people without masks. No surprise the US has the highest infection rate in the world

edwardh317 avatar
Edward Hara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sweden did not do lockdowns or mandated masks. Their infection rate was barely a blip on the radar. Did you hear about that in the lying liberal media? Of course not, because they want you terrified like you are.

Load More Replies...
sjones avatar
sbj
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is just the cutest! and I'm loving his socks

emilysanchez avatar
Emily S
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mom did this so my baby brother would keep his mask on in an airplane

muxian318 avatar
Darwinist
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This will serve nicely to warm the non-corona-believers that no mask = death

blugeagua avatar
blugeagua
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm more concerned about the people around him who aren't wearing anything.

kathrynbaylis_2 avatar
edwardh317 avatar
Edward Hara
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure our lying media and lying government are happy to see they have you scared out of your mind over a virus that has a death rate of less than 1%. My, my, my....how easy it has been to install tyranny over people.

Load More Replies...
amandapoirier avatar
Lilfish_74
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Y'all are so focused on the doll no one is talking about the woman seated next to him not wearing any kind of face covering.

juliet_bravo avatar
Jill Bussey
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is actually a good idea, especially if a young person sees it.

dragon_mama_76 avatar
Mommy Dragon
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ernie doesn't need a mask. Look at his eyes...he's already dead!

jawpoo avatar
Jane W.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love this guy! Give us all a good laugh when we need it most.

support_73 avatar
Quazmodic
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That doll doesn't look well. I think the guy is calling the Doll Hospital on his phone. :)

aileencann avatar
Aileen Cann
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good way to encourage children to keep a mark on. Also we all need our best friend in the current year we are having.

nickyoldfielddesciple avatar
IlovemydogShilo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is brilliant. If a parent was on the train with a child who didn't want to wear a mask, she could just point over to that man and say " look, Ernie is wearing his mask, you should too". I bet the kid would happily wear his mask then.

marge_flanders avatar
Marge Flanders
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My doctor's offices still wont let me bring someone with me, i take a stuffed animal and darn right i put a mask on the toy

boopiedew avatar
Boopie Dew
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm more worried Ernie has dead eyes. Why dead and a mask??

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

To find out more about the "subway creatures" amid the pandemic, Bored Panda reached out to Rick McGuire, the founder of widely popular Subway Creatures Instagram. Rick said that there have been a lot of changes in the subway during the viral outbreak.

“A good number of people are still scared to use public transportation despite studies showing there is a very minimal risk of contracting Covid-19 on the trains. In addition, there is a decent amount of people who no longer have to commute to work because they are now working from home.”

Rick said that all of this adds up to ridership at an all-time low. “It’s hurting the public transportation system badly, as well as content for my page Subway Creatures.” Right now, it is the law to wear a face mask on the NYC subway, so people have been getting very creative.

He recounted seeing people “use everything from plastic bottles to shopping bags to women's underwear. It's definitely weird and funny, but a constant reminder of the times we're living in,” he concluded.

ADVERTISEMENT

Although we’re all well into this newly found lifestyle amid the worldwide pandemic, there’s still a bunch of misinformation surfing around. We previously wrote about the new study carried out by the team of scientists at Duke University in North Carolina. Scientists carried out tests on 14 face coverings of different styles, and found out that neck fleeces performed the worst because the material broke down large droplets into smaller ones that spread into the air more easily.

There’s no question that most of the makeshift coverings will not help to stop the spread of coronavirus. But according to Anna Davies, a scientist at The Cambridge Centre for Data-Driven Discovery who researches face mask efficacy, “a homemade mask should only be considered as a last resort to prevent droplet transmission from infected individuals, but it would be better than no protection.”

#4

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
jnmaresca avatar
Justine Nicole
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The pic behind him makes it look like there is water being poured into the jug!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#5

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
ng avatar
N G
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The walking toilet paper dispenser appears to be empty

View more commentsArrow down menu

Anna also stressed that symptomatic individuals, if they need to come into contact with others (e.g. shared house or trip to hospital), may lower the risk of transmission if a mask is worn. However, Anna warned that “The mask should be very carefully handled and decontaminated before disposal.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Her study showed that a commonly used t-shirt mask (stretchy cotton fabric was by far the most wearable) was about a third as effective as a surgical mask at filtering small particles, with the same issues of airborne intrusion that surgical masks have. However, the general public is advised to wear one as a minimum barrier to stop face touching when a healthy individual is out on a necessary trip e.g. for food.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a previous interview with Bored Panda, Rick McGuire said that it all started in 2011 when he launched "Subway Creatures" as a website. Fueled by his personal interest in observing commuters and the subway, Rick then launched Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook accounts.

“NYC has this unspoken rule of 'keep your head down and mind your own business,' but I'm a huge people-watcher. There's so much going on around you at all times and it would be a shame to miss some of these typical 'New York moments.' When I'm on the train, I always find myself looking for obscurities and checking my surroundings. You never know what you'll see!"

ADVERTISEMENT

“Subway Creatures” has gained a cult following with 2.1 million followers devoted to weird, weirder and the weirdest on subways. This space of everything bizarre captivated Rick as he himself was commuting to work. "I was commuting to work in NYC every day and seeing the wild, bizarre, and crazy things the city has to offer and noticed there really wasn't a place where it was all being documented."

ADVERTISEMENT
#17

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
sergiobicerra avatar
Sergio Bicerra
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So, which one is the stupid? The guy using a napking or the girl in the back with no mask? At least he's trying

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
rabbitcarrot avatar
Rabbit Carrot
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He’s either protecting himself against the plague or he’s on his way to a crime.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
dirigobill avatar
Bill
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I hear people complaining about wearing a mask I remember doing a July hump on Okinawa wearing a gas mask for 5+ miles in full combat gear and chuckle

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#23

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
louchebert avatar
Hubertus Touché
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My name is Tyler Lee Little and I come from rural Nantucket. Folks say I look my best with my head stuck in a bucket.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
sophieknight avatar
Maiun
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No clue what it is but it looks like he's still managing to pick his nose.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
abigailwilliams_2 avatar
StardustRainO8
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It looks like he has a nosebleed and forgot about the tissue for days.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#36

Corona Mask Situation

subwaycreatures Report

Add photo comments
POST
jessgunn77 avatar
JessG
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the same lady we saw before with the scarf tied around the box, LOL!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
See Also on Bored Panda