Here’s something that I wouldn’t have expected to work: cork seats on subway trains. The Lisbon Metro, June 2024:
Apparently, the seats used to be covered in cloth and they started a mass conversion about four years ago (“Lisbon Metro already running 100% coated with cork” (2022)).
By Palm Beach County standards, at least, Lisbon is plagued with graffiti. The Metro, however, seems to be an exception. I didn’t see any evidence of vandalism.
How long would cork seats last in the NYC subway system? Would every seat be defaced with carved initials within a few days of installation?
How long would cork seats last in the NYC subway system? Less than one day.
Would every seat be defaced with carved initials within a few days of installation? No within the first few hours of installation.
As a New Yorker and regular MTA rider, I believe it is highly optimistic to suggest carved initials are what the cork would be covered with.