The days of grabbing a quick plate of spaghetti before jumping on the train could be numbered.

Two MTA board members are reportedly mulling over a ban on food and drinks in the subway, because of the trash and rats they attract. Garbage from discarded food can also cause track fires.

The idea was floated at an MTA meeting on Monday.

But beyond sanitary and mechanical concerns, food can also fuel fist fights, as was discovered last week by one straphanger who criticized a woman eating spaghetti on a train. The subway diner responded to the criticism by pummeling the anti-spaghetti passenger.

Rats looking for food on subways have caused quite a commotion lately, especially when one crawled on a man's face.

A ban on food and drink could be difficult to enforce. It's already illegal to flash people on subways, but that doesn't stop men from doing exactly that, causing women to fend for themselves.

In other words, it's well and good to try to enforce certain rules of etiquette, sanitary or not. Mostly, it simply comes down to a personal preference. Some don't mind digging into some chicken tikka masala while balancing against three commuters while others gag at the thought of the germs of the subway getting onto their food. What do you think, commuter-commenters?

