The Wrong MTA Fix

Y ou’d think the “Summer of Hell” would leave the MTA focusing on its real problems, not on updating announcement etiquette.

But no: The agency is busy ensuring that all subway personnel stop addressing riders as “ladies and gentlemen.”

The theory is that this is hurtful to New Yorkers who identify as neither male nor female — which is surely only a fraction even of the trans population.

Orders went out last week telling workers to use words like “passengers,” “riders” or “everyone.” The MTA went so far as to tell conductors on newer trains to override the automated messages with the politically correct ones — and to warn everyone that supervisors would be listening for the now-forbidden terms.

All this is part of a drive for “more human and plain language,” says the MTA. Funny: “Passengers, please don’t block the doors” strikes us as less human than the old phrase.

Forget about catching up on all the deferred maintenance that’s caused so much chaos.

Forget, too, state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli’s warning that the MTA will need to hike tolls even more than planned if it doesn’t get fresh sources of revenue.

No, transit officials “don’t want to offend anyone,” as one MTA worker summed it up.

Maybe so — but the most offensive things to straphangers are late trains, endless wait times and unannounced line changes.