Bygone Conductors

So I know this plan to cut conductors on many subway lines came out a while ago, but it's egregious enough to say something still. I know the MTA cites cities all over the world whose transit systems are operated by only one person, or are automated entirely...but those cities are not New York. Most of those cities don't have 4.5 million people a day crushing into train cars in all weathers, above and below ground, on 660 miles of track between 468 stations. Most of them also are not known worldwide for a rough-and-tumble population who have more than their share of...well, chutzpa.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know whether the one-person or automated systems that exist are safe or not, but it seems like it should be fairly intuitive that if there's only one person operating a train, there's a risk of something happening to that person and less recourse if it does. Besides, there's a sign in every subway car that insists that in case of any type of emergency, passengers should first and foremost listen to the train crew. What "crew" will they be referring to, exactly, if their plan is implemented??