I don't use the LIRR or Metro North to come and go each day. As a result, I've been missing out on the best beer deal in town. My discovery occurred yesterday.

Before I boarded the LIRR to take me to the LCD Soundsystem/Interpol/Pixies concert at Jones Beach, I made a pit stop at the LIRR platform bar for a tall cool can of beer.

The platform bars are not a new concept. I've known about them, even purchased beer from them before city getaways. However, the bargain aspect of the stands never registered. Maybe a friend made the purchase or maybe I didn't bother to look at the hefty wad of change I received back. But with money trickling in at a slower clip than usual, I’ve been particularly sensitive to deals when I find them.

On the platform, a mere $2.50 buys you a pint of Amstel Light and other imports. If you're really on a budget, you need only spend $2 on domestics. We're not even talking the wimpy 12 ounce cans. You get the full 16 ounces!

And while drinking is illegal on buses, subways and New York City streets, the MTA says yes to drinking on commuter platforms.

Shout it loud in the overheated subway tunnels. Spread the word. Boycott the taverns. Let's take happy hour to the platforms.

No need to commute to take part in this last glorious vestige of Bacchean tolerance in this neo-puritanical city. Simply go to your platform of choice. Make your purchase and take a seat on the nearby train car and wait for the conductor to announce the departure. Just be sure to not imbibe so much cheap beer that you forget to disembark before the train leaves.