uptowngirl
uptowngirl

Tips and tricks for living in NYC

New York City is a city of immigrants. Most people who live here have come from somewhere. When you first come to the city there are certain quintessential New York quirks that you have to get acquainted with if you have to embrace your life as a New Yorker.

1. West side of the Street/ East side of the Street, similarly North side and South side

I still can't my head around these expressions which are used by New Yorkers in place of Right hand side and left hand side
2. Bills not notes

When talking about currency you have to use the term 'bill' not 'note' or the bank teller will look at you askance
3. 'Restrooms' not Toilets

self -explanatory isnt it ?
4. Holler when you need to get out of a packed subway car

If you happen to be hemmed in a packed subway car and need to get out at a station - you need to holler - 'getting off' and the crowds will part like the sea for Israel.
5. If you are on a public bus and the back door doesn't open

Try yelling 'Backdoor' at the top of your lungs and rest assured the door will open
6. Co-ops and condos

New York City's many apartment buildings are classified as co-ops and condos. For the uninitiated the word co-op is short for cooperative and when you buy a co-op apartment you dont actually own the apartment but you own shares of a co-op corporation that owns the building. The number of shares that you own depends on the size of the apartment. However before you buy a co-op you need to be approved by the board that governs the said co-op. (Many co-op boards in NYC are n
7. Free transfer

If you use a Metrocard to ride NYC public transport system you are entitled to a free transfer if you switch from a subway to a bus or a bus to subway, bus to bus, or between select subway stations within a two hour period. Free transfers however do not work on crosstown buses which go from the east side to the west side and vice versa.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Don't forget we pronounce Houston in our own special New York way, and if a car doesn't give you the right of way on the street you have the right to bang on the hood as loud as you can and shout all the curses you want.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
:) well said Uraniumfish.. feel free to add to list
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Anything you've ever thought of doing? About 10,000 people have thought of doing it about ten minutes before you. I can't repeat often enough how useful this simple rule of thumb is in New York. That means, make restaurant reservations, buy movie tickets ahead of time, and get wherever you're going to early!

I've had days when, not being able to quite get it together, I literally wandered around for hours unable to find a decent place to eat.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
If you've got big bags to carry on the subway, get the attendant's attention and get him to open the service door, so you're not squeezing awkwardly through the turnstiles with a bunch of bags and such.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
Oh yes the famous NYC hype..if the NYT says its good it must be so.. recently the Times had an article on affordable eats and it profiled a Union Square eatery called Laut which I had been dying to try. Silly old me thought that I could go across and grab a meal and I called my brother to meet me there after work. Needless to add loads of people had the same idea and the restaurant was absolutely packed to the gills ..after waiting around for a bit with no sign of a table we left and went downtown to Chinatown for a meal..
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
The one thing I could get get my head around is the NY style of living. I'm from the country and when I came here, I would get angry when I wouldn't get attention. I learned pretty quickly how to communicate by following and listening to others. Wouldn't it be great if this city was normal like other places.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
In upscale restaurants, NOT getting seated somewhere near the bathrooms requires a combination of elan, stylishness in manner and dress, and a willingness and ability to make a big fuss and out-persnicket the usually extremely persnickety restaurant host.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Earplugs seem to be de rigeur. If it's not the traffic and the astonishingly loud trains, it's the neighbors stomping--or the pipes in winter making all kinds of coughing wheezing banging racket.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Talking about noise pollution. That is something we can do without. Actually, isn't there an ordinance in place that prevents a lot of noise. I remember hearing about it a few years ago.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uraniumfish Well said on the top of being seated near the restaurant bathrooms; I've had my share of battles in this department, especially when I was in my early 20s and out with a group of friends. We must've looked like we spent all of our money on clothes or something.

One of the great things about living in this city is that motorists almost always yield to pedestrians. Though I don't recommend jumping in front of a car that has a green light, most of the time you can get away with murder if you are in a big hurry.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
I think it's important to note that New Yorkers really do look better than most people. They really do spend a lot of money on good creams and good hair products, and manicures and facials, whether you think that's a good idea or not. I just don't see women walking around with gray hair in this city the way you would expect anywhere else on the planet. People dye and pluck and moisturize. And they go to the gym! A lot! I think this is an important kind of survival tip for New York: beauty counts, it's a part of the social code.

That also goes for clothes. As a general rule, people dress really well in this city in the way that you might not see in other big US cities like DC or Boston.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Bring a book for the subway. Everybody's well outfitted with either reading material or iPod. I met one writer who said she does most of her writing on the subway. Can't imagine it, but it must be some some very short, terse literature.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Tip no less than 15%! That 'rounding up' to the nearest whole number the Europeans do just doesn't pass muster in this city. More typical is 20% and it's important to remember that bar and restaurant workers make woefully little as a base salary and rely on tips for the substantial part of their income.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
There are an astonishing number of expensive restaurants that don't accept credit cards. Peter Lugar's steakhouse and Lombardi's are the first two that come to mind, but don't get cozy with a big meal before you've verified you can pay for it, wherever you are.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I've completed my allotted time as a server in various restaurants, and it's rare for a customer to tip less than 20%, though it does happen. Knowing what it feels like to never know what your income will be that week, I've made it a habit to leave an appropriate tip.

Uraniumfish has the right idea about finding out who takes credit cards - there are a surprising number of boutique businesses in this city that only take cash. Since I almost never have any on me, I've become something of an ATM expert. Fees are usually about 99 cents (plus whatever your bank may charge), but I make it a point to be familiar with various branches of my bank.

Even if you are in the middle of dinner and realize you need cash, don't fret too much because there are likely about 20 ATMs within a three block radius of where ever you are in Manhattan.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
When waiting for a cab outside of JFK or LaGuardia or Newark, there are always drivers who try to trick tourists into straying away from the official cab line. Don't be fooled; these drivers ultimately want to take advantage of tourists who don't know the area and will likely drive you around for a while before charging you too much money. Stick to the queue under the signs, even if someone offers you a ride without the line.

I've read reports recently that drivers will approach tourists in line and tell them that the cabs they are waiting for aren't going to Manhattan - don't believe such statements and don't accept rides from such people.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about them. Probably worth a shot to ask how much they'll charge to get you to so and so place and get a fixed price. remember to ask about tolls, and any hidden expenses they might demand, like per-piece of luggage fees. The real advantage to sticking to the yellow cab drivers though is if they do something truly stupid you can report them, they each have an ID number. I've come across some astonishingly stupid taxi drivers at the airport, as if all the rookies go there and you're their very first customer ever.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
Uraniumfish the touts often quote a price which is approximately $10 more than the yellow cabby rate. I have often asked them their rates just out of curiosity , I always take yellow cab to and from the airport. One time however I did use one of those widely advertised 7777 / 666 services ..however the service was most disappointing for not only was it more expensive than an NYC cab the driver insisted being paid a 20% tip apparently that is company policy. Wonder why these car companies are so coy about it and dont list the expected and mandatory tipping policy on the discount coupons that they send out to various buildings..
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Yeah and I bet the real "company policy" is to demand as much as you think you can get away with.

My most recent stupid taxi driver made it such a point to emphasize that the quoted fee to drive me from the airport is "plus tip" that I mentally shaved off $5 from the tip I had intended to give him. Because I think irritating your customer falls under the category of bad service.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I'm not a big fan of taking any sort of illegal car service, just because the nature of illegal car services makes me question whether they even have insurance and if it will cover me in case of an accident. Legal NYC car services are required to have such insurance policies.

That being said, I can sort of understand taking an illegal taxi if they are offering a discounted rate; this is a recession after all....
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
I think what women do with their bodies is interesting. I see them sitting in beauty salons, tanning salons, and even see them getting their nails done. I never see men do that unless they are gay. I am very curious about this. Can any woman shed some light into why women spend so much money and go to great lengths to get themselves to look so good? I've always wondered that.

Can I have some comments from women in this forum. This has been a curiousity of mine since I was in my '20s but never got a straight answer.

Thanks for sharing.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@hhusted Actually, there are far more single women than men in this city, and more single men than women in LA. These statistics aren't perfect, but you definitely have that the wrong way around.

And just because a woman isn't hanging on the arm of man every second doesn't mean she doesn't have one. Perhaps you've been watching too much Sex and the City?


http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/03/30/a_singles_map_of_the_united_states_of_america/
http://www.epodunk.com/county_data2/mw33.html
http://mrnyc.blogspot.com/2008/04/being-single-in-nyc-and-america-some.html
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Yeah, hhusted, I'm also annoyed by your post there. Mostly, you can't tell other people what to value, even if spending money to help other people rather than to help yourself is a noble thing. People in this city value image, and that has to do with being in the public eye or having the kind of high-flying corporate career where every little thing about you is scrutinized--this goes for men and for women both.

The idea that women primp in front of a mirror for the sake of catching a husband belongs to some other, previous century's way of thinking, and I'd like to put forth that WE live in THIS century, where such thinking is no longer true or appropriate.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
I have always wondered the difference between men and women. I know the diffference but have never really took the time to learn about how women act, other than what I see. So to read comments by women regarding such things as makeup and their demeanor, it really is refreshing to me. The more I read the more I learn.

I am so thankful to be a part of this forum and to share my knowledge with others, but to also learn from everyone of you.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
here's another tip which just came to mind..when you are out and about in NYC you are bound to come across flyer pushers( my term for folk who distribute flyers) dont just ignore them but do stop and take a flyer for apparently they are paid on the basis of the number of flyers that they distribute per hour.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I'm all for helping out those who distribute fliers - but please throw them away in a trash bin if you are going to do so! I hate seeing a pack of fliers rolling down the sidewalk....
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Yes, BroadwayBK, I agree with you. I don't mind taking them. I would like people to take mine. Just don't look at them and throw them on the street. I wonder why people do that? Are they ignorant or just don't care. Anyone have any ideas?
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@hhusted Well sometimes those guys handing out fliers can be pretty aggressive; I'm sure a lot of people who don't actually want them feel they have to take them. Perhaps some people take them out of curiosity but then realize they aren't interested in whatever the sheet of paper has to say. Who can really say why anyone would litter? Other than a general lack of concern....
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Yeah, I guess you are right, BroadwayBK. But I'll bet if you went to their home, you would find the place spotless. They would force you to take your shoes off and leave them outside. I actually experienced this recently and found it alarming. I asked the guy why he threw paper on the street, yet he kept such a tidy home. he told me if he owned the street, he would keep it clean, but since he does not, he could careless. What an attitude.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@uraniumfish another way that many of us calculate tips is by doubling the tax amount which in NYC is 8.875% so it adds up to roughly 18% which seems to work. Actually that's another issue that most foreigners cant get their head around the tax component. Currently in NYC clothes and shoes which are priced below $110 are free from tax but when you veer towards more expensive merchandise you have to add this tax to the price tag which usually seems to blow them away. Also in NYC foreigners can't claim back this amount as they do in cities like London where they can get their VAT refund at the airport.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
It is interesting to note that many countries don't have the provision of allowing their citizens to claim taxes paid in other countries. It seems to me to harbor friendly relations that all countries would provide tax relief.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
My stupid question is, if we all just refuse to be guilt-tripped into taking flyers we don't want anyway, then perhaps marketing people will get the idea that flyers are about the stupidest, most annoying form of advertising possible, and look into other methods of advertising. No? I tip well in restaurants because I think waiters do an important service and they don't get paid much for it. But I'm not convinced that having a flyer shoved at me is an important service, so maybe there are other jobs people could do?
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Clothes are surprisingly cheap here compared to European prices, even with this astonishingly high tax rate. First thing my European friends do when they visit is hit the stores.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
When I walk past a person holding a flyer, I don't bother. I either wave my hand in a gesture not to bother, or I ignore him and keep on walking.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish Your European friends also get to enjoy the benefit of having the exchange rate work in their favor.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
You bet BroadwayBK I still remember the time when the exchange rate between the pound and the dollar was 1:2 and NYC was flooded with Brits who were shopping up a storm at all the stores. I believe Virgin Atlantic introduced special flights over the Christmas period from London to NYC to accommodate all the Brits who wanted to do their xmas shopping in NYC.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
one more tip/trick for all you who enjoy ordering in you might want to bookmark the websites seemlessweb-http://www.seamlessweb.com/ and Grub Hub- http://www.grubhub.com/nyc/ which let you know which restaurants in your area will deliver. They also provide online menus and allow you to choose according to your cuisine of preference.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl I was actually living - on the American dollar - in London at that time, though looking back I'm not sure how I survived. Ha, I remember a ton of Brits talking about their shopping sprees in NYC....
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Actually, I have a confession to make. When I first started my electronics repair shop back in the '70s, I passed out flyers. I went to supermarkets, laundry marts, and wherever people hung out. This was how I got business in those days. So I kind of know what the owner of those flyers is trying to do. However, in this technology age, it seems to me there are other ways of getting the word out besides flyers. I mean a flyer is still a good tool to use when advertising your business. But the business can't just rely on that alone.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
I want to settle some etiquette questions. Asking someone to lunch could be for business, or neutral talk, right? Whereas asking someone out for dinner is assumed to be a date, right?
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish Seems about right if you are assuming things. Though you could probably have a lunch date and a business dinner.

After working for a long time in the service industry, I can report having witnessed many business dinners and several lunch dates.

But I suppose when you first start dating someone, you are less likely to go to lunch with that person. Business dinners might be for only the more comfortably acquainted as well....

Why do you ask, out of curiosity? Seems a bit random.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: In most cases, if you ask someone out for dinner is most likely means a date, unless of course you are meeting a client who is paying for it.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@ BroadwayBK Just trying to settle it for myself for New York, since various places seem to have their own conventions. Like in Europe, breaking up is done over coffee, getting together over dinner. But New Yorkers seem to go out for drinks a lot, whereas dinner seems like an intimate thing already. And I recently asked someone out to lunch, but wanted to be sure my signals were correct in doing so. I'll have to meet with a lot of people I don't know in the next few weeks for business reasons, and I'm guessing the lunch format is the best one.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish I agree with the others dinner is more date-like while lunch is more business.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
I agree, @uraniumfish. Although I think coffee is often a baby-step for younger people towards dating - it's the commitmentphobe's first date!
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
Another tip: there are hundreds of different ethnic centers here. If you're going to live in New York long term, it's important to get acquainted with some of them, because you'll be able to access some amazing foods, products, new viewpoints. And shopping in those ethnic centers is a thousand times more affordable and more interesting than at your mega-malls. I'm thinking of Chinatown which everyone knows. But also the Polish community in Greenpoint, the Russian community in Brighton Beach, the old Jewish community on LES, several Spanish communities in Harlem and elsewhere, the Caribbean community in Crown Heights...and on and on.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
What a diversity of people and places to choose from. :)
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@DBLack and the South Asian community in Curry Hill and Jackson Heights in Queens, Little Egypt in Steinway in Astoria, the West Indian community in Richmond Hill, another Chinatown in Flushing.. this is what I love about NYC the awesome diversity... love it, love it, love it .. is there any other city on the planet which is as diverse.. ok maybe London :)
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
Great point, @DBlack - one of NYC's greatest virtues is that it's not only such a diverse place, but also that it's a place with such strength/size for each community - you really do have numerous "cities within cities" here, each with something new to offer and to be discovered
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
With such diversity comes a price as well. It is great to have so many types of culture around. The down side to that is there can often be a language gap. Sometimes communicating with people can be a chore in itself, especially for those who did not learn English before coming here.

For those who come from countries that teach English and their native tongue it isn't too hard a problem. But for those who did not learn English, they are the ones we have trouble communicating with. This is why when Bloomberg started his second term, he instituted a policy that all immigrants had to learn English if they wanted to stay in this city. I do not know if this bill ever came to pass.

For example, last night I saw this nice attractive woman standing near the elevator of the building where my class was held. I said hello, and she said something in Russian. I didn't understand a thing she said. I looked at her and told her I did not understand Russian. She just smiled and looked the other way. I think we both felt uncomfortable talking to each other because she did not understand me and I did not understand her.

How simple life would be if everyone talked and understood the same language, right.

Does anyone have a stories about dealing with communication issues? I was just wondering who else ran into it so far.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
One of the most interesting/thought-provoking articles I read - on your point, @hhusted - was how Chinatown was incresaingly becoming Mandarin-speaking, meaning that older people who spoke only Cantonese were no longer able to order at restaurants/buy groceries/communicate in their neighborhoods. It was quite a thought-provoking article...
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Ajadedidealist: Do you have the link to the article I would like to read it. The article appears to prove my point about communication. If everyone spoke at least one common language (preferably English), it would life so much easier for everyone.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist maybe now the influx of Chinese people into NYC is from PRC (the People's Republic of China- Mandarin Speakers) and not so much from places like Hong Kong.(Cantonese speakers).
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
It doesn't matter where they are from, Uptowngirl. The main concern is the language barrier that exists. This is what I have been pointing out in my posts. This is why I was saying people should learn some form of English before coming here. At least this way they can be understood when they try to communicate.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted I think they manage quite well without ever leaving the boundaries of NYC's vast Chinatown. I have met several Chinese immigrants who live and work there and dont bother with learning English, of course these people tend to belong to the first generation of immigrants for the younger kids are much more integrated into the American way of life and tend to of course speak English.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
There are a lot of people in Bushwick who only speak Spanish and seem to be getting along just fine without ever having to learn English. The thing about these language enclaves in different neighborhoods is that it makes such behavior possible....
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Yeah, they speak fine amongst themselves, but what about people who are American born and only speak English. That is the point I am driving at. They can speak to each other in their native tongue all they want, but when speaking to someone who only knows English, they had better know English, or they will not be able to communicate at all with the person.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted what you say is true but somehow they dont think its necessary to learn English and feel that they can get by fine.
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JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
I agree with uptowngirl on this. I have a number of European friends who live in the city that find it appallingly arrogant that we expect everyone to speak English and barely any of us has ever bothered to learn one other language. Most of them can speak at least three. But, we all expect English all the time because we can't speak anything else.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@JenMac: I respectfully disagree with you. I have a few friends who tell me differently. Look, people from overseas are coming here. As such, they should learn English just so they can assimilate our culture. I think it is important for them to respect our language.

Look at the following websites:

http://www.trap17.com/index.php/english-Speakers-America_t40561.html
http://www.facebook.com/pages/YOU-came-to-OUR-country-YOU-learn-OUR-language/280294053340?v=app_6261817190

I understand if you feel differently. You are entitled to your opinion. It is for this reason, that I am suggesting that you do not look at my comments as insulting. That is not my intention. I am merely expressing a point of view that is shared by many.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Update: I did a survey in my neighborhood recently and I asked each person the same question. The question was, "Would you prefer to have someone from another country come here and know enough English, so that when they spoke, they were understood?" The answer that I was given the majority of the time was "yes."

I think it should be a mandate by the mayor that everyone coming to this city learn English, this way they can more easily communicate with all those around them, not just their own kind.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@hhusted Get a grip, hhusted. I don't see why you care all that much who knows English and who doesn't. No matter how many words you use to defend yourself, your obsession with this subject has a serious touch of reactionary/ racist to it.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: I am merely expressing a point. That is all I am doing. You are right. I could careless about the people around me, except when it comes to them communicating with me. If you don't speak English, you will get ignored. By the way, I am not a racist, despite how it sounds. I just don't like people talking in a foreign language when I'm around. It makes me feel uncomfortable, like they are talking about me. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but those are my feelings.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: I am not obsessed with this subject. I am simply expressing a point of view. I realize I have repeated myself a few times in this forum about the same subject, but the reason I repeated myself is because I just didn't think anyone understood me. Apparently I was wrong.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
As someone who has lived abroad, I certainly feel that host cultures are far more likely to be open to me if I show a willingness to make a little bit of an effort with the language (ie, when I was in Turkey, although I didn't speak a word of Turkish originally, I soon learned "please" "hello" "thank you" and "the bill" - just enough to order in a restaurant). I don't think it's unfair to say the situation works in reverse, too - but it's more about a willingness/openness to learn about the host culture, arguably, and less about necessarily "assimilating"/becoming fluent
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
Thank you, ajadedidealist. I am glad you understand me. I feel very strongly about this subject because I teach English part time and find that there are people who want to fit in with society. These are the people I teach English to. Those who do not wish to learn English are missing out.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
Seriously, hhusted, you need to cut it out with this subject. It's making me extremely uncomfortable. You are "merely" making racist tirades and I'm not comfortable reading them, no matter how many times you say you're not a racist.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: I wrote you privately with my thoughts.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
I am one of THREE people above who disagreed with you, and I have worded my objection stronger than the others because you Will. Not. Stop. Already.

This city is rich and beautiful in its cultural and linguistic variety and if you "just don't like people talking in a foreign language when I'm around" (your words) then by all means leave!

I am expressing a legitimate point of view in saying that your sentiments are offensive. Now please just stop!
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JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
I agree with Uraniumfish.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I am offended.
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
I agree with Uraniumfish.
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
@hhusted You had a comment up to the effect of, "Nobody else is offended so stop complaining" but you've changed your mind about that one it seems.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
I agree with ajadedidealist that it's a good thing to make some kind of attempt with the native language of a place, but to call everyone who can't or doesn't ignorant is completely unfair. It's not exactly easy to learn a language as an adult, and you don't know everyone's individual story.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK as a foreigner albeit an English speaking one I couldnt agree with you more!
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted I really home the folks in HK dont think the way you do for I dont speak a word of Mandarin as yet...
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted oops that should be Cantonese ...
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: In response to your post: My girlfriend traveled to a few countries in the last 5 years, and for each country she visited, the people spoke to her in their language, not in hers. Is was she who had to adjust, not the people of that country. At least this is what she told me, at least from her experience. Anyway, this is the last time I will comment on this subject.
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Benthedude
Benthedude 2yrs+
I come from Los Angeles, which is not a walking city at all but a driving city. I have found that even though people in this city seem to walk everywhere they might as well still be in cars because they are doing there best to avoid each other in every way possible. Don't look, don't talk, don't breath on, don't even think about anyone else as your walking. Whats the deal? Do they think the second they look at someone they are going to be yelled at and spit on by a crazy person in the middle of times square? I think people here need to live more like a city while walking around. Thats just my .02 on the subject.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@Benthedude When I was living in LA I found it kind of funny that everyone is always looking into each other's car. That would never happen here - not in a million years. You're right, people don't eye each other as much as in LA.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Benthedude: Why did you leave LA to come here? If I were there, I would never come here, except maybe to visit.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK: That's because people are too much into themselves.
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elysium
elysium 2yrs+
As stupid as this tip may sound: make sure not to put your feet or bags on the subway seats! My boyfriend and I got $50 fines each for that. He had his feet up on a seat, while i had my bag on one of the seats. The sad thing was, it was 4AM and no one else was even riding the subway at that time. I tried to fight the ticket in court but I lost. I also read about this happening to others in a recent NY Post article.
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Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@elysium Wow, cops really have nothing to do? I mean, in another post, people were writing about someone getting killed on the subway. Sheesh.

I was once cursed out by a lady for thoughtlessly putting my wet umbrella on a seat. Though it was thoughtless of me, I think she started yelling because she didn't want to walk a single step further to another seat. Meanwhile the Entire. Car. Was. Empty. And she had her pick of non-wet seats! Some people just want to gripe.
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landee
landee 2yrs+
I'm glad i read this one! I plan to go there for vacation within the next few months and thought about riding the bus or subway to get to a few different places! Hopefully i don't get too anxious on the crowded subway and just ride the thing til it's not so crowded! ahhh!
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: She probably had an argument with her husband or boyfriend and decides to vent on you, unless she was simply ignorant.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Elysium: I had an experience that was nearly like yours, except this was when a guy had his backpack on his back when entering the bus. He kept it on and people could not get by him. People complained until the bus driver forced the guy to either get off the bus or go to the back where no one was sitting. He decided to go to the back of the bus. Wow, what an idiot he was.
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elysium
elysium 2yrs+
@uraniumfish: Yeah, that is really obnoxious, although at least she didn't charge you $50 for it!

@hhusted: Well in that case, I can see how yelling at that guy was called for. He was actually bothering other passengers and blocking them from getting through. In my case, I just had a small purse on the seat next to me. There was absolutely no one on the subway except for my boyfriend and I. So while I generally agree with the rule against putting your items on seats when other people are on the subway/bus, I think it's unfair to enforce it when there is no one there to be bothered. It's just a way for the MTA to get more money.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I had no idea they could fine you for putting your feet on a subway seat! That's crazy, though I guess it makes sense that they would want to keep people from doing it. It seems like overkill, though, to have a law to make people practice common courtesy.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@elysium that's absolutely crazy.. I had no idea that you can get fined for putting your feet up on a seat/ putting your purse on the seat next to you. Gulp I am so guilty of placing shopping bags on the seat next to me in the bus .. I would be horrified if I was fined for it especially if the bus is half empty( that's the only time I tend to do so when the bus is full I usually put my TJ's bags between my legs even though its really uncomfortable). I had no idea that there was a rule that you were not supposed to!
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Elysium: I don't understand. I ride the D line everyday and I leave my bag on the seat next to me all the time and haven't been fined. What train line were you riding in?
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
NeverSleeps: Yeah, well when you have a lot of ignorant people around, someone has to teach them correct manners.

@Uptowngirl: I didn't know there was a rule either.
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AlifKhan
AlifKhan 2yrs+
Visitors of New York City, there is no smoking in the subway stations and especially on the trains. You also cannot drink in public and urinate wherever you like.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Alifkhan are you sure about not drinking in public? I am pretty I sure I have seen people walking around with bottles in paper bags..and when you are standing outside a bar and chugging a beer( many of nyc's restaurants and bars are al fresco during the summers)..aren't you drinking in public?? just wondering??
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AlifKhan
AlifKhan 2yrs+
@uptowngirl It is definitely illegal to drink on the pedestrian sidewalk. I've been with plenty of friends who have received summons for doing the exact same thing. Some police officers are cool and just pour the container in the brown paper bag out especially if you have it on the sidewalk. In residential neighborhoods, if your drinking in front of your house its typically cool, but in NYC I have witnessed many people get stopped and have their drinks poured out.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@alifkhan I really didnt know that thanks for enlightening me.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Yeah, that is totally illegal - to drink on the street, that is. This is not Paris, unfortunately. I know someone who was dumb enough to get a ticket for drinking an alcoholic beverage from a juice bottle in the subway.
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps Wait, I thought it was only illegal if it was showing. If the alcohol is masked in a juice bottle it's still illegal? I didn't know that.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Ha... seriously @DBlack? I guess that's because you always see people wandering around with 40 oz's in paper bags? But that's illegal - you can't drink in public in very many places in the entire country from what I understand. There is a beach in San Diego that lets people drink in public legally... but I can't think of anywhere else?
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
Ugh, I guess I did most of my illicit drinking in Paris & some beaches in Italy, and have now settled down into a nice, civilized gentleman who only drinks in bars and restaurants and at private parties...and out of real glasses and such...real domesticated, I tell you.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Everybody: Not once have I seen anyone get arrested for drinking alcohol on the sidewalk. Come to think of it, I never saw anyone drink on the sidewalk. Many smoke though. The only person I have seen with a bottle in his hand was a homeless person.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@AlifKhan: I've seen people urinate at phone booths in the city and not get a summons. I actually saw a cop walk down a street and see a homeless guy peeing right in a phone booth and didn't bother to approach. The cop just kept walking in the other direction. I have seen three cases of peeing in public with no arrest or summons issued. So what does that tell ya.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I think homeless people are the only ones who commonly drink outside... for obvious reasons. That and probably underage kids, though if I were an underage kid I would take to someone's rooftop rather than be caught drinking on the sidewalk.

@hhusted You can't expect cops to catch every act of vagrancy that happens in this city. That would be kind of... impossible.
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Come down to my neighborhood if you want to see people drinking on the sidewalk! Albeit they usually do so out of a paper bag, but I know what they're hiding in those things!

I've seen people fall down drunk and break bottles of whatever they are drinking, and I once heard someone being smashed with a bottle at around 5am, down the street from me. It did not sound pretty. Yeah, time to leave the Bushwick/Bed-Stuy border...
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DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
Another neighborhood where people drink outside? Crown Heights. And at all hours of the afternoon. And the sights to be seen right around the liquor store on the corner are...not to be believed. The Korean people behind the bullet proof glass look pale and tired, like they've seen and heard all.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@BroadwayBK and DBlack aha..so I am not the only one who has witnessed these public driking binges.. and what on events like St Paddy's day when the sidewalks are filled with drunken revelers don't think they get arrested ...
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BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Drinking holidays are the worst... I try not to leave my house during such occasions, though I was out briefly during Cinco de Mayo.
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JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
I kinda love drinking holidays. . . .I don't love them as much since living in New York; but, I had an outdoor table with a bunch of friends at Dos Caminos and we stayed there for hours and had such a gas! So, you got me, I love boozer holidays and I drank outside. Lock me up!
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@JenMac: You are under arrest for drinking outside. :) :)

@NeverSleeps: If the cop sees it, the cop has the duty to stop it. This cop either didn't give a damn or was told by her superiors not to go after such menial crimes but go after the bigger ones. No matter, a cop is sworn in to up hold the law. If she doesn't do it, she should resign.
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AlifKhan
AlifKhan 2yrs+
Well, if you have lived in NYC long enough you will understand there are police officers who do their job, and there are some who just don't care.
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@JenMac I remember my own drunken revelry a couple of years ago which started off at the Dos Caminos in the 50s .. it was such a fun day .. for after Dos Caminos we went on to the Whiskey Bar at the W then down to the Village for some more Bar trawling.. boy that was one decadent Sunday afternoon !
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@AlifKlan: Yeah, those cops who don't want to do their jobs make it bad for other good cops.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@hhusted Um, I'm saying there's no way cops can actually see everything that goes on.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
True, @neversleeps. As long as the police catch rapists and murderers, I'm fine with a couple of guys swigging Walkers on the street unnoticed, personally
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@ajadedidealist Me too!
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uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted there's no disputing that for sure.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Ha - I'm willing to dispute it. If you are a cop writing tickets for every guy see you see jay walking you are not only going to be one busy cop, you are may well miss an actual dangerous crime if it occurs.
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps; What do you think cops are for. They are not there to just stare and say hi. Their job is to stop crime before it is being committed, or at least apprehend the person responsible for one that does occur. That is why a city hires so many cops. There has to be a ratio of cops to the size of the population. In other words one cop for every so many people. I'm not sure what the ratio is for NYC. I do know that for a small city like Cherry Hill, NJ, the ratio is one cop for every 20 people. Of course, that was about 10 years ago, It could have increased or decreased since then. If there are 10 million people in a city, and let's say the ratio is one cop for every 100 people, that means there should be at least 100,000 cops in NYC. That seems to be enough cops to handle everything that goes on. But of course, that is only if the ratio is one in 100. I only guessed that.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
@hhusted - I think that Neversleep's point is that there will never be enough cops to catch ALL the crimes (if you count petty crimes like jaywalking) out there - we should focus our men on actual dangerous crimes instead of worrying about crossing lights on 86th St.
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NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
Yep. That was my point.
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ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
I do my best to be a law-abiding citizen. That said, I probably inadvertently break about 90 million traffic laws every time I get on my bike! (My boyfriend, a non-cycling driver, can't stand this...he sees everything from the motorists' points of view.)
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hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Ajadedidealist: I do agree that cops should worry about the petty crimes, however, if cops do not stop the not so petty crimes, those people will know they can get away with it and before long, there will be a ton of people breaking the same law. Nip it in the bud before an outbreak occurs.
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Jason Spencer
Jason Spencer 2yrs+
Can anyone recommend a good relocation company - I have a friend moving to Manhattan from Los Angeles?
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cobrokemls
cobrokemls 2yrs+
Real estate is very effective business today and is worth featuring different ways of doing the business so that later it will increase the value and will help in many ways.

For more information please visit: http://www.cobrokemls.com
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cobrokemls
cobrokemls 2yrs+
We need to work very hard on real estate investments very effecitvely so that at times of making investments it will be necessary. It definates requires efforts and we need to work on it so that latter it will turn out to be very successful.
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