What is wrong with New York City??

[flipshark]

Ok, so I went to New York City for the first time in my life over the past 5 days. I was expecting to meet some typical New Yorkers, pushy rude people, mean people, crime in the streets, dangerous back alleys.. you know a city that would eat a friendly canadian like me alive..(like what you see on tv).. then add the first transit strike in about 20 years to the mix and I expected this stereotypical rudeness to be multiplied ten fold.

So what happenned... I found New York, yes New York City, too be filled with some of the NICEST.. YES I said NICEST people in the world. I've done a lot of travelling and NY is right now on the top of my list of nice. You need directions, most people not only give them to you but walk with you in the right way.. you wanna know where a good place to eat is you just ask someone.. people volunteered to share cabs during the strike, food courts that were packed with people and strangers not only let us sit with them, they joined in our conversations.. (and the girls were flirty as hell :P)

We walked across the brooklyn bridge over into brooklyn, the red cross was there with hot chocolate and people were on loudspeakers welcoming everyone back to brooklyn. Everyone you talk to shakes your hand before sending you on your way, even the NYPD shared a laugh with us a few times.

And we didn't stay in just the touristy areas, we walked through harlem by the harlem river, the hostel was in Jamaica, and we went for some real bronxz pizza in the bronxz (spelling??).. all walking (no cabs/subway with the strike) and for the most part all after dark.

So what is wrong with New York city?.. is it always this friendly and has it been misrepresented by the media focusing only on negative aspects of the city, was it the time of year (near christmas) that caught everyone at their best, or was it just some fluke occurrence that I ran into every polite new yorker in the city and somehow completely missed the rude ones?

Seriously NYC is great and now I can't wait to go back

[resetstudio]

I think the only thing wrong with it is cost of living. $2500 + easy for a nice 600sqft apartment average. Other than that, it's great. I am moving back soon for the 3rd time.

[luxregina]

Yes, I agree : when I moved to New York from Paris, few years ago, I was surprised on how polite, helpfull, friendly and concerned the New Yorkers were - My wife, who is American, used to tell me that it was kind of a post 9/11 reaction, but I think it's more than just that

I have contless exemples about the courtesy of the people there, 2 sticking out being :
- one time, kinda lost in Harlem, I asked my way back to my home, and the guywent back home, grabed his car, and drove me back home
- a friend forgot her laptop bag ( with the laptop in it ) in the subway, and got a call from the stations few hours later, stating that a passenger brought the computer back ...
Coming from a very individualist country, it is very refreshing, and encouraging to see actually people carring about each other : that one thing that I really love about America in general, and NY in particular

[lefteyewilly]

NYC is probably the best place in teh world. I think back in teh 80's they got that stereotype of being rude and mean with alot of crime. However, i really think Giuliani really cleaned up by getting rid of the prostitution/porn shops/strip clubs in Manhatten. I also think that 9/11 really had an impact on NYC by bringing everyone together as everyone for the past 4 years have been helping eachother rebuild. It's hard to imagine the impact that had on the people there.

I remember the last time i was there with my girlfriend, and we were lost on the subway system, not sure what train to get on. This really nice homeless guy helped us get to where we wanted to go. I tried offering him money after we got to our destination, but he wouldn't take it. I was really suprised and very happy this guy helped out just in kindness not for his own benefit.

I haven't been there in a few years, but will be traveling on business there twice this year and am really looking foward to it.

[hanratty21]

Seriously NYC is great and now I can't wait to go back

I'm glad you enjoyed my F-in city. Now, go the F* home.

(is that the 'tude you were looking for?)

We use the 'tude to lure people here. Then we use the niceness to make sure they come back. Marketing GEEEENIUS!

[robbmcaulay]

I had a similar experience in New York in April, although I never thought i'd find trouble (I have an overwhelming faith in humanity, borderline naivity).

I can't think of too many examples but one time I was lost near Wall Street (near the bull) and a delivery guy saw by my face that I was lost and he came over to help, even walked me round the corner to make sure!

When hanging round Battery Park a guy was feeding the squirrels (you may have seen him) and he had to leave to handed us the rest of the bag and showed us how to feed them right

I was also amazed how trusting people were when asking me to take photos of them, I got my hands on some nice cameras that week

The only person to ask me for directions in New York was Scottish

[ViRGo_RK]

Maybe I have no right to be as cynical as I am?

Its the rural towns where they get ya.

[lefteyewilly]

Maybe I have no right to be as cynical as I am?

Its the rural towns where they get ya.

What do you mean? If you mean that the rest of NYS has the attitude, you may possibly be right. I live in WNY, and yes, no one is as helpful as people from NYC. People here don't care about out of towners. Yes there are a few that you'll find that are helpful, but all in all, the majority just don't care.

[ViRGo_RK]

I ment the country in general, or humanity as a whole.

[MagnusVS]

NYC sounds great... I'll visit the city sometime.

[skill_guy101]

someday, when i have the resources, i might have to have a lil visit.

nice avatar Magnus.

[nordberg]

it rocks now.
but when i used to go there as a child with my dad, it was a different story.
times square was crrrrrrrazy.

[gerbick]

aw, times square and 42nd... used to have crack whores and hookers. now, Mickey Mouse and fashion.

things do change.

[nordberg]

dad used to take me there to buy cheap japanese electronics.
he loved technology AND dealing.
successfully dodging the pickpockets was just a bonus.

[Joshman_123]

Are you sure you went to the right New York? I mean, you are Canadian. Everyone that I talk to who's been there says it's siren central.

[gerbick]

He means the right New York. Perhaps you should go there and see for yourself.

[lefteyewilly]

Are you sure you went to the right New York? I mean, you are Canadian. Everyone that I talk to who's been there says it's siren central.

There's millions of people in NYC in 5 different bouroughs....of course there will be cops and ambulances and firetrucks going through. But crime has gone down significantly over the past decade or so. It's truly a beautiful city, and you'll never experience anything as serene as Central Park. Seriously, it's like a whole different world when you're there, you have no clue you're in a huge city.

[indivision]

heh. im sure it actually has nothing to do with NY but I recently had a bad experience with some people there.

[lefteyewilly]

can you expand please?

[hanratty21]

aw, times square and 42nd... used to have crack whores and hookers. now, Mickey Mouse and fashion.

things do change.

If you're missing that type of "entertainment" I'll be glad to provide some new locales for you gerbs. PM me for directions to Hunts Point Market.