Rules of the Sidewalk
#1
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Rules of the Sidewalk
Christmas is the busiest time in Manhattan, here are some helpful hints. (I have posted these before.)
For NY’ers and Tourists
• WALK TO THE RIGHT, even if you are English, from OZ, or a leftist.
• Do not stop short.
• Do not do pirouettes in the middle of the street when lost.
• Do not walk five across the street as if you are playing Ringo Leevio or Red Rover, Red Rover let Fred Come Over.
• Drink your coffee at the coffee shop. The street is not a cocktail party or your cubicle, so do not hold your drink in front of you.
Here is a real get real data plan
SHUT UP!!! Now we know publicly how petty and inane you are privately.
• Take one ear bud and stick it up your behind, so you will have stereo
• If you must take a call from The President or have a shuffle music emergency, why don’t you stand in the middle of the sidewalk to block traffic.
• Do not pace the sidewalk, you are not home in your jammies and slippers.
• Watch where you are going. You are on the phone, not us.
Just NY’ers
• Do not run, jog, or elbow your down the street between the walkers
• Do not ride your bike down the sidewalk. I know bikers think they are elevated live forms but pedestrians may disagree. And now it is illegal for anyone over the age of 12 to do so.
• Half the bikers do not know the rules, the other half ignore them. Let’s try and change that percentage.
• Sunday fathers-do not use your child’s stroller as a battering ram. If you are mad that you are divorced or stuck with the kids, take it on yourself not us.
• Dog walkers-try not to have the entire 20 foot lead extend across the sidewalk. Someone is going to step on your Chihuahua.
Tourists
• Look at the map either at the curb or next to a building not on a corner, the middle of the sidewalk, by garbage cans already blocking the street, or on the subway steps.
• If you must window shop do it by the windows and not from the middle of the sidewalk with binoculars.
• Jay-walking is a NYC sport. If you are going to wait for a light, get out of the way of those who want to break the law.
• If you are going to look up assign a designated seeing-eye tourist so others can pass.
For NY’ers and Tourists
• WALK TO THE RIGHT, even if you are English, from OZ, or a leftist.
• Do not stop short.
• Do not do pirouettes in the middle of the street when lost.
• Do not walk five across the street as if you are playing Ringo Leevio or Red Rover, Red Rover let Fred Come Over.
• Drink your coffee at the coffee shop. The street is not a cocktail party or your cubicle, so do not hold your drink in front of you.
Here is a real get real data plan
SHUT UP!!! Now we know publicly how petty and inane you are privately.
• Take one ear bud and stick it up your behind, so you will have stereo
• If you must take a call from The President or have a shuffle music emergency, why don’t you stand in the middle of the sidewalk to block traffic.
• Do not pace the sidewalk, you are not home in your jammies and slippers.
• Watch where you are going. You are on the phone, not us.
Just NY’ers
• Do not run, jog, or elbow your down the street between the walkers
• Do not ride your bike down the sidewalk. I know bikers think they are elevated live forms but pedestrians may disagree. And now it is illegal for anyone over the age of 12 to do so.
• Half the bikers do not know the rules, the other half ignore them. Let’s try and change that percentage.
• Sunday fathers-do not use your child’s stroller as a battering ram. If you are mad that you are divorced or stuck with the kids, take it on yourself not us.
• Dog walkers-try not to have the entire 20 foot lead extend across the sidewalk. Someone is going to step on your Chihuahua.
Tourists
• Look at the map either at the curb or next to a building not on a corner, the middle of the sidewalk, by garbage cans already blocking the street, or on the subway steps.
• If you must window shop do it by the windows and not from the middle of the sidewalk with binoculars.
• Jay-walking is a NYC sport. If you are going to wait for a light, get out of the way of those who want to break the law.
• If you are going to look up assign a designated seeing-eye tourist so others can pass.
#5
Join Date: Oct 2003
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A couple of notes for tourists with luggage:
When you are pulling luggage you MUST walk indian file - do NOT walk 2 people side by side - since when combined with your bags (most people seem to be trying to manage 2 wheelies each) you are blocking the entire sidewalk
Be aware that there are MANY gratings in the sidewalk (for air in andout of hte subways). If you try to walk on them with your luggage the wheels can easily get stuck - and you are now ready for the 5 o'clock news.
When crossing the street wait for a fresh green light. You can;t get up much speed pulling all that luggage - and if you are caught in the middle of the street when the light changes the traffic will not wait for you/your luggage - they will drive around you - again you are ready for the 5 o'clock news. (Yes, locals will cross even when the light is turning red - but they can run to the other side - you can't.)
When you are pulling luggage you MUST walk indian file - do NOT walk 2 people side by side - since when combined with your bags (most people seem to be trying to manage 2 wheelies each) you are blocking the entire sidewalk
Be aware that there are MANY gratings in the sidewalk (for air in andout of hte subways). If you try to walk on them with your luggage the wheels can easily get stuck - and you are now ready for the 5 o'clock news.
When crossing the street wait for a fresh green light. You can;t get up much speed pulling all that luggage - and if you are caught in the middle of the street when the light changes the traffic will not wait for you/your luggage - they will drive around you - again you are ready for the 5 o'clock news. (Yes, locals will cross even when the light is turning red - but they can run to the other side - you can't.)
#10
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Boy do I remember the 'jay walking' when we visited NYC, and you could sure tell we were tourists: waiting promptly on the sidewalk for the light to change to green. What were all these people doing...crossing the street on a red light...the horror! We sure looked like tourists. For the first day only, after that we jumped right in, I mean off, the curb and crossed the street on the red light. Felt like such a law breaker. Had a hard time explaining to the kids it was okay to do it in NYC but not at home!
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Gail
The following is a true story. We know a women who used to brag about luxury stroller which could open cans and sing arias. One afternoon her nanny is walking the baby and a building collapses and the million dollar stroller saved the baby's life. She's was on the front page of the newspaper and the Mayor came to the hospital.
The irony was too evident.
The following is a true story. We know a women who used to brag about luxury stroller which could open cans and sing arias. One afternoon her nanny is walking the baby and a building collapses and the million dollar stroller saved the baby's life. She's was on the front page of the newspaper and the Mayor came to the hospital.
The irony was too evident.
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This made me laugh. Drives me nuts that people don't stay to the right - unfortunately it's usually the locals. Tourists just suddenly stop. And I cringe having to get to work in the rain; it's as if suddenly everyone forgets how to walk. And don't get me started on golf umbrellas.