"• Do not ride your bike down the street. I know bikers think they are elevated liv e forms but pedestrians may disagree"

Maybe you meant, down the sidewalk? Can I add, that the bike lanes are the few feet of safety that cyclists are allowed in this city. Please, don't use the bike lane as a sidewalk. If you must, then please get out of the way when you hear a bell or someone yelling "bike behind you get out of the bike lane".

Don't sit on a folding chaise lounge in the middle of Broadway.

very funny....guess these rules apply to many cities!

Am seriously thinking that New Yorkers are one bunch of crazy people - how the hell will a Londoner like me be able to control all of my bad habits - ie. walking on the left, looking left when I cross the road, standing back from the window so that I can actually see more that the square inch in front of my nose.

As for the jaywalking and sticking my toes out into the aisle on the subway - I've got those ones down pat after years of leaving the pub late on a Friday night and skidding across the road before sprawling out on the tube on my way home.
Can't wait to get to NYC next month, if only to see how many of these "rules of the NYC Sidewalk" I manage to break in the first few days -- reckon that it may be close to all!

Don't sit on a folding chaise lounge in the middle of Broadway.

These people look like they are waiting to be hit by a truck. I have lived in NYC all my life and would just think I am going to get killed when the light changes.

Hi Aduchamp1, apart from the walking to the right, much of your post could go for Sydney as well :)

What?! You don't like Bloomberg Beach either?! :-O

My biggest AHHHHHHHH, with tourists, is that they walk as slowly or slower along the avenues when the rest of us are trying to get somewhere.

I've often told people they were going to get runover by walking that slowly. We have lots of patience with tourists, except when they are IN THE WAY!!

I can only wonder how some of my fellow New Yorkers on this thread act when they are tourists in, say, another major tourist capital such as Paris or Rome! Do they conform to the "rules" in those cities?

I can only wonder how some of my fellow New Yorkers on this thread act when they are tourists in, say, another major tourist capital such as Paris or Rome! Do they conform to the "rules" in those cities?

We have been traveling aborad for almost forty years and I hope the answer is yes. I am sure their have been breachs of etiquette, but we try to be good guests.

But, I bet you stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and were awestruck the first time you saw the Eiffel Tower! And, c'mon, fess up, didn't you also stop short at that moment?

I can only wonder how some of my fellow New Yorkers on this thread act when they are tourists in, say, another major tourist capital such as Paris or Rome! Do they conform to the "rules" in those cities?

YES. And when in other cities I retain my understanding of the terms "lunch hour" and "rush hour" and I am considerate of those trying to live their lives around me.

But, I bet you stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and were awestruck the first time you saw the Eiffel Tower! And, c'mon, fess up, didn't you also stop short at that moment

At least for me, you picked the wrong tourist attraction. We have been to Paris on a number of occasions and have yet to visit it.

Yes, when we are tourists we stop to look, that is what a tourist does, but I hope I have kept the number of people who trip over me to a minimum.

There is a double standard here. Americans are often criticized for their behavior overseas. But then many foreigners do not inquire as what our customs are.

By the way, many times I will stop and ask tourists if they need help. For those who are super critical "how do you know they are tourists?" The guide books and maps are the tip offs. 99% are appreciative, the other 1% I scare to death.

"I can only wonder how some of my fellow New Yorkers on this thread act when they are tourists in, say, another major tourist capital such as Paris or Rome! Do they conform to the "rules" in those cities?"

I've been going to Paris almost every year for the last 15 years or so and I have to say that there are definitely Rules (note the capital "R") over there and I don't have a problem abiding by them. Comes with the territory.

It's not necessarily European, or other foreign tourists. It could be American tourists, and often enough, fellow NYers.

"There is a double standard here. Americans are often criticized for their behavior overseas. But then many foreigners do not inquire as what our customs are."
I don't see any double standard. They criticize us, and we criticize them......as this thread certainly illustrates.

"Yes, when we are tourists we stop to look, that is what a tourist does, but I hope I have kept the number of people who trip over me to a minimum."
That's exactly my point. Yes, when you're a tourist you stop and look. Perhaps you think too many stop and look too often, and that very well may be the case. But, when the shoe is on the other foot (i.e., when it's a New Yorker in non-New Yorker territory) I'm sure many of "us" stop and look too often to the dissatisfaction of those locals. As you said, it's the nature of the beast. So, give them a little slack!!!

And, I repeat, what rules for tourists are we talking about? I know of no official set rules that include the about listings. Good suggestions and guidelines? Yes. Rules? No!

PS: When we were in Paris for two weeks, I do not recall any officials set of Rules (note the capital R) that we had to follow.

PS: When we were in Paris for two weeks, I do not recall any officials set of Rules (note the capital R) that we had to follow.

You were not paying attention. For example, there are rituals as to how to shop and what to say.

Aduchamp1, you lost me there. Please explain "...there are rituals as to how to shop and what to say."

For example:

When you enter a store, you should say Bon Jour Madame (or whomever it may be). It is the secret handshake for polite service. Then you should not touch the mercandise unless you ask, since it is also impolite to touch another possessions. And never raise your voice above a normal conversation. And before requesting something a s'il vous plait is always helpful.

Bu

These are my rules for general living, not just shopping in Paris.