This summer, New York City will host 53 million tourists. While we love the international flare and the added income it brings to our fair city, we frankly hate the crowds who seem unable to keep up with the flow.
You know who you are. The groups of people, strolling along idly, side by side on the street, three or more abreast making it almost impossible to get past you. And we need to get past you. Please walk in clusters of no more than two, stick to the right side, and even better, keep up with the flow.
It’s called a sidewalk, not a stand there and gawk walk. If you wish to stop and look up at our lovely skyline, please step aside to do so. Same story with texting, photo ops and general rubber necking. We need to get past you.
As hard as it is to believe, we have places to go, people to see and things to do. This is why we need to get past you. While Chelsea Market is an amazing place, with all of it’s remarkable food shops and cool interior, some of us go there to buy our food. Step away from the produce, and let us shop. I mean, haven’t you seen arugula before? Ditto, fresh fish and other day to day delicacies that constitute our dinner. Feel free to act like a tourist in Times Square, Macy’s, and South Street Seaport. But when you are on our turf, try to act like a local, or at least be considerate of us.
It’s proper to let people off the train before boarding. If the train is crowded, please take your backpacks off and move your gigantic pieces of luggage out of our way so we can get on and off. Try not to block the doors so we don’t miss our stop climbing over your stuff, or worse yet, break a toe trying to navigate our way around it.
Walking is a frequently used mode of transportation for us locals. Think of walking, the way you would driving. Imagine the chaos if you and your friends all drove very, very slowly in a pack during rush hour, making it difficult to get around you. And what if you all just stopped suddenly to look at the sunset with out any warning to those behind you? Are you starting to get the picture?
And about getting the picture: Selfies, seriously? Here in the middle of the street? Now?
I think you get my drift. Enjoy your visit to the Big Apple!
*This has been a public service announcement from indigo jones. Thank you.
photos: Glasshouse Images
Tags: annoying, clogging the streets, New York City, new york city tourists, rules for walking, selfies, subway etiquette, tips for tourists, tourists, walking
Indigo jones 
July 17, 2014 at 7:22 pm |
How about those who choose to stop at the foot of the stairs to check their iPhone. Just today I was trying to exit the subway station and the person in front of me stops to check a text.
July 17, 2014 at 9:08 pm |
I know, right? So annoying! Thanks for commenting!