Act Like a New Yorker

Stepping into the Big Apple for the first time can be intimidating. New York City is huge with a lot of people and places to get familiar with. If you’re going, but don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb, then you should know how to maneuver the city, blend in, and be in a New York state of mind.

Steps

Blending in

1. Be direct and assertive. More than anything else, New Yorkers know what they want. When you're standing in line to order food, have your order finalized before you reach the counter. Don't be shy about ordering a taxi, crossing the street or getting onto the subway. All these things might require a bit of jostling, but if you want it done, you'll push through.
   • Don't set out to do things with a stormy attitude, but do set out to get them done, no matter what.
   • Know that assertive doesn't equal rude.
2. Dress appropriately. Most New Yorkers wouldn't be caught dead wearing an "I <3 NY" T-shirt, or any item of clothing purchased on vacation (such as clothes from Disneyland). Your safest bet is to wear black, dark blue or some shade of grey. When the weather is warmer, white and beige are good choices, but don't be afraid to show off your style in flattering colors or prints.
3. Pay attention to your footwear. Particularly in Manhattan, you won't see people wearing sneakers (too casual) or flip-flops (because they bring your feet too close to the dirty sidewalk). Loafers, heels, boots, and heeled sandals are common.
4. Avoid the tourist traps. Visiting certain places will automatically label you a tourist. If you’re okay with that, then go, take a selfie and a quick look around. Otherwise, steer clear of the following:
   • Times Square
   • Southeast corner of Central Park
   • Theme restaurants, such as Jekyll and Hyde or Bubba Gump Shrimp, or restaurants with lines of obvious tourists like Shake Shack.
   • Top of the Empire State Building. Go to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade instead.
   • The bull statue on Wall Street
   • Certain Broadway shows, such as Wicked or The Phantom of the Opera
   • Little Italy in lower Manhattan. Little Italy in the Bronx will not label you a tourist and is known for real Italian food.
   • Rockefeller Plaza
5. Know how places are pronounced. There’s not many of these rules, but they're important to keep in mind. The correct pronunciation makes it less obvious you’re not a native New Yorker.
   • SoHo, or south of Houston Street, is pronounced "SO-hoe," and no-no rhymes with it.
   • Know how to refer to the boroughs. There are five parts of New York City: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx. Only the Bronx should be preceded by "the"; you would never say "the Staten Island," for instance.
   • "Staten" is pronounced "STA-ten," not "STATE-en."
6. Be a baseball fan. In the 1950's, when New York had 3 baseball teams, fans of each were generally based on demographics. For example, Yankee fans were white, Catholic, and from the Bronx, Manhattan, or Staten Island. Now, the city has two teams, but some New Yorkers are still fans of the Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers, even though they have since moved to other cities. Other displaced fans swore allegiance to the Mets.
   • Even if you don't actually like baseball, be prepared to talk about it. It's a common topic of conversation between strangers or acquaintances.
   • If you do, don’t broadcast that you root for the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago Cubs or the Philadelphia Phillies.

Getting Around Town

1. Walk to your destination. Not only does the lack of traffic spaces make driving a car in New York impractical, but traffic sits in gridlock more often than not. Call a taxi as a last resort; otherwise, walk or take the subway. It will save you time and hassle in the end.
2. Treat sidewalks like freeways. Because there are so many people on New York sidewalks during the day, the only way to keep some sort of order is to treat it like a freeway. In general, stay to the right side and don’t stop suddenly.
   • If you're walking slowly, move further to the right so that people in a hurry can pass you.
   • If stopping altogether, find a place to "pull over" near a streetlight or awning.
   • Walk side-by-side with no more than two people, if you're with a large group.
   • When you walk out of a building, don't just step directly into traffic. Look for an opening.
3. Know how to hail a taxi. Don't just call a phone number for a cab - by the time it finds you, you probably could have walked to your destination and back. Instead, hail one off the street. Flag one down by stepping off the curb, making eye contact with the driver, and raising your hand slightly (you don't have to have your arm totally flapping out). When the cab stops, get in quickly.
4. Understand what the lights on taxis mean. Taxis have a row of lights on top of their cabs. No lights means the taxi is currently engaged. If the two outer lights are lit, the taxi is off duty. If the center light is lit, highlighting a number, the cab is available for service.
5. Recognize taxi queues. Taxis will line up in popular areas. Do not just grab any taxi in the middle of the line - walk to the front of the queue and hire that taxi. The drivers are all waiting their turn, and it's your job to pick whoever's next.
6. Tell your cab driver directions. New Yorkers don't give exact addresses when they get into a cab. Instead, tell the driver which street you want, as well as the two cross streets you'd like to be between. For example, you could say "51st Street between 7th and 8th." The cabbie will know exactly what you mean.
7. Use a ride-sharing app. Many times it’s easier to grab a cab or take the subway in NYC, but you can easily request a ride from your smartphone. Load your credit card information with the ride sharing app of your choice and get picked up with a tap of your touchscreen. Because of their popularity, drivers are normally close by.
8. Navigate the subway system. The NYC subway system is the most extensive in America, making it quick and easy to use. Most stations will have maps posted, but you can always ask a fellow traveler for directions. Buy a Metrocard from vending machines at the entrance, keep it loaded in your pocket, and master the art of swiping it smoothly through the turnstile.
9. Avoid certain areas. New York is significantly safer than it was in the '70s and '80s. However, there are still places you probably want to avoid. Brooklyn has the most neighborhoods with high violent crime cases with the Bronx coming in a close second. Here are a few places to steer clear of:
   • Hunts Point
   • Vinegar Hill
   • Fordham
   • Greenwood Heights

Playing it Cool

1. Remember that people are busy. In general, it's safe to assume that everyone you meet is in a hurry. If you need directions, most New Yorkers will probably help you. However, keep your question short and to the point.
2. Don't panic about the vermin. There's an old saying that says you'll be within {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} of a rat no matter where you go in New York. While the rat problem might not be that extreme, you will occasionally see rats and cockroaches in places such as subway platforms. In general, respond with nonchalance. Most cities have rats, because large populations of them like to set up house for entire blocks.
   • The only exception to this rule is if the rat or cockroach is on you or near your food. In that case, make an enormous fuss (as you might be naturally inclined to do) and demand that someone help you get rid of it immediately.
3. Don't make eye contact and smile at everyone. You're going to pass a lot of people on the street, and friendliness will get tiring. Besides, it’s important to not open yourself up to salespeople, beggars or pick pockets. Stay focused on what you need to do and where you need to go.
4. Ignore street hassle. If someone catcalls or whistles at you, try to act like it didn't even register with you. Above all, don't look at your harassers. This can only make matters worse. Don't cheer for the subway buskers. Don't give beggars money. Ignore people handing out fliers. You won’t have time to do the things you need to do if you give attention to everyone who wants it.
5. Don't pull out a map. If you need directions, look them up discreetly on your phone or ask a somewhat friendly looking New Yorker. Don't pull out an enormous map, because this will only make it obvious you don’t know much about New York City.
6. Remember Manhattan is safe. You might see a lot of intimidating things in the East Village of Manhattan, such as prostitutes, drug addicts or graffiti, but you're probably fine. Manhattan in general is well-policed. Most of the crime coming from neighborhoods has to do with late night revelers in Soho and the Meatpacking district.

Tips

• You'll probably want to take pictures of your vacation, but don't break out the camera too much. Doing so instantly identifies you as a tourist.
• Don't EVER let people walk all over you. You will have a hard time if you're not assertive. But remember they are real people, just busier.

Warnings

• Try not to imitate a New York accent that you see in the movies. There's lots of different types of accents in New York, depending on which borough or neighborhood you are from and your ethnicity. If you are visiting someone in New York, try to talk like them instead.

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• Act As a Teenager in Manhattan
• Talk to a New Yorker

Sources and Citations

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