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I've driven in the city before but only with rental cars. But now I own one and I want to hear anyone's experience with things to look out for, maybe you've gotten a mirror taken off by a biker or some fender bender or something?
1. Pedestrians are more unaware here, compared to every other city I've ever driven. It's a walking city, so that just gets engrained in the thinking. Residents are on a schedule to reach work; tourists are kinda lost and confused by the crush of humanity and just lose their focus. People will step off a curb when they don't have the right-of-way without looking.
Most dangerous times are when cars turn the corner at intersections, because peds don't always think to look for that.
Peds also get impatient waiting for the "walk" icon light before crossing a street, so when they have many blocks to walk they feel they must jaywalk the sign or be late for their appointment. Don't ever assume peds will follow every rule of right-of-way.
2. Speed limits in residential neighborhoods were recently reduced from 35 to 25, but some NYers hate that and speed through anyway. You could get a ticket. I don't know all the details.
3. Watch out for unrepaired potholes; they can damage your car if you go onto them too fast. Slow down.
4. Don't space out at a red light. Someone behind you needs to get somewhere. If you don't move forward the instant the light turns green, their honking will remind you.
5. Learn to parallel park quickly into small spaces, using a turn signal. There are a few tips online.
6. Never walk away from a street-parked car until you've read signs on that block regarding limitations, by day and time, related to alternate street side parking. If you buy a metered dashboard ticket for a short timeperiod, be sure it's on dash face up with time showing. Put a pencil on it so it doesn't blow off to the car floor as you close the car door (story of my last ticket).
7. After parking, NEVER open your driver's side car door without looking first for a bicycle. If you open out suddenly, they can't possibly stop in time. It can hurt or kill as they swerve to avoid your door.
8. Keep a calm head in any verbal encounter concerning your car or driving, with anyone. I find people here range from excitable to explosive about cars.
The balance is to be alert and assertive as a driver, to keep pace, without being a hesitant slowpoke that causes frustration or other accidents as people maneuver around you to get on their way.
Last edited by BrightRabbit; 04-04-2015 at 11:14 AM..
1. Pedestrians are more unaware here, compared to every other city I've ever driven. It's a walking city, so that just gets engrained in the thinking. Residents are on a schedule to reach work; tourists are kinda lost and confused by the crush of humanity and just lose their focus. People will step off a curb when they don't have the right-of-way without looking.
Most dangerous times are when cars turn the corner at intersections, because peds don't always think to look for that.
Peds also get impatient waiting for the "walk" icon light before crossing a street, so when they have many blocks to walk they feel they must jaywalk the sign or be late for their appointment. Don't ever assume peds will follow every rule of right-of-way.
2. Speed limits in residential neighborhoods were recently reduced from 35 to 25, but some NYers hate that and speed through anyway. You could get a ticket. I don't know all the details.
3. Watch out for unrepaired potholes; they can damage your car if you go onto them too fast. Slow down.
4. Don't space out at a red light. Someone behind you needs to get somewhere. If you don't move forward the instant the light turns green, their honking will remind you.
The balance is to be rapid and assertive as a driver, to keep pace, without being a hesitant slowpoke that causes frustration or other accidents as people maneuver around you to get on their way.
Especially now after all the winter snow storms and subsequent plowing. I've seen tons of new potholes in my neighborhood.
^^That's an excellent post. I have nothing else to add.
Oh yes I do actually.
In addition to knowing how to get into small spaces quickly, please put your side mirrors in after you park. You also might want to invest in one of these. as well as this. I have both on my car.
When making any kind of turn, scan the intersection with your eyes before you actually turn. Also move as far as you can to the right when making a right turn so that other vehicles behind you in the right lane can pass. Same with the left turn...try to go toward the left as far as possible so as to let other cars traveling straight through.
Should be obvious, but stay the heck away from Times Square. There's always a better route. Unless you're driving TO Times Square, in which case I suggest finding a good head-shrinker.
I'd add cabs. Cab drivers are reckless, always rushing and probably paying the least attention to traffic signs and rules. If you have to drive pay special attention to cabs to avoid unpleasant surprises!
Ahaha thanks for the responses everyone! I'm aware of all these dangers riding a bicycle around the city but keeping the mirrors in and getting those bumper things might be a good idea. Haven't run into too many crazy pedestrians yet, hope it stays that way =P.
I no longer drive in Manhattan because it makes me too anxious, but I recently rode around as a passenger with a friend driving and I would say pedestrians are the #1 problem. They will walk out in front of your car when you have the right of way, and of course it's up to you to avoid hitting them but at the same time not to get stuck in an intersection (blocking the box).
Cabs may be the #2 problem. My solution to cabs is to just slow down a little and allow them to swerve around you, cut you off, etc. It's not worth it getting involved in road rage behavior when they do all this crazy stuff just to try to arrive at their destination 20 seconds earlier than they would have if they hadn't cut you off/swerved in front of you.
Also watch for bus lanes.
Learning how not to block the box also seems like a big problem. The thing is that your light will be green but there's no room for you to go (get fully across the intersection). If you wait, you lose your chance and everyone will honk. If you go, you block the box and could get a ticket and annoy other drivers and pedestrians.
Lastly, you might want to use your GPS even if it seems obvious how to get somewhere. There are HUGE number of streets in Midtown that have "no turns" and sometimes it's very difficult to figure out how to get from Point A to Point B if you don't have the help of the GPS.
Expect something to hit your car at some point. I've had:
-Two mirrors knocked off in a period of less than a year
-Someone rear-ended the bumper but paid to replace it so I'm fine with that
-A guy on a motorcycle ride into the back of my bumper and then drove off, which took off the paint
-A shopping cart fly through a parking lot that hit the side so hard we thought a car hit us
-Many people just assume when the park next to you in a parking lot it's okay to swing their door open into yours and hit your car
My dad had someone completely back into the front end of his car when he was parallel parked on the street and did a TON of damage. Could not figure out how they did so much damage with so little room to move.
Also, learn the spots where cops tend to hide to pull you over.
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