Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Under no circumstances get your car towed. Getting it back is an expensive days-long nightmare like something from Kafka. You have to be sort of dumb to get your car towed, but I have been that dumb--don't let it happen to you!
Just ignore all honking. People will honk at you for waiting to make a turn while a pedestrian crosses at a green light, for example. Cabs are the worst.
Don't end up on the outer roadway of the Queensboro Bridge, because it is terrifying. Maybe that's just me.
Just my license. Never know when I may have to do backup or designated driver duties.
if you're just getting the license, i wouldn't sweat it too much. it's not so crazy to drive here that you need special preparation just for the off chance you might have to DD or whatever every once in a while. since you live here (i assume) and aren't used to driving somewhere else nothing will seem so particularly unusual you can't figure it out as you go along
Stay out the bus lane at all costs! only go into it if you are going to make a right turn. they will give you a ticket for going in the bus lane for only 5 seconds...
If you park on the street where there is alternate side, don't assume that it is ok to leave your car there 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after the permitted time on the sign. The people who write out tickets sit there waiting and live for this. Always give an extra 10 minutes either way in case the person writing out the tickets has a watch/clock/timer that is not set exactly to the same time as you.
If you park on the street where there is alternate side, don't assume that it is ok to leave your car there 5 minutes before or 5 minutes after the permitted time on the sign. The people who write out tickets sit there waiting and live for this. Always give an extra 10 minutes either way in case the person writing out the tickets has a watch/clock/timer that is not set exactly to the same time as you.
Just sorta watch what everyone else in the neighborhood is doing and you can generally go by that.
For example, in my neighborhood, street cleaning is from 11:00 to 12:30, although around noon everyone starts moving back over, and by 12:15 the side for cleaning is full again.
Of course technically you could still get a ticket, but I've yet to see it happen after living there for a couple years.
Being in my early 20's, I've been sleeping on getting my driver's license. Having readily available public transportation hasn't motivated me to do so, but its time I stop leaning on that excuse.
What concerns me is the aggressive driving and bicycling accidents/fatalities that I've read so much about on the news. Driving tests can teach me how to operate a car, but I feel that they can't teach me the subtleties of NYC driving culture, whatever they may be. So, to those who are familiar with driving in the city, any suggestions for this future rookie driver?
When picking a driving school should you have sizable assets (of the cash/chattels variety): If you aren't covered by someone else's insurance umbrella policy- should you run over a pedestrian during a driving lesson- always check the insurance liability and umbrella coverage on the driving school. Note that most driving schools are not prepared for such questions. and the state minimum coverage won't be enough if you hit a pedestrian and someone sues. The driving company is the one likely to be sued, but if the victim thinks you might have more in assets than the state minimum insurance coverage (which is like, 25k I think) and their umbrella policy (it is shocking how little insurance some of these places carry!!!) they might sue you personally since there would be something in it for them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
)
