Tips on how to avoid being another annoying (European) tourist in NYC? (New York: home, to buy)
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I'm visiting New York for the best part of two weeks in July, staying at the Ramada NY eastside (I'm from the UK). Basically I'm just looking for tips on how NOT to be just another clueless European tourist visiting NYC who repeatedly annoys the locals! So far I have on my checklist:
- Avoid stopping in the middle of the sidewalk reading a map/staring at skyscrapers
- Don't stand at the top of staircase
- Avoid blocking the crosswalk
- Don't ask strangers for directions during rush hour
- Make sure to Tip well (say around 20%?), Europeans are stingy bastards I know.
I'm only asking because I was reading a lot of comments online from native new yorkers and it seems European tourists don't appear to have a great reputation in NYC .
This is my first time visiting the US and I'm really excited about going BTW. But like anywhere, I'm conscious about annoying the locals too much obviously, so I would appreciate any advice on how to be a less of an irritant to you while I'm there. Thanks!
It's good you already know one of the most crucial rules for navigating New York successfully:
Whatever you do, wherever you are, don't ever, ever, EVER, hold up the line!
And it's not just stairs, elevators and sidewalks. It also includes swiping your Metrocard at subway turnstiles. Or s-l-o-w-l-y counting change at, say, a drugstore or coffee shop after you s-l-o-w-l-y decided what to buy --- while standing at the counter for five minutes. This is as true at 3 in the morning as it is at rush hour or lunchtime. We really do move faster than most other Americans. Even New Yorkers who do this stuff annoy the crap out of me, and they should know better.
Most of us are in a hurry, and that's often mistaken for rudeness. It's not. New Yorkers are just as friendly and helpful as people anywhere. But we like to be friendly and helpful at our speed. Not yours.
Disagree. definitely DO the tourist attractions. Agree with the other poster about about just not holding up regular new yorkers trying to get from point A to B. Also, don't fall for the dudes selling their music. I work in soho and I can't tell you how many times a day I see clueless european tourists totally enamored that someone stopped them on the street with a totally false compliment or something to try to sell them some raggety butt burned CD of what's probably just some obscure music they pulled from online and claiming to be their own. They will try to get you to think it's totally free right up until it's in your hand, and if they've already signed it? Well, yeah they are going to try to intimidate you to purchase it for 5 bux or something. Part of me laughs at the gullibility of some tourists (ooooh look, this urban american thinks i'm cool!!!!), but just giving you some advice. I can't fault them for making money,quasi-legit though, but still... you asked for advice, and that's mine.
OH and watch the gaps between the subway cars and the platform (they can be huge!)
My biggest pet peeve about tourists is that they don't know how to ride the subway properly. I am ok with it if someone legitimately doesn't know where they are going and needs to look at the map, or ask directions, or whatever, but what I mean is actually once they are in the subway car and the subway is on its way to the next station, they take up way too much room. Usually they are in groups, and instead of trying to be quiet, take up less space, etc. it seems they act like they are in a bar. They hang off the poles speaking loudly to each other like they are still in a social space.
Of course, there are annoying New Yorkers who do the same thing, but I generally see it more with younger groups of (drunken) people out on the town, or with the Chinese, who manage to have shouting-level conversations with each other that you can hear throughtout the entire car.
Don't worry about asking directions during rush hour. If someone doesn't have time to stop, they won't. But the next person will. New Yorkers tend to be friendly (if time permits) and generous with directions.
I can say another positive thing about tourists from Europe versus our own home grown mental minimals, is that they actually aren't trying to capture everyone and everything on their phone but instead tend to breathe in and absorb the area they are exploring on vacation. Thank you for that.
My biggest pet peeve about tourists is that they don't know how to ride the subway properly. I am ok with it if someone legitimately doesn't know where they are going and needs to look at the map, or ask directions, or whatever, but what I mean is actually once they are in the subway car and the subway is on its way to the next station, they take up way too much room. Usually they are in groups, and instead of trying to be quiet, take up less space, etc. it seems they act like they are in a bar. They hang off the poles speaking loudly to each other like they are still in a social space.
Of course, there are annoying New Yorkers who do the same thing, but I generally see it more with younger groups of (drunken) people out on the town, or with the Chinese, who manage to have shouting-level conversations with each other that you can hear throughtout the entire car.
Don't worry about asking directions during rush hour. If someone doesn't have time to stop, they won't. But the next person will. New Yorkers tend to be friendly (if time permits) and generous with directions.
But, don't worry about it at all. There are a trillion tourists here at any given time and dealing with that is just a part of NYC life. We may grumble but we understand. Just do your thing, walk as slow as you want, and be courteous in general.
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