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Old 03-28-2010, 07:44 PM
 
468 posts, read 2,354,977 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MotormanMike View Post
When someone holds or blocks the doors and I have a conductor that gives them a little hell for it , without going overboard , I say it's deserved.
I want to push people off the train when they hold the doors. People are so selfish, they'll make the entire train late, because they don't want to wait for the next train because they're late. Just yelling at them is far too kind. I wish the doors had razor blades on them.

Uhh maybe New York has hardened me.
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Old 03-28-2010, 08:37 PM
 
12,340 posts, read 26,073,752 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cali4ever View Post
More likely, somebody will ask you if you had a spare change or give you a discount coupon to a nearby eatery.
I didn't see people volunteering to help here in New York. When I had a problem with my car on that awful Van Wyck, nobody stopped to offer help.
Re: car problem, that's what Triple A is for. I don't really think you should expect other motorists to pull off on to the shoulder for you, especially if a cop had to evaluate whether it was safe to be stopped there or not.

In terms of all other NON-car issues, people are generally very helpful. I see people offering to help confused-looking map-studying people all the time in Manhattan, in the subways and on the streets.

And just today I was near a mall in Queens and two guys who operate one of those large mobile food stands- like the gyros or felafel stands- were packing up for the night and beginning to wheel their very heavy cart on the sidewalk out to the street. It was clear the thing was heavy just by the way they were having slight trouble maneuvering it. A pedestrian walking by (presumably coming out of the mall) offered to help them push it. They turned down the help but the offer was there.

That's the kind of thing I see happening all the time, and if you need an example that involves wheels, a vehicle and an offer of help-- I think wheeling a food cart down a sidewalk is a much better NYC-style example than a broken down car on an expressway.
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Old 03-29-2010, 11:48 AM
 
Location: Elsewhere
88,300 posts, read 84,292,537 times
Reputation: 114642
Quote:
Originally Posted by MotormanMike View Post
I find it comical to read people actually complaining that the conductors on the trains tell people to stand clear of the doors when they block them during rush hour. Yet - I'll bet the same individuals also complain that trains aren't on time and the MTA this and the workers that ... Conductors and Train Operators (two different jobs , not interchangeable) actually DO try and move the trains quickly. In fact , if someone gets a reputation as being a slow conductor or train operator , nobody wants and work with them. Typical damned if you do and damned if you don't. As a motorman I don't talk on the intercom much , and I agree that yelling and screaming over it is babyish and shows a loss of control but that rarely happens. When someone holds or blocks the doors and I have a conductor that gives them a little hell for it , without going overboard , I say it's deserved. Also let's our riders know they're not late because of us. And most of them like hearing it to because they're rightly pissed off that two or three selfish idiots are holding up a packed train.
Agreed. I like it that the conductor speaks up, because if s/he didn't, sooner or later SOMEONE ELSE would and then it could get ugly.
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Old 03-29-2010, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Elsewhere
88,300 posts, read 84,292,537 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MotormanMike View Post
Hey Lovecouture , why are you asking stupid questions about New York City? Why don't you go and .... (just kidding!!!)

Being born and raised here I can tell you it's not all that bad. People aren't necessarily rude it's just very fast paced here and most people go about their day in their own worlds and can tend to shut out their surroundings. It can come across as unfriendliness , but usually if you stop someone with a legitimate reason if you need help most people will help you out.

As for the shoplifting example you used , I find that in New York City things aren't viewed by the popluation at large as black or white , right or wrong , everything is viewed in shades of gray. When people break rules or certain laws some people see it simply that a law or rule was broken and the person should be punished and that's it. Others try to rationalize or explain away the wrong behavior. In Canada , or in Vancouver , I'd imagine if someone was caught shoplifting people will view it as what was done by the shoplifiter was wrong , they'll support the police or security in their apprehension of the thief and that's it. In NYC , there is a small but loud portion of the population that will come to the shoplifters defense with the mentality that it's not a big deal , all they were doing is shoplifting , they didn't kill anyone ... the store can afford the loss what's the problem ... if it's a minority being apprehended sometimes racial feelings will enter the situation by those watching , etc.

I operate subway trains for a living here and here is a perfect example of what I'm saying : It's against the rules to play music without a permit and solicit money on the train for it. If I have a packed train and someone gets on with a guitar and starts playing and asking for money half the passengers will be super annoyed , the other half will get into the music and enjoy it. If I open the motormans cab door and insist the guy with the guitar knock it off , half the people will be in support of my action , , the other half will percieve that I'm overstepping my authority and being a bully. That's the New York mentality , for good or bad.

On a side note , I'm one of about maybe 6 or 7 people in the city of New York (slight exaggeration ) that used to actually play ice hockey ... I was a big N.Y.Rangers fan back in the day. I heard when we beat you guys for the cup back in '94 that the city of Vancouver rioted (LOL ) ... so you have your share od craziness up there too , eh?
And the best part is that you being one of the people supporting the motorman or one of the people supporting the guitar player can vary from day to day depending on what kind of mood you're in!
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Old 03-29-2010, 02:23 PM
 
Location: New York City
4,035 posts, read 10,276,889 times
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It does tend to make one impatient, whether that's "hardened" to you is another question.
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Old 03-29-2010, 04:08 PM
 
Location: Brooklyn
2,871 posts, read 4,784,061 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Henna View Post
One thing that still surprises me a tiny bit when I hear it is when train operators go on the announcement system and yell at the people who are holding the doors open. It starts as the normal announcement: Please stand clear of the closing doors. Then, if the doors are obstructed from closing for several seconds, each new annoucement is made in a louder and progressively annoyed tone of voice "Do NOT hold the doors open!!!" and it's broadcast throughout the entire train.

Perhaps it's necessary, as the train can't go anywhere if people are holding the doors open, and these announcements usually occur during rush hour when the trains are on a tight schedule. I don't mind the announcements, but I think my surprise comes from the same place the OP's came from when she heard the manager yell.
That's exactly what happened on thr R train Saturday. Started out at 95th, by the time we got to Pacific Street that lady was becoming irate and really loud. Can't blame her at all though, must have been the same person(s) holding up the train all the way up. After Pacific she calmed down, whoever was holding the doors must have left the train?
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Old 03-30-2010, 12:04 AM
 
Location: Brooklyn
243 posts, read 1,331,925 times
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And the best part is that you being one of the people supporting the motorman or one of the people supporting the guitar player can vary from day to day depending on what kind of mood you're in!

...Always support the motorman at all times!!! ... Seriously though , I know what you mean , I even used to feel the same way myself back before I came down here to work (lol) ...
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Old 03-31-2010, 02:48 AM
 
25 posts, read 162,945 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dewdrop93 View Post
cali4ever - What can I say - we all have different experiences. Most New Yorkers don't drive - so I really don't have a lot of experience on the roadways. All I know, is that I looked confused in my own neighborhood one time (because I came out of a store I had never been in and couldn't remember if had been on the west side of the street or the east side - pathetic, I know) and a man came up and asked me if I was lost. And he was very sincere.
Another time, I was at Port Authority and I had about 3 pieces of luggage with me, I was tired, sweaty, and having a hell of a time with all my luggage. I had only lived here for a few years at that time and was about 24 or 25 years old. I was trying to get from one building to the adjacent building because my bus was leaving from the other building, and I was about ready to cry. This man (I think he was a bum) came up and helped me with my stuff (this is the bad part of the story - just so you know). I thanked him - and he informed me that he wasn't doing this for free. Well, I was so stressed out at this time - I was okay with it. When we got to the bus line, I realized that all I had was a 10 dollar bill. We were right near a kiosk - so I asked him to go get 2 fives and I would give him one of them (this was back in 2000 - $5 was a lot to me then). We took the 10 and left the building. Of course, STUPID me for giving him a 10. Anyway, I was still looking after him, naively thinking he might come back, and this other guy in line told me that he watched him walk out the building. After I bought my ticket, the guy in line came up to me and told me that he felt really bad that the guy had taken my money- and he gave me a 10. So - just when I felt like I had had it with mankind - this guy in line restored my faith in humanity. And stuff like that just seems to happen all the time.
I'm not saying that every single person is nice here - or that the overall vibe is as friendly as other places - I just think that, once you get used to life here (if you do get used to it - I know I have), that there are just as many wonderful and kind people as there are bad people.
And I'm from California and went to school in Michigan - and New York is definitely the place I call home.
Isn't that funny...
I'm not a pushover by any means, but I don't want to have to put on a mask every time I set foot on the city streets. I'm naturally a chatty, amiable, NICE person. I'm quick to laugh and smile and it just plain sucks if that's going to be taken as "wimpy" or "weak" by New Yorkers. I just want to be able to go about my daily business without worrying someone targeting me. This happened to me at JFK airport where I had my luggage stored for the day at one of those kiosks. When I came back to get my luggage I paid the guy working there and waited while he helped some other customers. When he came back to me he had the nerve to say I hadn't paid him yet. I was 110% positive I'd paid him already. It was because I was a lone teeny tiny female and he thought he could pull one over me. Hells to the no! I stood my ground and he relented, after pretending to think it all over for a sec...

Oh well, I'm probably over-thinking all of this. Maybe living in New York would do me some good. I often find I'm too nice for my own good.
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Old 03-31-2010, 08:33 AM
 
4,471 posts, read 9,819,005 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lovecouture View Post

Oh well, I'm probably over-thinking all of this. Maybe living in New York would do me some good. I often find I'm too nice for my own good.
I think your real problem is you have what my mom calls a "poor me" complex. Poor me I am so nice and everyone is just out to get me. No hun it doesnt work like that.
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Old 04-17-2010, 07:22 PM
 
96 posts, read 192,422 times
Reputation: 36
not to take anyones side but back on the topic of the whole attittude of new yorkers all i can say in my defence and people from where i live in virginia down south is and many others from all over the country is the fact that my cousin who lives in brooklyn going to college tells me in the safe parts of brooklyn he wont even go into a conveniant store to ask for change or even ask the time a day from just the shady looks he gets from certain individuals i think if you live down south or west of the missisipi or just out west it is a very odd and weird experience to say the less i know many people from all over who have called individuals up there mainly from here in virignia with wrong numbers and they were extrordinarely rude to the point of being shell shocked for days and even people i know who have been there were telling others how rude the people were unless your putting money in there pockets thene they like any big city have a different reaction i have been to just a few big cities in the country and nothing with attitude is like new york so if an individual wants to move there i would suggest scoping it out a little better first.
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