Manhattan is definitely a special place regarding its system of traffic. Because of its cramped nature with so many buildings and destinations per square mile along with its population density and focus on tourism and business travel, it is unfeasible for motorists to drive their own cars down its streets. For one, parking is very short in supply, and two, I challenge anyone to find me a public-use gas station anywhere in town. So instead, people either walk, take the subway, ride buses, or use one of the 13,000-plus taxis in town. On our stay, we either walked or rode a bus (we chose Grayline, which also provided tours of the city).
There is a knack to walking Manhattan streets that is easy to pick up on, making the prospect of crossing busy intersections no big deal. You walk up to a crosswalk. If the signal says “walk” or a blinking “don’t walk”, you cross. If it is a solid “don’t walk”, look where the traffic is coming from (most streets are one-way) and cross against the light if it looks clear. And if you misjudged a vehicle and it's coming right at you, don't worry; you're sure to get a nice, big warning blast from its horn as it bears down on you.
Regarding the reputation of NY taxis for aggressive and rude driving, it is important to note that, at least as I experienced it, they are UNIFORMLY aggressive and rude. So they are hence predictable, and I (and all of the other pedestrians) can handle that. Now, back in Gainesville, I sometimes experience overly-aggressive drivers around me and wonder to myself whether they had some roots in New York. Still, I had the distinct impression that those aggressive professional New York drivers knew what they were doing, while here in Gainesville I’m not sure that some of my fellow drivers are even aware of what planet they’re on!
I miss the streets of Manhattan, although I was disappointed with my early discovery that it was impracticable for me to try to jog on them. The big barrier is not the motorized traffic; it is the crowds of people everywhere!
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Actually, the real "insider" method of getting somewhere in Manhattan is to walk with the lights when you can.
ReplyDeleteSuppose you're walking from Grand Central, at 42nd and Park, to Madison Square Garden, at 33rd and 7th. You walk west on 42nd, and when you get to Madison you have a ='Don't Walk'=. So you turn south and cross 42nd, where the light is in your favour, and you walk south on Madison. When you get to 41st, the light's against you, but no one's coming, so you cross anyway. But at 40th you're stopped, so you turn west again, cross Madison, and walk to 5th, where you again turn south... etc.
That zig-zagging will get you the best time, until, of course, you end up south on 7th and just have to start waiting for the lights until you get to MSG.
It's useful to remember the sequence 14, 23, 34, 42, 57, which are the two-way streets in midtown. The other (east-west) streets are one-way, usually in alternating directions, and are much smaller (and less late-night-stroll friendly). Beware of cabs backing up down the one-way streets to avoid making a trip around the block.
And no, I don't think I've ever seen anyone jogging in the streets in midtown, at least not on a weekday. On a weekend morning, one might be able to jog up to Central Park, and then finish one's run there.
I found myself redirecting my family at times in your "zigzag" manner, crossing at wherever it showed "walk" as long as it was in our intended direction. Of course, this strategy wouldn't apply to simply walking straight down one street (eg Broadway) to gawk at its sights and explore its shops and eateries, as we did a lot of the time there.
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