New York City: where the buildings are as high as the residents’ tolerance levels are low. Here’s a look at the habits that make New Yorkers the most charmingly abrasive people you’ll love to complain about.
1. The Sidewalk Swerve
Forget the polite dance of passing pedestrians. New Yorkers prefer the shoulder check approach to assert dominance on the sidewalks.
2. Subway Seat Spread
The art of manspreading has found its true home in NYC subways, where personal space expands according to the width of one’s ego.
3. The Coffee Line Ignore
Standing in line for coffee is a silent sport where the unspoken rule is pretending the barista’s call for the next customer doesn’t apply until you’re ready.
4. Chronic Cab Hailing
New Yorkers will steal a cab out from under your nose with the skill of a pickpocket, turning cab hailing into a competitive sport.
5. Loud Phone Conversations
In New York, every phone call is a public broadcast, ensuring everyone is updated on every detail of your life, whether they care or not.
6. The Deli Line Decree
Ordering at a deli is less about choice and more about speed. Hesitate for a second, and you’ll earn the scorn of both the server and anyone in line behind you.
7. Tip Calculation Complaints
Discussing how to calculate the tip at a restaurant is a citywide pastime, often accompanied by gripes about why it’s even expected.
8. Garbage Bag Gauntlet
Navigating the garbage bag-lined streets requires agility and disregard for what might be leaking on your shoes. It’s just part of the charm.
9. Jaded Jaywalking
Jaywalking in NYC isn’t just common; it’s a point of pride. Traffic signals are merely suggestions and sometimes not even that.
10. Elevator Silence
The unwritten rule of NY elevators: No eye contact, no small talk. It’s you, your floor button, and a palpable tension that begs for silence.
11. Restroom Rush
Bathroom lines are a battlefield. Expect sighs, foot tapping, and the occasional glare if you take too long.
12. Tourist Scorn
Nothing unites New Yorkers like their collective disdain for tourists, especially those who dare stop in the middle of the sidewalk to take a photo.
13. Park Bench Politics
Seating in public parks is a territorial affair. Once claimed, a bench is yours like it’s deeded property until you decide to leave.
14. Dog Walk Wars
Dog walkers and their tangled leashes take up sidewalks as if staging a canine version of “Game of Thrones.”
15. Stroller Steamrolling
Stroller-pushing parents navigate through crowds with the force of a tank division, seeing obstacles instead of people.
16. Dining and Dashing
Eating at a restaurant involves an unspoken race to see who can down their meal and leave the fastest, turning dining out into a time trial.
17. Gym Equipment Hoarding
Fitness enthusiasts guard their gym equipment like it’s the last helicopter out of Saigon, with time limits observed less than parking regulations.
18. Escalator Etiquette Exile
Standing on the left? Walking on the right? In New York, escalator etiquette is for the weak, and chaos reigns supreme.
19. Siren Serenade
Ambulances and police sirens provide the city’s soundtrack. Locals wear their indifference to the noise as a badge of honor, barely flinching at the cacophony.
20. Flash-Flood of F-bombs
The liberal use of profanity in daily conversation isn’t just accepted; it’s almost required. New Yorkers wield the F-bomb with the precision of a surgeon and the frequency of a ticking clock.
New York Charm
New York’s rude habits? They’re not bugs; they’re features. So, buckle up, buttercup. It’s not the Big Apple for nothing; it’s big on personality and even bigger on not caring if you can handle it or not.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Urbanscape.
For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.
