Monday, June 15, 2009
Dear New York City Drivers
Why are you so impatient when people slow down to look for parking? People park in this city. Get used to it. You probably are going to park soon too. Do you want me to honk at you when you stop suddenly with no warning to start parking? No. Well, then stop honking me when I slow down or stop, even though I signal my intentions properly, etc.
I guess the essence of being an NYC driver is to be utterly incapable of handling common occurances (c.f. previous blogs on the driving here): rain? snow? either drive like nothing is happening or slow down to ludicrously low speeds to be "safe" ... the idea that snow or rain should be something you would know how to handle is just not NYC-esque. People slowing down/stopping to park? honk your horn as if the person doing said activity is doing something completely outrageous that nobody else ever does in this fair city. Kids crossing the street to get into a playground? That never happens! Feel free to zoom past any playground at a speed that'll get you an 8 point ticket in Central NJ ... etc. ...
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Updates: I guess that NYC drivers were perfectly polite and reasonable to me when I had NJ plates also fits under the rubric of NYC drivers not being able to expect the expected: "oh noes, this must be one of those NJ drivers I've heard so many bad things about but I've not ever seen [since three minutes ago]: I guess I'll have to give him a wide berth and let him merge, etc. and be very patient with him -- as you never know what these mysterious NJ drivers, whom we almost never encounter in NYC, are gonna do next".
However, note the plural in the word updates ... something shocking happened this morning: NYC drivers were actually responding appropriately to the rain (slowing down a reasonable amount, etc.)! I guess I shouldn't write anything lest I jinx it, though ... I'm knocking wood that this continues on my commute home!
I guess the essence of being an NYC driver is to be utterly incapable of handling common occurances (c.f. previous blogs on the driving here): rain? snow? either drive like nothing is happening or slow down to ludicrously low speeds to be "safe" ... the idea that snow or rain should be something you would know how to handle is just not NYC-esque. People slowing down/stopping to park? honk your horn as if the person doing said activity is doing something completely outrageous that nobody else ever does in this fair city. Kids crossing the street to get into a playground? That never happens! Feel free to zoom past any playground at a speed that'll get you an 8 point ticket in Central NJ ... etc. ...
*
Updates: I guess that NYC drivers were perfectly polite and reasonable to me when I had NJ plates also fits under the rubric of NYC drivers not being able to expect the expected: "oh noes, this must be one of those NJ drivers I've heard so many bad things about but I've not ever seen [since three minutes ago]: I guess I'll have to give him a wide berth and let him merge, etc. and be very patient with him -- as you never know what these mysterious NJ drivers, whom we almost never encounter in NYC, are gonna do next".
However, note the plural in the word updates ... something shocking happened this morning: NYC drivers were actually responding appropriately to the rain (slowing down a reasonable amount, etc.)! I guess I shouldn't write anything lest I jinx it, though ... I'm knocking wood that this continues on my commute home!
# posted by alberich @ 3:41 PM 
