I spend a lot of time in New York City. (Not just "New York." No one says "Kansas" for Kansas City or "Oklahoma" for Oklahoma City or "North Carolina" for North Carolina City. Or do they?) Here are a few pertinent-ish ramblings.
- A while back, I saw someone descending stairs sideways. Not 90 degrees sideways, but close enough. And not one step at a time holding onto the rail. My first thought was, "Wow, he's broken." But since then, I've seen other people do it. Not lots of people, but enough to make me wonder what's going on.
People are (mostly) surprisingly orderly about "stand right, walk left" on the escalators. But why are so many people standing? I know some folks have issues with walking on moving stairs, but I suspect most of these people don't. And when there are only stairs, or the escalator breaks, everyone walks. More people should. I walk on escalators (up and down) partly because I'm always in a hurry, but mostly because I can. More people should.- It's not unusual to see people run: usually in the airport or train station. What's amazing isn't how badly they run, but how quickly they tire. People have run past me only to be passed by me after they tire and slow to a walk. That's not good (for them).
Similar to the escalators are the moving walkways at the airport, except standing on these is even lamer. (Unless you're literally lame, but then how did you make it to the walkway?) Keep those feet moving, people!- If the first thing you want to do when you get to Central Park is light a cigarette, you have a problem. Probably more than one.
Another astounding practice is all the sitting. What's up with that? People who sit all day at work crowd into the subway to get a seat. At the airport, they sit as much as they can prior to boarding the airplane to...sit some more. It's amazing people's legs work at all: you'd think they'd atrophy to wet noodles. I guess the walking from seat to seat at least keeps them ambulatory.- Speaking of walking, too many people walk too slowly. And too many are on their phones (usually texting rather than talking). And, of course, there are the tourists who remind me of George in Seinfeld:
George is walking down the street looking down at his map. He is bumping into people.
Man 1: Try looking up hayseed.
Man 2: You wanna sightsee? Get on a bus.
Forget "get off my lawn!" Get off my sidewalk! (Or at least get out of the way.)
Maybe that place just makes me cranky.
Be seeing you.
-gary