Re: [Debconf-discuss] More questions regarding what to bring for DebConf10 (and other stuff)
At 7:11 PM -0400 7/22/10, David Smith wrote:
No, not really.. Though I'll admit my knowledge of NYC is limited,
I have been tricked into giving people money in the streets before..
Some guy convinced me he was a Taxi driver on a smoke (pointed down
the street to a Taxi waiting) and said I could buy a Metro Card off
of him and take me wherever I needed to go... I had just came out of
Penn Station with a backpack and pulling my luggage.. Plenty of
people around and they didn't seem to pay any attention to him or me
so it seemed pretty normal.. So yea, he took my money for a Metro
card, walked over to where the Taxi was but then I saw he wasn't the
driver.. He then hopped in and took the ride out of there himself
and waved from the window.. Kind of funny in retrospect, but yea, I
tend to be more cautious because things like that tend to find me
pretty easily...
Perhaps just my lack of travel experience to blame, or perhaps just
really horrible luck.. I'm not saying NYC is unsafe.. I'm just
saying, I lost money in broad daylight with tons of people around,
and so I tend to be strongly on the side of caution.... Even if my
post helps one person, I'll be happy.
If your post causes even one person to hide in their room, afraid to
go out and explore NYC, you have done a disservice to the community.
Yes, be careful -- remain alert and aware of your surroundings (day
or night) -- but don't spread fear about the City being so dangerous
that no one should ever go anywhere alone, simply because someone
convinced you to hand over your money to them.
As others have said, NYC is, for the most part, a safe place to
explore -- even alone.
The subway is generally safe any time of day. If you are on the
subway at night and there are very few people around, for a little
sense of security you can get on the middle car (where the conductor
who opens and closes the doors of the train is stationed, so if you
get mugged at least someone will hear you scream).
All subway lines and most bus lines run 24 hours a day, but very late
at night/early in the morning that can mean one train per hour, so
make sure you have a book to read -- and pay attention to the Service
Alerts posted in the station as sometimes track work can result in
the rerouting of trains.
All legit yellow cabs have the same NYC Taxi logo on the side.
The fare for a cab ride is the amount shown on the meter (plus at
least a dollar tip, or 15% -- whichever his higher). Unlike some
cities I've visited, cabs in NYC charge one price for the ride no
matter how many people are with you. Don't pay the meter multiplied
by the number of people.
Always get a receipt for your cab fare, it will have the unique ID of
the cab on it and will be helpful for recovering anything you might
accidently leave behind.
New Yorkers are more friendly than the movies and TV make us out to
be. We're usually happy to give directions or suggest a good place to
eat -- But if someone seems a bit too friendly, find a polite way to
end the interaction and walk away.
Try to only use ATMs that are in a real bank, not the machines in small stores.
If you are not sure where you are (in Manhattan), don't get worried
or act lost. Just keep walking, most of Manhattan (above Houston
Street) is a simple grid and you'll eventually cross a street you
know. (For reference, Houston is 0 on the grid of numbered streets).
Count your change before walking away from the register.
Do not buy drugs on the street, no matter how much you might want them.
The Brooklyn Bridge is not for sale.
--Eric
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