Watch These Next- 50 Best FREE Things To Do in NYC: ua-cam.com/video/wUgd-SSCkXs/v-deo.html What's NEW in NYC in 2024?: ua-cam.com/video/cwqlfp6PaUQ/v-deo.html&
Not just in NYC. It's amazing how many people will stop in the middle of a sidewalk or an aisle to look at their phone or whatever, when other people are trying to walk through that space. Also elevators and airport trams with people getting on who are blocking the path of the people getting off. Common sense and common courtesy do not exist in our society anymore.
Mad facts, this is like my biggest pet peeve I have with people, they know they shouldn’t be blocking the path for other people to walk through, but still do it anyways, respect doesn’t exist anymore nowadays
Tipping is frustrating even to us locals! lol the other day I accidentally under tipped because the server used one of those portable machines that automatically calculates tip but the MINIMUM was 20%! And then she’s standing there not giving me the privacy of calculating what I think is a fair tip, and I couldn’t figure out how to “customize” my tip on that stupid machine. So she got zero tip on the machine and just a $10 cash tip left at the table! 🤷🏽♀️ and I don’t feel bad at all, restaurants should use less aggressive tactics to try and squeeze exorbitant tips out of us. It’s time to stop this ridiculous tip culture; we pay enough money for our meals to allow owners to start properly paying servers themselves!
I am chuckling because all of this is just normal every day etiquette, anywhere in the world. But, this video is needed because people no longer think about others. Thank you,
Native New Yorker here. NY is a great pedestrian city with so much to offer! Always have “situational awareness”. Don’t flash expensive jewelry or a ton of cash. Just try to fit in. Walk with purpose. Use common sense. I agree with many of the tips in this video. Have fun and enjoy!
I went to college in the Bronx in the “bad old days” of the 1970s-what stories I could tell! But situational awareness is critical, don’t carry anything that screams “steal me,” and most of the times you’ll be fine. Just don’t do stupid, risky things, like taking the subway half drunk at 2am!
I was thinking that!! When I was in Amsterdam I texted my friend " I may not make it out of here alive" And I was hugging the walls of buildings- not in the bike paths!!!
I used to live in NYC and you are correct. People walking at a snails pace really bothered me as well as lack of subway etiquette. Tourists also think they can get away with bad behavior. I caught some throwing an empty bottle in the street, smashing it. I would love to fine these people.
A note on tipping: Don't tip workers from take out spots. If you go to a take out spot and order a slice of pizza or a bagel to go, don't feel obligated to tip them. Those types of staff make full wages, and the tipping is purely predatory with those stupid ipad screens. Tip where you normally would, sit down-full service restatraunts, delivery drivers, taxi/ubers, etc.... Those are all service jobs where the workers actually deserve it for the service they provide you. Handing you a chicken sandwich over a counter isn't tip-worthy. The only way to stop the tipping exploitation of America is to stop tipping where it's inappropriate. Don't worry about offending anyone in this city by choosing no tip. You will never see that person again and you will feel good knowing you didn't bend over to peer pressure.
Handing a chicken sandwich over a counter isn't tip worthy but walking like 15 meters with my food and drink is? Why do they need an extra (up to) 30% for that? Why am I paying someone extra for walking my food over to me? Fkin buffet restaurants too, I've done all the work except walk to get my drinks (which is their job and what they're hired for) Why tf am I paying extra?
Living in NYC for 26 years I can agree with all of this. The most important message to tourists is what used to be a commercial in the 1990s: "In New York City 'wait' is a four-letter-word." In America, a four letter word usually means it is something bad. And that is the #1 rule in our fast paced city: never make a New Yorker wait by standing in the way, walking too slowly etc. Also in the 1990s someone once suggested that we should have separate lanes on a sidewalk for tourists and locals. The suggestion got a lot of support here :)
Your advice is bang on across the board. Regarding the walking, absolutely do that as much as you can. Wandering NY streets is half the fun. So much to see and places to pop in to on your way if you have the time. Just don’t stare up all the time or block the sidewalk…
I will never, ever understand why anyone would go to a chain for food in Manhattan. If I had my way, chain restaurants would be banned in Manhattan 😊. NYC has incredible food because the competition among restaurants are ridiculously stiff so you might as well take advantage of it and enjoy the great food
The subways cover manhattan so well that when it is delayed, you can often walk to an alternate line or stop and still save time. As far as blocking subway doors, if you do that, dont be surprised when people knock you over trying to get off the train. Many wont hesitate th simply shove you out of the way so it is also a safety thing not just etiquette.
Living near São Paulo in Brazil, a lot of those unspoken rules are a no brainer for people who lives on metro areas, but maybe not for someone from smaller cities that life goes more slowly... but common sense and been aware of your surround is something that anyone can do
Hi Jon, Thanks for the great video, mainly about manners and common sense. I think that we all can use a refresher that will make our lives easier. Really appreciate your channel. Best Wishes, Peter
The weather being volatile is no joke. I was there juet a few days ago. During the weekend the weather was at almost the 60°s, to Tuesday’s snowstorm and the near freezing cold days aftermath 😂
I live in San Francisco and all these tips resonate with me as being relevant here, too. I think it would be wise to apply most of this advice universally when visiting any city.
I'm sick and tired of mandatory tipping. If a mandatory tip is required then damn well build it into the price and let ME decide if the service is worth a tip on top of what I already paid.
As a man who's almost 50, who's born, raised, and currently resides in NYC, all of these are spot on! Here's one unwritten rule you didn't mention: Never have your smartphone nor wallet, in your back pocket. Easy target for pickpockets!
Some of these rules apply to PHILLY also,lived there during the 90s-SOME. I now live in Central Texas,gun capitol of the us. LOL. Concealed and open carry are allowed,most folks chose concealed carry tho.
I live here and I got hit by one of those electric bird style scooters in bike lane. I got lucky and the injury wasn't serious, but it took 3 months to heal. Had I been a smaller person it could have been really bad. One thing that I want to emphasize is that in Manhattan specifically bikes are the number one way food/gorcery delivery happens. If your ordering Uber Eats, its probably a cyclist that will deliver it. This creates a bike culture where bikers will do whatever they can to reach their destination as fast as possible including ignoring traffic signs, entering pedestrian sidewalks when it is convenient. Its not enough to be aware of bike lane, but you should always check if anyone is coming on bike line even if there is a walk sign. This is especially true if the road is not particularly busy.
Yeah have had/seen some close calls too, I'm seeing a lot of guys pop up on the sidewalk to get around cars or red-lights. It's crazy that when I'm by an intersection or crossing the street I'm keeping more of an eye out for bikes than I am cars most of the time lol
Yes, do NOT walk side by side if youre in a group... that bothers me soooo much. Somebody gotta make the decision to move or you WILL get some words you dont like lol
Jon as someone who has traveled to NYC four times I pretty much know the do's and don'ts. However, it's good to be aware of some the new do's and don'ts. I will be looking forward to my fifth visit to the Big Apple.
Just got back from NYC yesterday (I'm a native, but moved away). I was walking down 5th Ave towards The Met. An entire wall of tourists is walking the opposite direction not looking where they were going. I just stopped walking and stood there until one of them walked right into me. Then they had the nerve to give me the stink eye for being in their way. The moral of the story is WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING. There are 8 million other people in the city. There will be very few times you can just wander aimlessly.
Really useful, I went last April and used loads of your tips. I think the only reason I stuck with a metro card was that I was a tourist and meant I didn't have to keep getting a payment card or phone out. I know they are secure but my card was scanned (even tho I only used it at the hotel and ride attraction) and only found out when I got home. So, using a metro card made me feel safer in a way.
Those rules on the Subway apply exactly the same on the Underground (Tube) in London. Stand on the right on escalators, stand to the side to let people off the trains, move to the doorway before your stop. Many tourists, including Americans, do not follow these rules.
@@michaelchin3550 He's a UA-cam guy who takes us with him on narrated walks around different NYC neighborhoods, as well as other cities/countries. While he's live streaming, viewers can send him comments. Very entertaining, but sometimes watching in real time can be tiring.
Yeah! 200th LIKE! This etiquette tips work everywhere in the world, thanks so much. Especially people standing on the bike lane after having a 20-minute chat at their table. I'm certain they will walk across to the metro station and block people getting out, miss the broadway stop and text their friends about it during the show. Hate them.
That's not what "Pre-Walking" is. "Pre-Walking" is when you know the exit you want is at the front, back, or middle of the train and you walk down the platform to the correct spot to be closest to the exit at your destination station.
I'm a native New Yorker (also lived in Northern NJ for a while!) who now lives in AZ. All of this brings back a lot of memories, and I swear I remember posting a list just like this on some forum back in the day and getting a ton of pushback from people saying I was too uptight or whatever. But yeah, it's all just common courtesy and respect for others, really. Some people just don't understand that concept anymore and need it spelled out. Almost all the things you mentioned used to drive me crazy as a New Yorker when people didn't follow them.
From a decades long bartender / resident of NYC, Thank you. Also a sidenote to tourists and residents alike. the NYC ID card is not an acceptable ID for purchase of alcohol. It's ridiculous, I know, but it is what it is. Thanks again!
I am 61 and I still get carded. When I was in my 40s and part of the way through my 50s, it was "Don't even think about entering a pub if you left your ID at home." I expected to get carded. Here in MA, if you make a purchase at the neighborhood packie, you WILL get carded... and that includes my 94 year old mother.
great video and right on point...a couple of added point...use google maps APP and/or MTA subway timing/stop APP for subway directions vs. walking around with a tourism subway map. Also, metro cards cost extra $$..thus omi, as you mentioned, is better and easier. thanks again.
I managed to avoid al these issues with my trip in Jan but on a Saturday evening the Subway was astonishingly crowded and I was trying to get in a car before the doors closed, was trying to squeeze past some people so I was not hogging the door area as so many were and some idiot behind me gave me a big shove so he could get in also. I moved forward a little and then shouted "don't f***ing push me I trying to get through" I looked behind me but everyone was minding their business. Really annoyed me.
Nice video, man. Thanx for that. Same 'rules' apply here in Atlanta, Georgia with the trains and Savannah, Georgia with the bike lanes and walkways, small businesses and tips! L
One note about the Subway, where I live, Midtown West (from 9th and further West, in the 40s and 50s), you don't have access to a Subway line that runs there. So if you're all the way over by the Hudson River at like 50th street, it could be impossible to get to the Subway before you even get to where you're going, depending on where it is. Of course you can walk, but if you're at the river, it's up hill. If you're in good shape that's one thing, but for disabled folks it's important to note that this area of the west side is not serviced well by the Subway. Your options are pretty much the UWS (60s, 1/2/3 trains), Hudson Yards (30s, 7 train), or 8th avenue for the A/C/E. Or taking the bus, but those don't often run as reliably as they ought to. When you live a 20 minute walk from the nearest train, and your destination is a 10-20 minute walk from the station nearby it, you may as well walk the 30-40 minutes trip.
Hi Love you videos. They helped me a lot on my recent trip to New York. Absolutely loved it and used a lot of your tips and tricks. Did a lot of walking and saw a lot of the city. One thing I did was planning toilets as they are far and few. A suggestion is to redo public toilets such as Bryant park, Washing Park, Station Island and pier 7ferry terminals, central park , Grand Central station, Apple store if you are a tourist they don't question you, the Island and so on,. But is get a lot more difficult like in China town, when I walked from Flatbush to Brooklyn Bridge or when i walked from Battery Park to Times Square (thank goodness for Washing Park) Anyway just a suggestion Thanks for your help
Excellent advice as usual Jon. As an Aussie, the tipping process was difficult to navigate I initially, but I got the hang of it quickly. Totally agree about not having made up your mind about what you want before you get to the counter, that’s so annoying in any country. ❤❤
With tipping you missed one. Too often waiters include the tip/gratuity on the bill. As someone now living in NYC I always watch for this. I had a waiter ad the tip to a tab for 2 people and after taking my credit card they brought back the 2 CC slips to sign but conveniently took the itemized bill away. I wrote in the tip line "Gratuity was already included on final bill." So by trying to manipulate the paying process the waiter got less (18%) than the 20% he would have gotten from me anyways. He was hoping I wouldn't notice and would get a 38% tip.
Jon, 100% correct on the tipping, we tourists (I'm from Scotland and have visited NYC and the US loads) feel very strongly that the employers should pay their staff decent wages, not rely on tourists to do so. My personal big gripe is why does it have to be min 20%? Why on earth is 10% not suffice? On average for a 20 day US holiday, I factor in $250/day for breakfast, coffee's, lunch, snacks, dinner etc - so that's $5000 for 20 days . . add 20% on top of that on tipping, that's another $1000, completely insane. Factor in now the additional BS "Resort fee's" for NYC hotels, it's just too expensive to go to the US now (especially NYC) so I have a choice to go or don't go, I'm choosing not to go.
100% agree the employers should pay a living wage. min 20% is just not true. the standard was 10% years ago. Jon was just trying to promote bad business practice. since the price of the food kept going up, the tip also also went up even if the percentage stayed 10% and there is no need to increase the percentage. the reason for anything higher than 10% tip is greed and it's pure profit for the restaurant owner.
20% is an imported practice from the ex-Confederate zone (the US South). The restaurant owner is probably only keeping 2-5 cents per dollar you spend in profit, though, so it is a difficult and precarious business.@@ms9001
If you get a crappy waiter it telegraphs to the waiter they are in the wrong kind of work.If they were great do a little math in your head, not hard, and that is close to what a meal costs.
@@tedzehnder961 What on earth are you on about? A waiter is paid by his employer to do a job, like you are and I am, no way on earth should we have to pay a 20% tip for a waiter doing their job, their employer needs to pay them a proper wage.
@@ms9001 Unfortunately, that is NOT how the United States works. According to the United States Department of Labor"An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount combined with the tips received at least equals the federal minimum wage."
So, about 25 years ago, I was in NYC because work sent me there. At one point I needed to get somewhere that was supposedly only a few blocks away, and I set out on foot, and... I dunno whether I screwed up or the directions I was given were wrong, but when I got so many blocks over and so many blocks up, I... wasn't where I was supposed to be. So, having no idea where I was or how to get to where I need to be, I hailed a taxi. I told the cabbie where I wanted to go, and he started shouting "Wrong way! Wrong way!" at me. At the time, I had no idea what his problem was, although he _did_ take me where I needed to go. It would be about another ten years before someone explained to me what the deal was.
Hi John, coming to the City for the third time in three years next month! We have always bought a weekly subway pass, am I best still to do this or does Omny replace need for it?
Amazing city - sadly overrun with crime, violence, and homelessness like other American cities right now, all run by Democrats. Voters keep rewarding ideology and flowery rhetoric instead of competence. If they were to elect a Republican mayor the city would become safe, clean, and beautiful again as it was when Giuliani and Bloomberg were in office and people would be moving in rather than fleeing. Still worth visiting for sure… enjoy, but be safe… it’s not Tokyo or Seoul. ✌🏻
I practice all of these methods in NYC except the Omny payment method. I usually will add a 7-day unlimited travel to my card to be ok the safe side. I will try Omny next time
Adding a 7-day unlimited travel pass to your fare card is a smart thing to do (and yeah, you should be using OMNY rather than racking up fees on your credit or debit card.)
I'm from NE New Jersey, and another one that would apply in NYC (although admittedly becoming less common everywhere) is if one is in a supermarket and planning to pay by check, it's courteous to have the check already filled out, except for the total charges, before getting in line at the cash register. Doing so expedites the process so the following customers don't have to wait as long to check out.
My advice for tipping is. If you don't want to do it don't do it. You're not responsible for to pay wages that restaurant owners don't want to pay themselves.
Love your content...I had a cousin who's tourist visa ID card wasnt accepted in Laughlin or Las Vegas at certain establishments. They required a foreign passport, even though this form of ID had his Birthdate
When you wait on a long line, not only should you know what you want before you get to the counter, but also have your payment option ready so you don’t have to search your bag. Same for turnstiles, get your payment method out and ready before you block the turnstiles or stand to the side while you search
As a New Yorker i hate tipping but fellow New Yorkers keep you running smooth you keep them running smoother and also don’t stop and stand to take a pic a lot of people will run you over whether it’s you or your kids just get out of the way
As a fellow NYer, 💕🙏 Thank you for making this. SO ON POINT!! Listen up tourists..😄 Though most of these really just common courtesy and being a decent human being. My fav.. "If you are going to stand in line and ask the worker 50 questions with 30 hungry construction workers behind you..."🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 You are hilarious!
I've only got to see new york once and it was winter and only a day I want to go back love to know if there is app or something to tell best time to visit for festival or whatever
Makes me so mad! Gotta be alert because you may have the right of way as a pedestrian, but out of the blue, a bike could come whizzing by just inches from you (if you don’t get hit that is)! Sometimes it seems like they don’t even make an effort to swerve around you. It’s like you’re in THEIR way!
Good advice I am going to NYC in a month. The subway seems to be much better than when I went decades ago. In the US though the subway is seen as a mean of transportation for the poors.
Speaking about bike lanes in San Francisco, Sacramento, and New York City, motorists still respected bicyclists far better before the era of bike lanes than bicyclists' respect for pedestrians. I mean, bicyclists still run through red lights and cut through pedestrians in the middle of a crosswalk who are cross the street on a green light or a white crossing signal. No motorists ever disrespect bicyclists to that level so I remain very unsupportive of bicyclists until they all learn to respect pedestrians the same way they expect motorists to respect them on the road.
If i have a group of 4. Would it be better to get a preloaded omny card for each of us? I saw you have to wait a while on first use. I can use tap to pay but my kids cant.
Watch These Next- 50 Best FREE Things To Do in NYC: ua-cam.com/video/wUgd-SSCkXs/v-deo.html
What's NEW in NYC in 2024?: ua-cam.com/video/cwqlfp6PaUQ/v-deo.html&
I’m a big fan and I never been out side of Texas 🎉
Not just in NYC. It's amazing how many people will stop in the middle of a sidewalk or an aisle to look at their phone or whatever, when other people are trying to walk through that space. Also elevators and airport trams with people getting on who are blocking the path of the people getting off. Common sense and common courtesy do not exist in our society anymore.
Mad facts, this is like my biggest pet peeve I have with people, they know they shouldn’t be blocking the path for other people to walk through, but still do it anyways, respect doesn’t exist anymore nowadays
lol. Yep. They do that here in the middle of corn country Indiana at the Walmart.
Sydney looks like nyc
Tipping is frustrating even to us locals! lol the other day I accidentally under tipped because the server used one of those portable machines that automatically calculates tip but the MINIMUM was 20%! And then she’s standing there not giving me the privacy of calculating what I think is a fair tip, and I couldn’t figure out how to “customize” my tip on that stupid machine. So she got zero tip on the machine and just a $10 cash tip left at the table! 🤷🏽♀️ and I don’t feel bad at all, restaurants should use less aggressive tactics to try and squeeze exorbitant tips out of us. It’s time to stop this ridiculous tip culture; we pay enough money for our meals to allow owners to start properly paying servers themselves!
I know that feeling
Absolutely well said. Mandatory tipping is absurd. It just isn't a tip anymore then.
I didn't tip once in my week from UK 🇬🇧 it's a load of bollox 😂
Tipping is out of control in NYC. Some places start at 30% and onwards
@jsan9389 Well it’s not like it’s illegal not to tip BUT I would never go back to eat at a place I didn’t leave a tip lol
I am chuckling because all of this is just normal every day etiquette, anywhere in the world. But, this video is needed because people no longer think about others. Thank you,
Facts!
FACTS!
I like to walk right infront of people who stop in sidewalks taking photos, while covering my face and saying "no photos".
Yeah agreed it's just that NYC is so busy that these things become magnified even more.
Native New Yorker here. NY is a great pedestrian city with so much to offer! Always have “situational awareness”. Don’t flash expensive jewelry or a ton of cash. Just try to fit in. Walk with purpose. Use common sense. I agree with many of the tips in this video. Have fun and enjoy!
I went to college in the Bronx in the “bad old days” of the 1970s-what stories I could tell! But situational awareness is critical, don’t carry anything that screams “steal me,” and most of the times you’ll be fine. Just don’t do stupid, risky things, like taking the subway half drunk at 2am!
I would NEVER go to NYC or even NY State for any reason !!
I STILL love NY.
How do you pay for 2 people (parent and kid) with omny?
@@Lilih654 He mentioned in another video that you could use the same phone/card to swipe for up to 4 people, including you.
Barr: "I've almost been hit 2-3 times by a bike."
Amsterdam residents/tourists: "Those are rookie numbers."
😂😂😂😂😂
I was thinking that!! When I was in Amsterdam I texted my friend " I may not make it out of here alive" And I was hugging the walls of buildings- not in the bike paths!!!
I used to live in NYC and you are correct. People walking at a snails pace really bothered me as well as lack of subway etiquette. Tourists also think they can get away with bad behavior. I caught some throwing an empty bottle in the street, smashing it. I would love to fine these people.
I thought they were very past and everyone was in suits
A note on tipping: Don't tip workers from take out spots. If you go to a take out spot and order a slice of pizza or a bagel to go, don't feel obligated to tip them. Those types of staff make full wages, and the tipping is purely predatory with those stupid ipad screens. Tip where you normally would, sit down-full service restatraunts, delivery drivers, taxi/ubers, etc.... Those are all service jobs where the workers actually deserve it for the service they provide you. Handing you a chicken sandwich over a counter isn't tip-worthy. The only way to stop the tipping exploitation of America is to stop tipping where it's inappropriate. Don't worry about offending anyone in this city by choosing no tip. You will never see that person again and you will feel good knowing you didn't bend over to peer pressure.
Yeah, tipping is cancerous for my wallet.
Handing a chicken sandwich over a counter isn't tip worthy but walking like 15 meters with my food and drink is? Why do they need an extra (up to) 30% for that? Why am I paying someone extra for walking my food over to me?
Fkin buffet restaurants too, I've done all the work except walk to get my drinks (which is their job and what they're hired for) Why tf am I paying extra?
I don’t tip anyway .
Living in NYC for 26 years I can agree with all of this. The most important message to tourists is what used to be a commercial in the 1990s: "In New York City 'wait' is a four-letter-word." In America, a four letter word usually means it is something bad. And that is the #1 rule in our fast paced city: never make a New Yorker wait by standing in the way, walking too slowly etc. Also in the 1990s someone once suggested that we should have separate lanes on a sidewalk for tourists and locals. The suggestion got a lot of support here :)
JUST like Hawaii they give $150 Tickets for that. PEOPLE have to WORK but FAT people are worse in VEGAS narrow sidewalks.
The WORST pedestrians are people who drive all the time which tourists do.
Seems like the place sucks in general with all the influx of people from NYC to NJ. Most are not tourists but newyorkers.
It looks too scary
Hahaha love the idea of a tourist lane!!!!!
Your advice is bang on across the board.
Regarding the walking, absolutely do that as much as you can. Wandering NY streets is half the fun. So much to see and places to pop in to on your way if you have the time. Just don’t stare up all the time or block the sidewalk…
I will never, ever understand why anyone would go to a chain for food in Manhattan. If I had my way, chain restaurants would be banned in Manhattan 😊. NYC has incredible food because the competition among restaurants are ridiculously stiff so you might as well take advantage of it and enjoy the great food
The subways cover manhattan so well that when it is delayed, you can often walk to an alternate line or stop and still save time. As far as blocking subway doors, if you do that, dont be surprised when people knock you over trying to get off the train. Many wont hesitate th simply shove you out of the way so it is also a safety thing not just etiquette.
Living near São Paulo in Brazil, a lot of those unspoken rules are a no brainer for people who lives on metro areas, but maybe not for someone from smaller cities that life goes more slowly... but common sense and been aware of your surround is something that anyone can do
Hi Jon,
Thanks for the great video, mainly about manners and common sense. I think that we all can use a refresher that will make our lives easier.
Really appreciate your channel.
Best Wishes,
Peter
The weather being volatile is no joke. I was there juet a few days ago. During the weekend the weather was at almost the 60°s, to Tuesday’s snowstorm and the near freezing cold days aftermath 😂
I live in San Francisco and all these tips resonate with me as being relevant here, too. I think it would be wise to apply most of this advice universally when visiting any city.
I'm sick and tired of mandatory tipping. If a mandatory tip is required then damn well build it into the price and let ME decide if the service is worth a tip on top of what I already paid.
As a man who's almost 50, who's born, raised, and currently resides in NYC, all of these are spot on!
Here's one unwritten rule you didn't mention:
Never have your smartphone nor wallet, in your back pocket. Easy target for pickpockets!
Some of these rules apply to PHILLY also,lived there during the 90s-SOME. I now live in Central Texas,gun capitol of the us. LOL. Concealed and open carry are allowed,most folks chose concealed carry tho.
@@kerry-j4m Concealed carry doesn't scare the horses. Or the horses' asses.
@@careylymanjones No,but bullets shot down range do. LOL. This coming from a guy who did 4 tours to Iraq. LOL.
Very good! Same here in Atlanta!
My mother always asks me why I never put my wallet in my back pocket and this is exactly the reason, also it's just plain uncomfortable.
Great tips Jon...always helpful for me when I go to NYC
I live here and I got hit by one of those electric bird style scooters in bike lane. I got lucky and the injury wasn't serious, but it took 3 months to heal. Had I been a smaller person it could have been really bad. One thing that I want to emphasize is that in Manhattan specifically bikes are the number one way food/gorcery delivery happens. If your ordering Uber Eats, its probably a cyclist that will deliver it. This creates a bike culture where bikers will do whatever they can to reach their destination as fast as possible including ignoring traffic signs, entering pedestrian sidewalks when it is convenient. Its not enough to be aware of bike lane, but you should always check if anyone is coming on bike line even if there is a walk sign. This is especially true if the road is not particularly busy.
Yeah have had/seen some close calls too, I'm seeing a lot of guys pop up on the sidewalk to get around cars or red-lights. It's crazy that when I'm by an intersection or crossing the street I'm keeping more of an eye out for bikes than I am cars most of the time lol
THANK YOU FOR SHARING 🇺🇸
Perfect video, delivering on all levels. Appreciate the channel and the tips.
Yes, do NOT walk side by side if youre in a group... that bothers me soooo much. Somebody gotta make the decision to move or you WILL get some words you dont like lol
Jon as someone who has traveled to NYC four times I pretty much know the do's and don'ts. However, it's good to be aware of some the new do's and don'ts. I will be looking forward to my fifth visit to the Big Apple.
Just got back from NYC yesterday (I'm a native, but moved away). I was walking down 5th Ave towards The Met. An entire wall of tourists is walking the opposite direction not looking where they were going. I just stopped walking and stood there until one of them walked right into me. Then they had the nerve to give me the stink eye for being in their way. The moral of the story is WATCH WHERE YOU ARE GOING. There are 8 million other people in the city. There will be very few times you can just wander aimlessly.
Blocking passengers trying to get out of subway etc. cars is a worldwide thing. 😿
Screaming "MOVE!!!" works for me.
Really useful, I went last April and used loads of your tips. I think the only reason I stuck with a metro card was that I was a tourist and meant I didn't have to keep getting a payment card or phone out. I know they are secure but my card was scanned (even tho I only used it at the hotel and ride attraction) and only found out when I got home. So, using a metro card made me feel safer in a way.
get a lead wallet $20
Depending which is easier
Every time he posts it lifts up my mood 👍
Always on point HERE BE BARR; thanks!!!
Those rules on the Subway apply exactly the same on the Underground (Tube) in London. Stand on the right on escalators, stand to the side to let people off the trains, move to the doorway before your stop. Many tourists, including Americans, do not follow these rules.
Great advice, period. For ANYWHERE.
Between Action Kid, you and Sarah we do just fine every time we visit. Thanks
Who is Actionkid?
@@michaelchin3550 He's a UA-cam guy who takes us with him on narrated walks around different NYC neighborhoods, as well as other cities/countries. While he's live streaming, viewers can send him comments. Very entertaining, but sometimes watching in real time can be tiring.
Is ActionKid back in NYC?
@@Ajc606 He appears to be touring Asia right now. Is he living in NYC, Miami, or someplace else, I don't know.
@@charlesbaran1106 ok cool! I love that dude!
Thank you so much for these topics! You do a fantastic job!
Yeah! 200th LIKE!
This etiquette tips work everywhere in the world, thanks so much. Especially people standing on the bike lane after having a 20-minute chat at their table. I'm certain they will walk across to the metro station and block people getting out, miss the broadway stop and text their friends about it during the show. Hate them.
Lots of good TIPS John, thank you!
Really good information here. Cheers, Jon!
That's not what "Pre-Walking" is. "Pre-Walking" is when you know the exit you want is at the front, back, or middle of the train and you walk down the platform to the correct spot to be closest to the exit at your destination station.
As a local I appreciate the work you have done to educate future tourists 🙌🏽😂
Just got back from an awesome trip, went smoothly because of your videos. Only chain we ate at was Jollibee since we don’t have them back home.
Jollibee has incredible fried chicken so no issue there! I hope you liked it.
Gray's Papaya is a place you should visit regardless of whether you care about local vs chains. Right near the 72nd St station on the 1/2/3
Thanks. Very good points.
Great tips
Nice video, well thought out. Good advice. I love NYC and would love to live there if I was rich!
So glad I found your site with all your great info. We leave this weekend and I am still taking notes. 😊
These are tips for any city, plus basic people etiquette 😊
I'm a native New Yorker (also lived in Northern NJ for a while!) who now lives in AZ. All of this brings back a lot of memories, and I swear I remember posting a list just like this on some forum back in the day and getting a ton of pushback from people saying I was too uptight or whatever. But yeah, it's all just common courtesy and respect for others, really. Some people just don't understand that concept anymore and need it spelled out. Almost all the things you mentioned used to drive me crazy as a New Yorker when people didn't follow them.
From a decades long bartender / resident of NYC, Thank you. Also a sidenote to tourists and residents alike. the NYC ID card is not an acceptable ID for purchase of alcohol. It's ridiculous, I know, but it is what it is. Thanks again!
I am 61 and I still get carded. When I was in my 40s and part of the way through my 50s, it was "Don't even think about entering a pub if you left your ID at home." I expected to get carded. Here in MA, if you make a purchase at the neighborhood packie, you WILL get carded... and that includes my 94 year old mother.
Lived in MA for 9 years. Yeah they are brutal at the packie! lol
Jon looking forward to landing at JFK Monday and going from 31C ( 87F ) in Sydney to 6C max ( 42F )
Staying midtown, any suggestion for a first beer bar?
Rudys
Be LOOKING and Safe not AUS Mate..😁😁😁😁😁😁
Always so helpful
I grew up in NYC and everything he said was spot on!
Thank you Barr. You channel made me avoid most of these mistakes when I visited NYC the first time.
Wow! This was awesome insight! Cheers!
Muy bien video. Me ayudó a conocer más el país.
Just come back from New York, tipping culture wasn’t as bad as I thought. We generally tipped a dollar on a beer had no complaints.
goes well with tips on places here in England too
Hardly anyone tips in the UK
great video and right on point...a couple of added point...use google maps APP and/or MTA subway timing/stop APP for subway directions vs. walking around with a tourism subway map. Also, metro cards cost extra $$..thus omi, as you mentioned, is better and easier. thanks again.
I managed to avoid al these issues with my trip in Jan but on a Saturday evening the Subway was astonishingly crowded and I was trying to get in a car before the doors closed, was trying to squeeze past some people so I was not hogging the door area as so many were and some idiot behind me gave me a big shove so he could get in also. I moved forward a little and then shouted "don't f***ing push me I trying to get through" I looked behind me but everyone was minding their business. Really annoyed me.
trop cool
Thanks for the info. And I liked the Cafe Du Monde while waiting in line. lol
Very true. Very serious.
Nice video, man. Thanx for that. Same 'rules' apply here in Atlanta, Georgia with the trains and Savannah, Georgia with the bike lanes and walkways, small businesses and tips! L
One note about the Subway, where I live, Midtown West (from 9th and further West, in the 40s and 50s), you don't have access to a Subway line that runs there. So if you're all the way over by the Hudson River at like 50th street, it could be impossible to get to the Subway before you even get to where you're going, depending on where it is. Of course you can walk, but if you're at the river, it's up hill. If you're in good shape that's one thing, but for disabled folks it's important to note that this area of the west side is not serviced well by the Subway. Your options are pretty much the UWS (60s, 1/2/3 trains), Hudson Yards (30s, 7 train), or 8th avenue for the A/C/E. Or taking the bus, but those don't often run as reliably as they ought to. When you live a 20 minute walk from the nearest train, and your destination is a 10-20 minute walk from the station nearby it, you may as well walk the 30-40 minutes trip.
DONT LOOK AT THE INSANE GUY ON THE SUBWAY
Lol best advice right here😂
Don't film them either!
@@lucianac4388evidently you’ve never seen tweakszn
Hi Love you videos. They helped me a lot on my recent trip to New York. Absolutely loved it and used a lot of your tips and tricks. Did a lot of walking and saw a lot of the city. One thing I did was planning toilets as they are far and few. A suggestion is to redo public toilets such as Bryant park, Washing Park, Station Island and pier 7ferry terminals, central park , Grand Central station, Apple store if you are a tourist they don't question you, the Island and so on,. But is get a lot more difficult like in China town, when I walked from Flatbush to Brooklyn Bridge or when i walked from Battery Park to Times Square (thank goodness for Washing Park) Anyway just a suggestion Thanks for your help
Excellent advice as usual Jon. As an Aussie, the tipping process was difficult to navigate I initially, but I got the hang of it quickly. Totally agree about not having made up your mind about what you want before you get to the counter, that’s so annoying in any country. ❤❤
With tipping you missed one. Too often waiters include the tip/gratuity on the bill. As someone now living in NYC I always watch for this. I had a waiter ad the tip to a tab for 2 people and after taking my credit card they brought back the 2 CC slips to sign but conveniently took the itemized bill away. I wrote in the tip line "Gratuity was already included on final bill." So by trying to manipulate the paying process the waiter got less (18%) than the 20% he would have gotten from me anyways. He was hoping I wouldn't notice and would get a 38% tip.
Jon, 100% correct on the tipping, we tourists (I'm from Scotland and have visited NYC and the US loads) feel very strongly that the employers should pay their staff decent wages, not rely on tourists to do so. My personal big gripe is why does it have to be min 20%? Why on earth is 10% not suffice? On average for a 20 day US holiday, I factor in $250/day for breakfast, coffee's, lunch, snacks, dinner etc - so that's $5000 for 20 days . . add 20% on top of that on tipping, that's another $1000, completely insane. Factor in now the additional BS "Resort fee's" for NYC hotels, it's just too expensive to go to the US now (especially NYC) so I have a choice to go or don't go, I'm choosing not to go.
100% agree the employers should pay a living wage. min 20% is just not true. the standard was 10% years ago. Jon was just trying to promote bad business practice. since the price of the food kept going up, the tip also also went up even if the percentage stayed 10% and there is no need to increase the percentage. the reason for anything higher than 10% tip is greed and it's pure profit for the restaurant owner.
20% is an imported practice from the ex-Confederate zone (the US South). The restaurant owner is probably only keeping 2-5 cents per dollar you spend in profit, though, so it is a difficult and precarious business.@@ms9001
If you get a crappy waiter it telegraphs to the waiter they are in the wrong kind of work.If they were great do a little math in your head, not hard, and that is close to what a meal costs.
@@tedzehnder961 What on earth are you on about? A waiter is paid by his employer to do a job, like you are and I am, no way on earth should we have to pay a 20% tip for a waiter doing their job, their employer needs to pay them a proper wage.
@@ms9001 Unfortunately, that is NOT how the United States works. According to the United States Department of Labor"An employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay $2.13 per hour in direct wages if that amount combined with the tips received at least equals the federal minimum wage."
FYI John, Uber eats in the city changed the pay to 17.96/active hour.
so Uber is 17.96, and Door Dash is $29?
You are 100% correct.
So, about 25 years ago, I was in NYC because work sent me there. At one point I needed to get somewhere that was supposedly only a few blocks away, and I set out on foot, and... I dunno whether I screwed up or the directions I was given were wrong, but when I got so many blocks over and so many blocks up, I... wasn't where I was supposed to be. So, having no idea where I was or how to get to where I need to be, I hailed a taxi. I told the cabbie where I wanted to go, and he started shouting "Wrong way! Wrong way!" at me. At the time, I had no idea what his problem was, although he _did_ take me where I needed to go. It would be about another ten years before someone explained to me what the deal was.
Great video 💯 facts
Hi John, coming to the City for the third time in three years next month!
We have always bought a weekly subway pass, am I best still to do this or does Omny replace need for it?
OMNY has fare capping now. Just use the same device
I’m from Miami but spent many summers at my late aunt’s home in Washington Heights.
I learned a lot.
I still have my small collection of Metro cards that had ads on the back of them
You can even buy old subway tokens at vintage markets
I live in Korea and was just in Tokyo, great food. Your vids are great. My dream is to go NYC.
Amazing city - sadly overrun with crime, violence, and homelessness like other American cities right now, all run by Democrats. Voters keep rewarding ideology and flowery rhetoric instead of competence. If they were to elect a Republican mayor the city would become safe, clean, and beautiful again as it was when Giuliani and Bloomberg were in office and people would be moving in rather than fleeing. Still worth visiting for sure… enjoy, but be safe… it’s not Tokyo or Seoul. ✌🏻
2:00 Native NYers walk along the curb. The rest of the sidewalk is tourists.
9:30 MY BRO JUST CASUALLY DROPPIN A WHOLE AH BANGER
I practice all of these methods in NYC except the Omny payment method. I usually will add a 7-day unlimited travel to my card to be ok the safe side. I will try Omny next time
Adding a 7-day unlimited travel pass to your fare card is a smart thing to do (and yeah, you should be using OMNY rather than racking up fees on your credit or debit card.)
OMNY effectively becomes a 7-day unlimited pass after your 12th paid fare within a 7-day window.
Chicago is similar with the weather. East or west streets can be very windy when the wind is off of the lake.
Thanks for the wonderful video! Do you have idea about the passes? Is GoCity better or City Pass is better? I'm confused between the two.
I'm from NE New Jersey, and another one that would apply in NYC (although admittedly becoming less common everywhere) is if one is in a supermarket and planning to pay by check, it's courteous to have the check already filled out, except for the total charges, before getting in line at the cash register. Doing so expedites the process so the following customers don't have to wait as long to check out.
even better- try not to use paper checks in 2024. lol
My advice for tipping is. If you don't want to do it don't do it. You're not responsible for to pay wages that restaurant owners don't want to pay themselves.
Just don’t go back to eat in that restaurant again if you are smart.
Love your content...I had a cousin who's tourist visa ID card wasnt accepted in Laughlin or Las Vegas at certain establishments. They required a foreign passport, even though this form of ID had his Birthdate
When you wait on a long line, not only should you know what you want before you get to the counter, but also have your payment option ready so you don’t have to search your bag. Same for turnstiles, get your payment method out and ready before you block the turnstiles or stand to the side while you search
Thanks bro 😮
Could someone clarify pls. So I traveled to NYC last week and went to a couple bars and restaurants, and I got a 20% service charge what is that?
Born in Ft Greene Bklyn
This video is very good!!!
As a New Yorker i hate tipping but fellow New Yorkers keep you running smooth you keep them running smoother and also don’t stop and stand to take a pic a lot of people will run you over whether it’s you or your kids just get out of the way
Sad how 20 years ago some people didn't even need to be told these kinds of things no matter where they were from.
As a fellow NYer, 💕🙏 Thank you for making this. SO ON POINT!! Listen up tourists..😄 Though most of these really just common courtesy and being a decent human being. My fav.. "If you are going to stand in line and ask the worker 50 questions with 30 hungry construction workers behind you..."🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 You are hilarious!
I've only got to see new york once and it was winter and only a day I want to go back love to know if there is app or something to tell best time to visit for festival or whatever
May-Oct 👍
Aww. I have a Metro card from 2019 where i didn't use the full balance one it.
❤
Crazy City with lot of dirt and lot of rats!! I live in Rio de Janeiro, The best and The most beautiful City in The World!!
If you're a tourist and happen to be driving in Manhattan, or anywhere in the City, when the light turns green; that means GO!
And get hit by one of the lovely ppl who run red lights?
Always be aware of bikes. I see a lot of people on bikes ignoring pedestrians going across the crosswalks when it's their turn.
Makes me so mad! Gotta be alert because you may have the right of way as a pedestrian, but out of the blue, a bike could come whizzing by just inches from you (if you don’t get hit that is)! Sometimes it seems like they don’t even make an effort to swerve around you. It’s like you’re in THEIR way!
@@Butterfly-nx4tt yeah it just makes me dislike people on bikes in general.
Good advice I am going to NYC in a month. The subway seems to be much better than when I went decades ago. In the US though the subway is seen as a mean of transportation for the poors.
Speaking about bike lanes in San Francisco, Sacramento, and New York City, motorists still respected bicyclists far better before the era of bike lanes than bicyclists' respect for pedestrians. I mean, bicyclists still run through red lights and cut through pedestrians in the middle of a crosswalk who are cross the street on a green light or a white crossing signal. No motorists ever disrespect bicyclists to that level so I remain very unsupportive of bicyclists until they all learn to respect pedestrians the same way they expect motorists to respect them on the road.
If i have a group of 4. Would it be better to get a preloaded omny card for each of us? I saw you have to wait a while on first use. I can use tap to pay but my kids cant.