Watch New Yorkers negotiate crowded sidewalks with ease, and you may begin to have an appreciation for the unspoken laws that keep this great metropolis moving. Order in the midst of chaos doesn’t just occur, so we forgive you non-Gothamites for not understanding how to correctly move your bodies from point A to point B without invoking the ire of every angry Guido from Broadway to the Bronx. That said, we expect you to at least make an effort to not put this smooth-talking, fast-walking city to a grinding halt. Just keep these tips in mind.
Pedestrian traffic patterns in New York are divided into several lanes going in either direction. You would do well to follow them, and not try and fight the crowd. In busy parts of town, such as Midtown, the savvy walker will notice that there are five streams of traffic: one lane each way in the middle, a slightly slower lane next to buildings, a fast lane on the outside, and a super-fast lane of walkers near or actually in the street. Find the lane that suits you and follow the crowd at a steady pace. Don’t behave erratically, or try to dart ahead of people in your same lane. Most importantly, don’t make any sudden about-faces or abrupt stops; you are likely to cause a pedestrian pile-up. And don’t hustle on over to the fast lane, only to slow your pace. Go with the flow.
If you or your entourage need to stop for any reason, follow the rules of the road: Merge safely to the inside lane (next to a building), glance over your shoulder for fast-movers approaching from behind, and then stop. Don’t block paths of egress, don’t stop in the middle of the sidewalk to tie your shoe or check your map, and whatever you do, do not stop moving! This thriving metropolis of more than 8 million people are not going to be voluntarily late to the pressing engagements of their lives while you decide whether or not you’d like to pop into Starbucks for a latte.
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