Transit Strike

[Vicki Richter]

Having been in NYC twice in my life... the first time being put up in a crappy hotel in Queens Korea town, I was wondering how all of you felt about the transit strike going on. I would think this would make travel in NYC impossible. Isn't it causing crazy traffic jams? Are most of you guys in NYC still trying to get to work?

V

[Vicki Richter]

I'm still really curious about the whole NYC thing... What makes the city so great. I am not saying it isn't... but I just haven't been able to get it.

You get to pay huge sums of money to live in tiny little apartments. It is traffic congested, expensive to get around, and the transit people can strike and ruin your whole holiday season. Furthermore you have to rely on transit to go from point A to B for the most part.

People here have admitted the club life is kinda sucky and run down now. It's freezing cold in the winter. The beaches are cold water. And... there are a gajillion people all crammed in there together.

For me quality of life (outside of good friends/family) =

Great nightlife (clubbing experience)
Great food (NYC might have that one but I wouldn't know as Korea town only sold duck feet and chicken intestine and the diners seem a lot like Denny's)
Spacious living quarters
Minimal congestion
Nice or reasonably nice weather
New construction
Reasonable cost of living

I just don't see it.

Vicki

ps - Where do people goto the bathroom on New Years in Times Square?

[hung4real2002]

And where are you from?

[Vicki Richter]

West Coast... Cali/AZ

Keep in mind, I'm not critisizing you guys... I just want to understand what is so great about it. I mean there must be something good for millions to want to live there despite the issues.

[hung4real2002]

Great Night-{There's only a few places in the world that have a better nightlife than Nyc.}

Great Food-{We definitely have that, we also have shitty food, but that can be said for anyplace.}

Spacious Living-{I don't know if you talking about have a big place to live in or non-crowded neighborhoods but we have both of that. If you live in the bronx, brooklyn, queens or staten island then you can get that. If you live in manhattan good luck.}

Nice or reasonable weather-{We have that also, but we have extreme weather too when it gets too cold or too hot, but seeing that you live in cali, i'm sure you are use to the heat.}

New Construcstion-{You must be kidding me on this one, We also building something new over here, lol.}

Reasonable cost of living-{You got me on that one, you need to jobs and now how to hustler too live here.}

[JackHammer]

Vickie,

People in Buffalo, NY ...their city...go figure, 100's of inches a snow every year, bitter cold for a good deal of the year...short summers... the Bills...but they love it.

New York is expensive, and if you're not rich you will live in a cramped apartment...but it's where you call home, and all the things that go to make up your surroundings, your environment are pleasing to you, the person who lives there.

If you want to compare to places with wide open spaces, it's apples and oranges...I can see advatages to not having to bother with owning a vehicle (gas prices, theft, pollution...c'mon, Southern Cali? what do i think of...SMOG...yeah you have fantastic vistas over there, but you don't always get to enjoy them (because you can't always see them!) As for cold water beaches...damn, the Pacific is not exactly a heatred pool...but Cali folks love it...and so do visitors to the area (which I can't say the same for New York beaches).

I'm not a Noo Yawker, and I wouldn't live there...but I can see why many people would. Also remember, New York is not only the island of Manhattan...so there are regular Joe's that own and live in houses with ards and such.

I'm not buying that you're not crticising, because you are...just by saying you don't get it makes your views critical. Hey, we aren't supposed to "get" everything are we (mountain/rock climbing springs to mind for me...but there are those who find these activities downright spirtual.

Let it go, let it flow

Peace

[Vicki Richter]

I disagree on spacious living. This ties into cost of living... Anywhere in the world has spacious living if you have millions of dollars or bought when real estate was cheap.

How much does a 2000 sq/ft free standing home cost in the Bronx?

[hung4real2002]

It all depends. I'm not disagreeing with you that it's expensive to live in nyc, your right about that. Where you are living might be cheaper, I don't know, but saying you don't get living in nyc is a bit critial, don't you think?

what makes where you are living so much better?

[Quinn]

I'm still really curious about the whole NYC thing... What makes the city so great. I am not saying it isn't... but I just haven't been able to get it.

To answer your initial question, this strike really sucks. My associates and I all work on-line from our homes, so it isn't so bad for me personally. My wife, however, does work in mid-town. I had to get up at the crack of dawn to drive her to the MetroNorth train station. Frankly, I didn't think the union would actually go this far because of the financial and legal repercussions, but I was wrong. This could get interesting before it's over.

Regarding your second question, NYC definitely isn't for everyone. For many, its an acquired taste; others never grow to like it. Still, NYC is to this nation's most ambitious what Jerusalem is to the religious. With the exception of acting, this city is North America's Mecca for just about all of the arts. The city also has a great night life and college scene. If you like partying, I know a number of underground clubs that never close (though I haven't been able to go to any of them for almost two months do to my work schedule). For those strong enough to make it happen, they can do or be anything here in a way that they can't in most other cities.

-Quinn

[Vicki Richter]

It all depends. I'm not disagreeing with you that it's expensive to live in nyc, your right about that. Where you are living might be cheaper, I don't know, but saying you don't get living in nyc is a bit critial, don't you think?

what makes where you are living so much better?

Well lets see... The clubs are better in every possible way, the housing is bigger, cheaper, modern, and better -, the city is more "new" attractive (which means newer bigger more advanced theatres, malls, etc), it is much more convenient, traffic and commuting is much better, the weather is better (although that is arguable depending on whether you like hot or cold), the city is spread out which is bette.

NYC has food, character, and Broadway. I just can't agree with nightlife.

Not getting something isn't critisizing. It is just trying to understand it. For example, if you came back with an explaination that the people were nicer, it was more family oriented, etc... I could understand it better.