New York Tips and Tricks

[deznice]

Originally Posted by Incognito

NY has tons of cabs, so hailing one shouldn't be that difficult. Cabs have lights at the top. Middle (medallion #)-on duty, all lights-off duty, no lights-in use by customers/passengers. Make yourself known; just standing there looking displaced won't aid you - do the cliché arm signal. Cash only used to be the universal currency, but now they accept credit/debit cards (see more: NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission)


All cabs are yellow, don't be silly. If it isn't, it's a private car and it isn't yours.


Treat it as you would when paying for a restaurant meal, 20% minimum is considered typical. Giving more is an entirely circumstantial (and personal) decision. If you're rattling on to the driver about the same shit every other passenger does, it's nice to give a little extra for them putting up with you. If you ask the driver to wait (which they do not have to, by law; the meter runs slower when the car is idle than running so if they were waiting for every passenger, they would be losing money ultimately), compensate them for it.



I am staying for four days, so I am getting a 7-day unlimited metro card for $25. NY has a huge subway system that connects to almost everything (except LaGuardia, bah!), so you would be making worth your while. It applies to buses as well obviously. EZPass is entirely separate and used for tolls.

I lived in NY for a long time. Not going to say fuck the tip, But I usually only gave a dollar or 2, unless he was awesome, or sucked. which is prolly eqal to 20% if I think about it..


Laguardia, heres a good tipo. Take The bus to 125th station where you can cath the 4-5--6 downtown (only do this during the day if you're a girl) $3.00 gets you too grand central or wherever :-)

[deznice]

Originally Posted by TheInfamousBiGD

There are also Lincoln town cars which is a little more classier. They do not run with the meter letting you know how much your rate is up to though.

if approached by a lincoln town car, you can always haggle the price. Late at night may be worth it b/c sometimes catching a cab is tough!

[deznice]

Originally Posted by picard102

I hear there are some places in NY to get clothes on the cheep? I'm looking to buy some nice but not $100 dressy shirts. Where in NY will I best be able to find cheep apparel, I don't ming if it's made with slave labour either.

Chinatown, seriously....

[Lanfear]

Originally Posted by picard102

I hear there are some places in NY to get clothes on the cheep? I'm looking to buy some nice but not $100 dressy shirts. Where in NY will I best be able to find cheep apparel, I don't ming if it's made with slave labour either.

One of the discount designer shops might be worth checking out:
Loehmann's (c) 2010

Filene’s Basement – Where Bargains Were Born

[Dee]

I usually tip 15% in a cab, which is pretty standard. Unless I'm expensing it, and then 20% all the way, dude

As everyone else is saying, fuck the Empire State Building (though to be fair, I've never been). Walk the Brooklyn Bridge instead, but from Brooklyn. This way you get to walk towards Manhattan instead of away. Walking from Manhattan to Brooklyn puts all the great views behind you.

Take the 2/3 to Clark St (first stop in Brooklyn) or the R to Court St. Walk West until you get to the Brooklyn Promenade. AWESOME views of lower Manhattan. Then walk Northeast until you get to the Brooklyn Bridge, and walk across it. Give yourself two hours for this, especially if you dawdle.
Map of the Brooklyn side: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...yndowntown.PDF

Go to the MoMA, go to Central Park, etc etc. All of the stuff is in Midtown this year, so make sure to hang out in the village during the day. Union Square is cool to walk around too.

Picard, where do you shop that you spend more than $100 on dress shirts? Doesn't H&M have dress shirts? UNIQLO?

[deznice]

Originally Posted by Dee

I usually tip 15% in a cab, which is pretty standard. Unless I'm expensing it, and then 20% all the way, dude

As everyone else is saying, fuck the Empire State Building (though to be fair, I've never been). Walk the Brooklyn Bridge instead, but from Brooklyn. This way you get to walk towards Manhattan instead of away. Walking from Manhattan to Brooklyn puts all the great views behind you.

Take the 2/3 to Clark St (first stop in Brooklyn) or the R to Court St. Walk West until you get to the Brooklyn Promenade. AWESOME views of lower Manhattan. Then walk Northeast until you get to the Brooklyn Bridge, and walk across it. Give yourself two hours for this, especially if you dawdle.
Map of the Brooklyn side: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=h...yndowntown.PDF

Go to the MoMA, go to Central Park, etc etc. All of the stuff is in Midtown this year, so make sure to hang out in the village during the day. Union Square is cool to walk around too.

Picard, where do you shop that you spend more than $100 on dress shirts? Doesn't H&M have dress shirts? UNIQLO?

Thinking about it too, Century 21 is a great spot for deals on clothes..... Down by ground Zero if you're making the trip. Just don't steal from their, you will be tackled to the ground by 4 surly men and arrested...seriously

[shoogbear63]

I know it's lame, but if you've got $30 bucks and about an hour and a half to spare, take the double decker bus tour. I ended up doing it only because there wasn't a shit ton to do on crutches, but after I was done, I ended up knowing my way around for the most part and had some insight into the different parts of the town. I was really thinking that it'd be boring and suck, and it didn't. I suggest doing it early in your visit, that way you'll have your bearings for the rest of the trip.

[missfadu]

Originally Posted by picard102

I hear there are some places in NY to get clothes on the cheep? I'm looking to buy some nice but not $100 dressy shirts. Where in NY will I best be able to find cheep apparel, I don't ming if it's made with slave labour either.

Go to Uniqlo...super cheap modern clothes:-) Plus there are tons of H&Ms in that area too.

uniqlo.com
546 Broadway, New York, 10012

[missfadu]

ONLY CATCH THE YELLOW CABS...just wave your hands out to get their attention.

DO NO EVER catch one of those black cabs if you don't know what you are doing. They will try and TAKE YOUR BAGS TO THEIR CARS at the airport before you can get to the taxi stand. Or sometimes they will try solicit you while you are IN THE TAXI STAND LINE!

They can be useful for the locals as their meters are not regulated, my hubby gets good deals using them but he's a jack-ass who can spot an ass raping from a mile away.

[gumby013]

Originally Posted by missfadu

ONLY CATCH THE YELLOW CABS...just wave your hands out to get their attention.

DO NO EVER catch one of those black cabs if you don't know what you are doing. They will try and TAKE YOUR BAGS TO THEIR CARS at the airport before you can get to the taxi stand. Or sometimes they will try solicit you while you are IN THE TAXI STAND LINE!

They can be useful for the locals as their meters are not regulated, my hubby gets good deals using them but he's a jack-ass who can spot an ass raping from a mile away.

Yeah, never take the black cabs from the airport. Last time I flew home into JFK they tried to get me out of the yellow cab line. Wanted $120 to bring me to Flushing..... The yellow cab was $21 including tip.