@@Vehicles-And-Stuffthat is state, not city. All highways in NYC are 50 mph - even the LIE. As soon as you hit the Queens border there is a 50 mph sign.
That was always the plan. ~Upstate NYer with 0 desire to visit the city and barely likes driving on country roads let alone in cities. I had to drive in Boston (technically Cambridge but the distinction is like pretending Yonkers isn't basically NYC) for work before and of course my timing aligned perfectly with leaving in rush hour traffic, i have never been more amazed at the power of "traffic snakes" to halt traffic fully outside the city leaving the city before.
Plus 5 points here. The only time it makes sense to drive into NYC is if you have a car full of people and you are just going to park in one place for the whole time. A round trip on the subway/Path is $5.50 - the toll inbound alone is $16. Driving will save you no time, and finding (legal) spots to park your car will take longer still and will force you to walk at least a few blocks anyway. If you really have money to burn and you’re trying to get crosstown you can uber once you’re in the city.
If you live in Eastern Queens you essentially have to drive. When I lived in Bayside I would use LIRR if I needed to get into the city. I’d take the bus if I was going somewhere not too far. Other than that, I essentially had to drive. My commute to work was 15 minutes by car. With public transit it would take over an hour riding on either two busses or on LIRR and then the bus. Mind you I only lived 10 miles away from my job.
@@DarrienGlasser I try to take the train into the city whenever I go, but unfortunately living on Long Island, to go literally anywhere else I have to go through the city. Even avoiding Manhattan by taking the Throgs Neck or Verazanno bridges are still a nightmare.
I think an essential driving skill you learn from driving in NY is to not have road rage from inconsiderate drivers. There are way too many inconsiderate and dangerous drivers to be angry, and you just have to accept it and drive defensively
Yeah, its so funny how flustered people from out of state get over the smallest things. NYC actually makes for sharper better drivers. And they won't flip out over some trivial person cutting them off.
Good point. A lot of that could be said for any major city, I think. I've been to 42 states and 4 provinces and "crazies" are everywhere. You just have to learn to keep with whatever the flow is and not to let anything get to you; Keep Calm - Carry On kinda applies out there.
I am from NJ and frequently in the city. What you believe to be inconsiderate drivers are really not to those of us who understand what is happening. Actually in a strange sort of way I find in many areas they are actually more courteous, for instance you will rarely see an issue at a merge point and there are many of them, a virtually all of us simply alternate merge (i.e. every other car) my most memorable of that is a situation where a 5 lane highway had to merge into a single lane because of an accident, because we all merged we never stopped moving, slow yes but never stoppen. also the freeway speed limit is 50 mph not 55. Another local Civil highway engineer.
@@dmac6004 my idea of inconsiderate drivers are the BMW/Civic drivers who swerve in and out of lanes in between cars at the tightest spots, typically going 35+mph more than the current flow of traffic. It's frankly ridiculous that people drive like this, risking countless lives and innocent families. But you could either be pissed all day every day you drive down a NY highway/parkway, or you can accept it, be aware of your surroundings, drive defensively, and get out of their way
Very valid point and a friendly reminder. Being on the road is a mix of different drivers and levels of driving. I've been patiently told by a friend that road rage isn't worth it and it's true. Just avoid those drivers
Props for driving in NYC and getting footage of the entire city! Your rules are for the most part, spot on. The no left turn rule usually applies in the daytime; there's too many people walking on the street. Most highways are 50mph, or in the case of FDR Drive, 40mph. Double parking is illegal (except for street cleaning), but rarely enforced. One big rule for driving in NYC: *You can't drive scared.* You'll cause a lot more problems if you're driving like you're afraid of an accident. I was born and raised in NYC, and I learned to drive in Manhattan of all places. Talk about trial by fire.
@@JakeSDN Many times people will get ticketed for double parking, but it's neccesary for people to make deliveries and pickups. I do work for a trucking company which services the NYC area, and it's amazing how many times there's just no place to park a box truck. The only way to do the job would be to double park and many time we've gotten ticketed.
The no-right-on-red protects pedestrians, and gives them a fighting chance of getting across the street. The left-turn restrictions greatly help traffic flow, and also protect pedestrians. There’s a whole art and science to driving, walking, or biking in Manhattan.
Correction: Double Parking is ALWAYS illegal, even during street cleaning. The traffic agents just let it fly since they know theres no parking elsewhere and you've moved from the spot that needs to be cleaned.. BUT you can still risk a ticket for it, plus this only happens in certain areas.
My added tips- -Be assertive. Locals know if they hesitate they won't get anywhere, so it's basically a free for all. -Enter Manhattan before 9am on Sunday and you can park on the street in many areas that don't allow parking during the week, plus locals with cars are most likely away for the weekend and won't be coming home for a few more hours. You can park a few blocks away from Times Square and other major tourist spots for free. Check the signs, most commercial and no parking zones will say "Except Sunday", and you can stay in that spot all day. Spots start filling quick by 10-11am. Extra bonus is that traffic in Manhattan is light Sunday mornings. -Small cars can fit in to the limited spots. I always drive my VW GTI and leave the truck at home.
One you missed is short yellows. In fact, you blow through a red light at 6:20. Traffic lights in NYC are set up to go from green to red with the yellow lasting only about 1 second. When I lived in Queens, but worked in Long Island, I had to keep aware of the difference between the 5-10 second yellow lights out there and the short yellows in NYC. Useful tip: Use the ubiquitous, lighted Walk/Don't Walk signs as a heads-up for when the traffic light will change. They'll flash red for about 10 seconds or so before a light change. Learn about The Better Car Rule: Whoever has the better car is the one who has to be careful. This does not apply to taxis/car services, who don't give a crap either way. As a lifelong New Yorker, the best advice I can give is this: In any given situation, try to imagine the most stupid, most obnoxious, most oblivious, most selfish, most idiotic thing someone can do and mentally prepare yourself for it. A lot of times you will not be disappointed.
I've only been ticketed for speeding on woodhaven, never for going through a red light. New york city is designed for driving through red lights (just as they are turning red). You'll often see multiple cars go through an intersection after it turns red. As long as they are not interrupting the flow of the adjacent intersection, its fair game, and you'll see traffic cops don't give a damn if you go through the light just as it turns red. Imagine coming from florida where a camera ticket is like minimum $171 or $250, and here its just a measly $50
@@RyanLeague It's not that simple. The reason the fine is so low is because with the cameras, they don't know who's driving the car. So the owner of the car gets the $50 fine, not the driver, so no points. I know because I was caught by a speed camera I didn't know about on Queens Boulevard, right where you come out of the tunnel under the LIE (I was wondering why everyone was driving so slow. Now I know). However, if someone gets pulled over by the cops for running a red light in NYC, the fine to the driver could be somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. If you get a second one within 18 months, then on top of the fine, you have to pay a "driver responsibility assessment" of at least $300 over the course of 3 years. Instead of "Excelsior" the state motto should be "Hand over your wallet".
Bravo! You nailed it. You can understand that as a trucker, I declined trips into or out of Manhattan. Here's how to circumnavigate the parking problem as a visitor. Stay at the La Quinta in Secaucus, NJ. It's a nice hotel with free parking. Across the street is a bus stop that will take you to Penn Station in 15 minutes.
I have visited Manhattan four times as tourist but have only slept there once. Motels in New Jersey are a fraction of the price and, as you wrote, the bus or train ride into Manhattan is less than twenty minutes.
EVERY SINGLE THING you mentioned is completely and totally accurate. The coming outside to breathe - toll is hilarious😂😂😂. As a native NYer I wholeheartedly endorse this content!!!!!!!!!!!
Mileage Mike, I totally agree with what you are saying here. I presently live in Las Vegas, NV but I am from Cold Spring, NY (10 miles up NY 9D from Bear Mountain Bridge were you once traveled) and visit often. I have driven through all of the boroughs of New York City as recently as 2019. Every one of your 10 rules are SPOT ON! Thank you for this video!
I love that your comments reflect a holistic understanding of transportation and not just "New York has so many SILLY rules and BAD drivers." I also your "when in Rome" attitude in regards to regional driving behaviors
As a former New Yorker I can say you did an excellent job of explaining driving in NYC, what one can and cannot do. But like any New Yorker, you do what you gotta do (and can get away with) driving the mean streets of NY. Really good job with this video.
As people have said, avoid the Cross Bronx Expressway. But I had to drive in the city one day in the middle of Covid, and my phone recommended taking it. It was like one of those zombie movies. It was near empty. One of the most surreal experiences of ever had driving.
The no turn on red law is actually pretty well followed in my experience. It's a pedestrian safety thing cuz they're in the crosswalk but driver is looking other way for oncoming traffic if they're trying to make a right on red.
Spot on. Only times I’ve seen anyone turn right on red are: 1) ones who run red lights all the time and don’t care. 2) Careless tourists with a rental car or has a plate that’s not NY, CT, PA or NJ
He did mention it needing better signage for outsiders like myself who are used to the norm being right on red. The irritating thing with right on red is its not inherently unsafe because you are SUPPOSED to come to a complete stop as if its a stopsign before proceeding to enter the intersection. And normally it is only forbidden in locations where it is particularly unsafe like a complicated intersection or an intersection with terrible visibility. But based on these clips, NYC definitely needs the blanket ban on right on red turning. (Just make it obvious for people used to obeying the traffic rules where right on red is normally fine.)
@@jasonreed7522 agreed. I mean NYC does put those signs telling the no turn on red rule and citywide speed limit at the city’s entry points and airport exits. But those signs really are not big and obvious enough for many visitors. The city definitely needs to do better with these signs. And when it comes to safety, What’s safe for drivers aren’t necessarily safe for other road users like cyclists and pedestrians.
The problem he mentioned was that there is often no indicator. Leave NYC and any intersection where right turning on red is illegal, there's a sign for that.
I live in a suburban area and I hate turning right on red at massive stroad intersections, because I have trouble telling what lane people are driving in...I usually only make the turn once all lanes are clear (if it happens before the light turns green) 😅
My goodness, as a born and bred New Yorker, now residing in Florida, I'd say you handled that quite well! I cut my driving teeth in NYC, and one of my last jobs in NY was as a courier. My route was from Manhattan to Montauk on any given day, traveling the world's longest parking lot and other congested roads, suchas the Northern and Southern State Parkways, as well as Jericho Tpke and 25A, Sunrise Highway, or The Conduit as it is called west of Valley Stream. Yes, we call all the roadways by name, and I do think it is because of the reason you referenced. Here in FL, many of the roadways have dual indicators as well, although there are only four major interstates. Bravo to you for being able to navigate NY roadways, and come away with your sanity intact!
A friend of mine in NYC owns a large condo unit that came with two parking spots. He has since bought two more parking spots in the building. He has 1 car and rents the other 3 spots out at what I consider outrageous monthly fees. I live in LA and even by LA standards his prices are high. He said he has no problems finding customers.
As a NYC native who started out driving in Manhattan and The Bronx, I really feel like I'm at an advantage when it comes to defensive driving and being aware of my surroundings than people in every other state. Also on basically every parkway with winding roads in Westchester and LI everybody is speeding 20+ over the limit. I routinely find myself going 75 on the Saw Mill Parkway and there's still people weaving around me. Driving here I think makes everyone a better driver not necessarily smarter but better.
@@JakeSDN the Sprain is probably one of the fastest Westchester highways at night it never has cops so people go 90+. The Bronx river Parkway is also fun to speed down at night, especially if you go down it enough to know every turn
You left out the most important rule - don't drive in NYC if you don't have to. Take the subway. Another rule, you must yield to pedestrians when making a right or left turn on a green light. They have the right of way. You also have to keep a close eye out for bikers. They are everywhere and don't obey the traffic laws. This is especially true for carry-out bike drivers. I don't find the BQE to be too bad. I usually hit it when the heavy traffic is opposing me. I always take the lower deck when crossing the Verrazano Bridge. The lanes are wider and you don't have to put up with trucks. If you are taking the Verrazano from NY to NJ and hitting the Jersey Turnpike, be sure to use the right most lane at the toll plaza. The entrance to NJT is immediately after the toll plaza and it is hell to get over if you are anywhere but the furthest right hand lane. If you do park on the street, be sure to check out the signs for street cleaning. The ticket witches will write you up if you are parked on the street when it is scheduled for cleaning.
Lived in or near Philly most of my life but moved to North jersey 10-12 years ago and have to drive through NYC often for my job. He is not exaggerating. This is 100% accurate!
I grew up in the Midwest and have lived in the Orlando metro for 25 years now, which at times can have truly awful traffic. I’ve also driven right through downtown areas of huge cities like Chicago and L.A. myself. But NYC is one place I’ve really had NO desire to drive through. I’m sure I’d survive, and I’m very used to driving in many many big cities. But while I’m a very experienced and defensive driver, I’m also a big stickler for the rules. Every day I get frustrated by people not using turn signals, speeding, not leaving safe distances, not maintaining their cars, tailgating, passing in no passing zones, not knowing how to use roundabouts, etc. So although I’ve been to NYC a handful of times, driving there would absolutely make my head explode. I’ve gotten stressed out and it’s felt like a roller coaster just taking cabs there. Wow. Thankfully NYC has some pretty good public transit.
It's true about the drivers in NYC don't follow rules. The lane lines are really suggestion and any open spot of pavement is fair game. However I will say one redeeming thing is NYC drivers are "predictably" aggresive, which paradoxically may be safer cuz you know how other drivers are going to act ...
Orlando - I’m in Jacksonville. Seems to me they drive about the same, [ just as aggressive], but with no regard as to speed. Florida drivers seem to have no concept of “speed-limit “. Interstate 4 has been, for many years, THE most dangerous stretch of highway in the US, but seems they’ve done a fantastic job on it - at least through the Orlando area. 🚗🙂
@@jeffking4176 I agree with that about I-4. The stretch through Orlando (thankfully about 98% complete except for the extreme north side by Sanford) is absolutely worlds better and pretty nice now. But that stretch from just south of Disney all the way to Tampa? Holy crap is it horrendous. No matter the time of year or day. Not just traffic, but the road itself, constantly being worked on, lanes shifting and mismarked, stretches like coarse grit sandpaper, etc. I’m up in Jacksonville just once a year, and have run into traffic there too on the freeways. But I get more confused by some of the non-freeway roads downtown. We may not have snow and freezing weather here, but the heat can do a number on our roads. And even more so, the explosive growth and number of people. I’ve heard that stat on I-4 though, and mile per mile, I believe it.
Your 11th tip should definitely have addressed the subject of the bicycle lanes… Which carry not only bicycles, but scooters motorized skateboards, E bikes, etc. Both pedestrians and drivers are woefully unaware of just how much bicycle lane traffic there actually is in the city and how potentially dangerous being oblivious to them could be.
Agreed. Need to really watch approaches to intersections, turns etc. A lot more scotters/e-bikes now, some pay no attention to traffic lights. Also, some bikeways are in between parallel parking and sidewalks, watch before turning and crossing! Also summer time in the Express/Parkways with motorcycles skirting in between lanes, specially if changing lanes. Also changing lanes, you really need to keep track of what is around you. Good video, thanks you.
Agreed! The main Bike Rule I'd have is to always expect for there to be a bike or pedestrian in your blind spot, and then move over or turn once you've confirmed there isn't.
Yeah because american drivers aren ttaught to look in their right mirror before turning right lmao. When that's an automatic fail in the UK (not looking at mirrors before making a turn)
One note I would add after working there for ten years is that you should have your tires checked. Anytime you pull over into a parking spot you are vulnerable to picking up a nail, a spike or other sharp object as the areas near curbs tend to gather lots of debris.
… and keep your gas tank full by filling up before you arrive into the city. The outer boroughs are a little better but you definitely don’t want to be in Manhattan and have your tank on E and be subject to the far and few between gas stations on the island as well practically double the price of the national average.
To hell with debris, there’s severe wear on plentiful stretches of pavement to where a flat or blowout may happen out of nowhere. Even moreso if one has a car with low profile tires… Scratching the surface, that city would rather better maintain their 25 mph streets than their 40-50 mph highways. The ramp between NB I-95 east of Henry Hudson/GWB to southbound Harlem River Drive (just about FDR) and the Battery Park Underpass northbound right as it turns into West Street we’re some extraordinarily ROUGH stretches even to Southern Michigan & worst case scenario Oklahoma standards… and typically said states are as rough as things possibly get.
Some places like Staten Island in winter you can get your tires punctured because someone thinks you took 'their spot' when it really is public parking.
As a new york native... I can agree. All of these are very well thought of. You will develop a new york attitude driving through. You will learn very quickly, when driving in NYC, it's easier to drive at night its the literal best time. When in traffic... you give an inch they'll take a mile, learn the free crossings.. You'll lose 30 to an hour depending on traffic and time of day but it'll keep you from racking up toll costs. Finally. Read those parking signs, get apps etc.. or else you'll get hit upside your head with a ticket or three.. maybe even booted or towed.
Great video! Brings me back to my recent trip to NYC in January when I drove my car and parked it in Midtown. As others have said these could be some other "rules": 1. Alternate Side Parking Rules in Manhattan. Almost all streets will have twice weekly street cleaning schedule in which you need to move your car. Most people simply sit in their car and double park the other side when the sweeper comes through. 2. Fire Hydrants. Any parking space you must be 15 feet from the hydrant. Not 14 foot 12. 15. YOU WILL GET A TICKET. These are not physically signed or marked as "no parking" zones you just have to know this. 3. Checking curbs for nails. I had a taxi driver tell me while I was there you should always check the curb before you stop or park for nails which can puncture your tire. Sometimes people just leave them there to purposely puncture your tire - or worse will do it while you're parked. So much for the twice weekly "street sweeping." Overall, being aggressive and not afraid to assert yourself is key in New York. If you don't like cutting into traffic and weaving lanes constantly with inches to spare catch the train. For the rest of us it's an experience.
i live in nyc and drive all the time, and he’s spot on in this video, especially rule #5. i had some friends visit out of state and said that my driving habits would get me road raged where they lived. They were also shocked that it took 40 minutes to go 2 miles 😂 To drive in NYC you need to be an aggressive AND a DEFENSIVE driver. like my foot is honestly hovering my brake most of the time and i also developed supernatural instincts on when a car is about to do some stupid shit
YUP. Driving in the city is ALL defensive driving ALL the time. The starting and stopping constantly i'm sure would drive folks from rural areas a little insane. Before I drove here I did bike messenger work in the city so the defensive driving came natural because my mind was already conditioned for it
Most driving rules in other parts of the US don't apply to NYC. Hell, most of the other drivers will go crazy because there's no right turn on red (unless a sign says it's ok). I've seen thousands of dashcam videos and the comments are crazy; they hate left lane drivers with a passion. They won't survive in NYC because every square inch counts. We're pretty aggressive, but there's a method to the madness. Also, it's not personal, we've got places to be. 🙂Respect. ✊
To drive in the city you need to know how to avoid those two miles forty minute situations. You need to know when to go, and how to go. And if you can't avoid those ugly situations - take the subway, walk or don't go. NYC is a walkers city.
I have a Dutch driving license for 40 years, as I live in the Netherlands. But in September 2011 i drove in NYC, also Manhattan. Without any problems. And I enjoyed it. If you think NYC is bad, look at the traffic in the Peruvian capital Lima. I drove there as well and that was really funny. And a great experience!
Good job Mike. You’ve learned a great deal in a short period. Driving in midtown requires continuous awareness, and a high level of aggression, just to keep up.
As a native New Yorker, most of these are pretty accurate. Before I totally left the area I owned a store in Manhattan and would drive in every day from Long Island, using the Belt Parkway/Van Wyck/BQE to the Manhattan or Williamsburg bridge. Some days it really would take me about 2 hours one way to drive those 14 miles, but like anything else, with experience you do learn the little tricks that help you find parking and avoid traffic (mostly). But, I do have a saved screenshot of Waze showing me being stuck in a 50 minute delay to get off an off-ramp from the Belt Parkway. 50 minutes to go 1.4 miles. No particular reason. No accident or anything. Just traffic. Also, those double parked cars are definitely illegal, but since there really is no other place to stop for short periods, cops will usually overlook it unless you're *really* blocking traffic. If nobody can get by, you'll get a ticket. Otherwise, they'll usually ignore it because what else are you gonna do if you need to make a delivery or pick somebody up? Give up and go home?
This is why you don’t drive in to NYC. Get the train instead we have a lot of them (this biggest subway system in the USA) and they go most places in the city for only $2.75 and it works Most of the time and is Easy to navigate ther is also the Long Island Rail Road and metro north for Long Island and west Chester and upstate. And Amtrak and NJ transit
Yup. Especially for CT/Hudson River Valley most of the Metro North stations has 'park n ride' spots with train service to/from Manhattan usually from about 5am-1am 7 days a week.
Lifelong NYC resident. Your video is mostly spot on (except for the speed limit error others have pointed out). You can't relax when you drive in New York City. Every example of bad driving you have ever experienced in your life you will encounter every day in New York City. I will add a couple more warnings to your list. Beware of buses. Whether they are pulling out of bus stops or changing lanes, they will do it regardless of traffic. If you are next to them in traffic you will have to change lanes. The bus drivers don't care that they are about to drive over your car. Second, look out for license plate numbers that begin with a capital "T." They are taxis and they are atrocious drivers. Same applies to yellow cabs. If you see them, prepare for the worst. It's inevitable.
True. Bus drivers know they are in a huge vehicle that doesn’t even belong to them. If they crash, oh well. You in the little car is the one who will get hurt and your car is the one that will be damaged. Those T plate Uber drivers are some of the worst drivers I have ever seen. Most are incredibly impatient because they drive all day and are paid by how many trips they take. And they will make crazy turns and stop in the middle of the road to wait for passengers, giving no fucks to the cars they are blocking. You also have to be aware of delivery drivers on e-bikes. Those fuckers give no fucks about their lives and will run every red light without looking, speeding through pedestrians, merging right in front of you with no warning, etc. People on Citibikes aren’t much better. Again, they give no fucks to traffic signals and will run in front of your moving car when you have green light just because they know you are the one in trouble if you hit them. They don’t even bother to look at your direction because fuck you what are you gonna do? Hit them?
The same applies to the area of New Jersey directly across the river from the city. The only difference is that we'd call parkways that pre-date the Interstate system as "Routes" so it's Route 4 and Route 17.
Yep to all observations! I have some fine funny memories of learning the not-so-gentle art of aggressively defensive NYC driving. The only change I would suggest would be to escalate your brief mention of watching out for pedestrians to a whole rule on its own - NYC folks are some of the boldest jaywalkers I've ever experienced, outdone only by Bostonians. Which prompts me to recommend you do a similar video on driving around Boston. I went to college there and I swear all the stories about crazy Boston drivers are true - and don't even get me started about Boston's insanely laid out streets and highways!
Instead of topping up your EZ-Pass beforehand, you can also configure it to automatically to top up when it gets below a specific amount. Mine was actually configured that way from the start, and the threshold amount is automatically re-calculated every month based on your usage. Also, since I live in New Jersey, when I drive into the City, I take the Lincoln Tunnel, park at Port Authority Bus Terminal, and use the Subway and busses to get around.
My parents took my sister and I to NYC in 2015, and we stayed at an Airbnb on the Upper East Side. We came in through the GW bridge from New Jersey and strangely enough I think it was my mom at the wheel the whole time (she absolutely despises driving in big cities, even Toronto is too much for her), and even more strangely (in my mind after watching this video), there actually were open parking spaces on the streets
I always told people to have a fast foot on the accelerator and fast foot on the break. For the most part, 'streets' in Manhatten alternate on oneway direction. I laughed that you cited the BQE. I did that once and couldn't believe all the merging that was there. Never thought to do it again. I enjoy your videos.
I know i am late but i will be driving a rental from there to out of this city towards DC. Are there any unconventional traffic laws that i should know about?
As someone that was there for the Knicks game earlier last week, I can confirm almost everything mentioned here. However, traveling New England has an advantage of never really encountering a toll road when you plan to avoid it (Google maps “avoid tolls” filter). I was able to go to MSG and back to Boston with no tolls. As for aggressive drivers, I never had an issue. You just gotta always be moving, sitting too long on a green will make them assume you don’t know what you’re doing and they’ll pass you. The to turn left is to turn right is also nicknamed the “Michigan left” I always got lucky with the parking on my end, it’s great. My tip to add to the list is to try and drive a tiny vehicle in the city. A Corolla or Yaris will do wonders in the city. No wonder they’re popular in Europe.
Bravo, for an out-of-towner, you nailed it. It's dog eat dog here. I was driving a delivery truck, sometimes an 18 wheeler, from age 15- without a license. I learned to just hit them- they get the message. Driving in NYC was good prep for driving in Marrakesh, Naples, India, and other lawless places, tho things are much calmer now than when I was young when, truly, back then: anything goes. We used to drive on the sidewalk, against a one-way street, and back up the entire block. You had to work to get a ticket in NY. The 25mph speed limit is a money making hoax. The speed limit was 30mph for decades until they checked the city budget. There are speed cameras everywhere in Manhattan, plus cameras for red lights. Luckily, these tickets are not the normal kind, have no points, and only cost $50 after they send you your ticket by mail. Camera tickets are illegal in NJ, so have at it, and the speed limit is only a suggestion. It can still take 30 minutes to go one block in Manhattan, so never follow Google. At $14.75 just to enter the island, at my age I avoid the place.
When I got my license at age 27 in NJ my Dad had me drive all through the city to the airports, the Queens Midtown Tunnel and through Manhattan. He covered most if not all your rules that day. One thing I learned in recent years: If your planned routebecomes a traffic jam do not take your Google Maps or Waze offerings of an alternate route. I They offer the same alternates to other drivers who take them, which just turns them into a traffic jam. Stay on your original route and the jam may lessen or clear up in less time than predicted.
I love this video, i live in Brooklyn and work in the city (i drive to work every day) Its interesting hearing my daily struggles on a video, and yes I pay tolls every morning to avoid the BQE, but take it on the way home Everything you mentioned in this video is so true
Great video, my introduction to NYC traffic was driving a 24' Box truck in to a Saturday farmers market on the upper East Side when I was 18...and then getting out, after a while I got the hang of it, but those first few trips where a trial by fire. In the through Lincoln tunnel, across town through times square, turn left on 1st in front of the UN. The timed one way street red lights are thing of beauty though, often drove from East 67th to the Willis Avenue Bridge on 1st on one green. :)
Rule 12: do not use the belt parkway or the Van Wyck Expressway in Brooklyn/Queens after 11am on the weekends, either direction. It will be backed up for miles. I knew of this and still went to the Aquarium in Coney Island last year. Took me 40 minutes to get there and twice that to get back to my home in Westchester County. The only good thing about that is that my EV got so much energy back from the stop and go traffic that I only used 17 miles of energy for the 31 mile trip.
I want to add, you're right that there are no signs for outsiders on turning red. The only I've seen, is on Dyer Ave and 34 St exit of the Lincoln Tunnel. Also, people only abide to the 25mph because of the speed cameras. Really great video! You really explained NYC driving perfectly! Especially the frequent stopping.
You drove it all in NYC. You did the impossible and escaped NYC with little to no problems. Congrats! BTW Mike, the Citywide Speed Limit on the highways is 50. Not 55. And if you think NYC is bad? Try checking out L.A.! L.A. has the worst traffic in the U.S. (especially on the freeways) at any given day, and L.A. is like half of NYC in terms of population.
It was back in the 60s. I was in the Navy, and I took the train from San Diego to Los Angeles. I got off the train and asked the cab driver "Where's the City?" At least when you get off a train in New York, you KNOW where the city is.
For a non-New Yorker and first time driver, your analysis was excellent! Someone else commented about the short yellow lights, so that might be number 11 on your list. Always remember when driving in NYC, the best defense is a good offense!
This is very accurate. As an NJ resident, I've driven into NYC a few times in my life for specific purposes, but because it's such a hassle I almost always take the train into NYC and use the subways or walk to get around. It's just easier. Another option you can explore, especially if you're from out of the area and looking to 'see the sights', is driving to Staten Island and taking the Ferry to Manhattan. It's FREE, it's convenient, and of all of the boroughs, Staten Island probably has the easiest parking. Plus, many visitors don't even realize Staten Island IS New York City, so you get to see a bit of the 'forgotten borough' that has a surprising number of parks and nature preserves.
I think that NYC really suffers by allowing massive trucks in the densest parts of the city. I’ve seen so many trucks get stuck or crash that I feel like it would really help reduce the cost of road maintenance and accidents by simply having distribution centers outside the city in NJ or in Westchester county and having the final miles driven by smaller vans or lorries.
The problem with taking the trucks off the highways is how do you get the freight into the city? While New Jersey has a well developed freight rail network, if you want to send your goods into New York City or Long Island by rail you have two choices: either send the rail car on a multi-day journey up to Selkirk, NY, near Albany, or use the NYNJ car float operation that makes one or two tips per day by barge between Greenville Yard in New Jersey and Bay Ridge Yard in Brooklyn taking 12 to 15 rail cars at a time. The freight traffic heading to Long Island takes back seat to LIRR commuter operation. That's why trucks are, despite the traffic congestion, the fastest way to move freight.
My father was a bus driver for like 25 years, driving commuters from NJ to NYC and back again in the evening. I can't imagine putting up with all the traffic for that long.
Trucks don't drive on parkways because they are usually 12.5 (13') feet high and overpasses are generally only 11 (11.5') feet clearance. Most being built back in the days of the WPA (c. 1933). 30 years ago I was traveling to New Jersey, through the Bronx, When I entered the Bronx it looked like post war Berlin, Germany with all the 'damaged/destroyed' buildings. Coming back I spent a Hour on the Washington Bridge with Traffic delays. Man, that bridge sways!
I’m really glad u also drove in places besides manhattan. Most people take a look at manhattan and think the other boroughs are the same but they are slightly better
Two things: If you have to drive in the city, the quickest way is the way that involves the least number of turns. If you need to drive from A Ave and B St to X Ave and Y st, drive all the way across B St to X Ave, turn and drive to Y St. When I first got to NYC, I had to move a ton of boxes in my car from my sister's in NJ to my apartment in Queens, which meant going through the Holland Tunnel and driving across Manhattan to the Williamsburg Bridge. Almost every road out of the tunnel forced me to Canal St., which took forever to cross. It was much faster to cross Manhattan on Houston St., although it took great effort to find a way to get to it -- the effort was worth it.
As a native NYer it’s always interesting to hear an outside perspective. I like most NYers learned to drive late, the train (we don’t call it the subway) is how most get around. The right no turn is a given for us so we never thought it could be made to begin with so maybe that’s why no signs. Oddly enough when I stated driving to other states I kept getting. Honked at red light right turns because it’s not expected to be able to turn. We also don’t use miles to describe distance we usually give directions in terms of time, like 10 mins to the bridge.
I live in DFW, but I have been to NY and NJ allot. I have two more rules for you: 1) You might as well wire your brake pedal to your horn or vice versa. 2) If you miss an exit, your next chance to turn around will be in Pennsylvania.
Rule 7A: When traveling on the Avenues (as well as Broadway), stay towards the center lane until you're about 2 blocks from where you need to turn. This helps you avoid all the vehicles stopped on either side of the road. Rule 11: Taxis, Limos, Bicycle messengers and delivery riders on scooters DO NOT CARE! The light is red? Don't care, I have to make my delivery. Need to discharge passengers on a busy street? Don't care, I'll stop wherever I feel like it. One more thing about expressways versus parkways: if you're driving a truck, you WILL have to get off the parkway at some point regardless of whether the cops catch you or not. The bridges on most parkways are too low for a truck to pass under. 🙂
Great video! This gave me flashbacks when I had a car in NYC. Terrible idea. I would also add the street cleaning schedule. As per nyc law you are not allowed to have a vehicle parked on the streets for more than 7 days so the city conducts street cleaning on one side of the street at least once a week to clean the streets as well as to have people move their cars out of the way. Where I live (Washington heights) this is enforced but what most drivers do is that they would double park on the other side of the street and as soon as the cleaning time passes they would park the vehicles again on the cleaned side.
Agreed. Yes, as far as critiques of the video, I would definitely take some time to have visitors focus on the street signs up and down the entire block, or certainly the area where they’ve parked, to be absolutely certain that although the parking spot is vacant, that it’s also legal to park there at all (which often times is the reason the spot is vacant in the first place)
@@Batmarc6 And we need some information on how the new parking meters work. You need to have a credit card to use the meter, and one meter is for a dozen or so parking spaces. And you must buy your parking ticket from the correct meter, so check the signs carefully so you know which meter is yours.
@@eliasthienpont6330The ParkNYC app is also a great alternative if you don't want to go to a machine. The app auto pings your location (if your location services is on) and brings up the meter zone that closest to where you're located. And as you said, you still gotta check the signs because it's easy to put the zone across the street instead of the one you're parked at.
You were busy watching the SUV in front of you at 6:21 and ran a redlight. The best advice I received for driving in NYC is don't make eye contact with a driver wanting to enter from a side street. If they see you looking they will pull in front of you.
The red light wasnt for the pedestrian crossing though, but for the intersection. Intersection he’d already entered. Stopping in the middle just clogs traffic and only 3 cars would be able to make a left turn behind him if he stopped.
The BQE is a blessing for people who drive for work (well I can speak for myself due to my line of work), You're on the clock and stuck in traffic which is out of your hands.
Honestly i'm an european taxi driver I live in paris and I must say that all the things ive seen in your video applies to literally all big cities in europe with a downtown area, its just funny to see the perspective of an american of what we call all the things you listed as "normal" here in europe. At least I know I'll be comfortable and relaxed should I ever drive in nyc :P
Rule #5 is one that I learned the hard way during my first (and so far only) drive through NYC. And I never even exited the expressways! _And_ I consider myself a relatively aggressive driver! 😅
Here is my best tip for driving in New York City: Park at a train station in NJ, CT, or Westchester County, take the train into New York (MTA and NJ Transit both run frequently, including nights and weekends), then subway around New York
He forgot the navigator - having a person watching Google maps for congestion can save lots of time. Also do not forget 880 and 1010 on the AM radio - their traffic reports are usually every 10 minutes. That and having an alternate route planned can be another time saver.
I'm 59 I live in North Jersey and drive alot in the city. This and the Jersey vid you did is spot on ! People should lusten to EVERYTHING you say. Great job.
As a NYer of over 30 years, thank you for doing God's work by filming your drives through the streets of NYC. Also, did you get to experience Snake Way aka the Jackie Robinson?
@@JakeSDNI’d love more freeway around Paris, but they just build star-shaped into the city center and straight line into the countryside. Only one freeway for cruising it’s the inside ring which is very cool when not overcrowded. (So at night basically) There’s A86 which is the correctest urban freeway I guess but it’s partly tolled and obviously also overcrowded
Nice job! One thing I'd add is school of fish driving style. In Manhattan, when the avenues aren't too busy, you can go long stretches in a pack of cars thanks to nicely timed lights. In the school of fish, there are no lane markers, we all move around to dodge stopped cars, bikes, steam vents, etc...
I def agree that if u can’t be assertive/aggressive on the pedal, they’ll eat you alive. (Their horn-game is no joke). They use them to communicate (quite well actually). Once u get into it, you’re good, but the growing pains hurt (feels like road-bullying at first). Then u realize they’re just trying to communicate w/u the best/quickest way they know how. Before u know it, you’re cussing and honking and stealing any space you can to expedite your trip, so as to have to cuss less (hopefully). Tbh I’m from San Diego and got to practice driving in Tijuana BC (so I’m kinda cheating). Sh-t is fun tho
I used to have to drive all those same areas with a 76 foot long tractor trailer. I did it coming up from the South for many years. Talk about having fun.
All these rules are very good. I’d say the most stressful part of it is the continual random stopping vehicles, just wherever they want; and then that people basically just do whatever they want. People will find any little space available and insert their car/truck/bike into that space.
I drove a taxi in Manhattan as a part time job during undergrad at Fordham U. You had to be 19 to get a hack license. Back then, most of the yellow taxis were part of large fleets. I drove for Ike-Stan out of Long Island City. It was pretty miserable. Most cabs were not air conditioned back then. I still recall sitting in grid-locked traffic on Park Avenue, in July, without a fare. It really didn’t phase me, though. My father drove a tractor-trailer in Manhattan delivering heavy oil to hospitals and other large buildings. Driving a little Dodge cab was a piece of cake compared to what he did.
I started driving in Manhattan in 1986 when I was 17. Great video. In the 70s the signs would say “NO RIGHT ON RED” so people would turn left on red if the intersection was two one-ways with one street going left. Then when too many violations were being dismissed they taped “TURN” over “RIGHT” and the situation was corrected…
I have to say as someone that grew up in NYC, you are spot on! I moved to New Jersey 2 years ago because of the traffic congestion and lack of parking. And yes the BQE is literal hell you can lose your mind driving.
Been a New Yorker for almost half a century and I am impressed by your terrific traffic video. Any one who drives through all five boroughs of NYC must have nerves of steel. Cheers~
As a born and breed NYer. TRUCKERS. Stay OFF Parkways. It’s more than a Ticket. You’ll get your Trailer destroyed like a sardine can. All the parkways have low bridges. Every week I see a truck ripped open by a bridge on the Northbound Henry Hudson PKWY. Or the Cross island parkway.
I used to drive down to Manhattan from Upstate and Connecticut every weekends in my early 20s, and now I am living in cities in Asia that are even more crowded than NYC. What I wanna say is, despite the chaos you described, NYC drivers are much more sensible and have many hidden rules that made driving a much more smoother experience. Such as, as long as you turned on a blinker and have a room to change lane, the other drivers will almost take their foot off their gas pedal and let you through. Also, when someone in the right lane is swirling to the left cuz someone double park there... Drivers in the middle lane will also swirl into the left lane together with you
Some of that is just defensive driving, if someone swerves into you the most logical action is to also try and evade. And fun fact, its litterally NY law that if someone signals intent to enter your lane you must yield to them if you are the car in the position to do so, and the same law also requires yielding to someone taking maneuvers to avoid an obstacle in their lane. (Its truly amazing what such a simple law can do to improve your experience on the highway, even if its barely enforced its atleast taught to new drivers so a higher percentage of people actually yield when appropriate.)
@@jasonreed7522 My experience in Florida is that if you signal to change lanes then the driver in the lane you want to merge into is speeding up so you can't get in front of him. RUDE RUDE RUDE Florida drivers
@@jasonreed7522 Similar rule in Hong Kong (not sure it is written or informal - but everyone does it). The ramps in Hong Kong are usually no more than 1-3 car lengths and are very closely spaced so there would be complete logjam if HKers applied the "try to prevent them from getting in" rules applicable in most of the rest of the USA. After 20 years of driving there it never ceases to amaze me what a massive improvement this simple courtesy makes - even with the complex 3-dimensional road system of HK.
That 25 MPH is no joke. I got a speeding ticket in the mail from one of the speed cameras a month after driving in NYC. I was traveling up 10th Ave to 59th Street and somehow the traffic cleared for a microsecond and after being frustrated for blocks I must have hit the gas. The worst part was that I did it in a School Zone, so the fine was doubled. I left a friend's apartment in the Bronx one evening and was headed to the GWB and miracle of miracles the Cross Bronx was relatively clear. It was the smoothest ride I have ever had coming out of NYC. I have a driving dare from anyone outside of NYC. Take the Henry Hudson Tollway North to Mosholu Parkway, then turn off Mosholu onto Gun Hill Road. Take Gun Hill Road to Bronxwood Ave and turn left. I call it the obstacle course because you have double-parked cars to the right and left turns (usually without a turn signal) in the left lane and then the middle lane is for Ubers and private taxis. You win if you don't honk your horn at all from the turn onto Gun Hill to the turn at Bronxwood. Good Luck.
All I can add to the already helpful comments from my fellow New Yorkers is this: this is one of the best cities to drive in because everyone else is expecting you to do the dumbest thing possible. So it’s actually quite rare to see a fender bender or serious accident that wasn’t caused by speeding, red light running or someone with Jersey plates. 😊
I’ve been to NYC for the first time, drove a bit through the big city and you are NOT wrong about Manhattan’s incredible gridlike roadway system. I like your informative Road videos! Subbed!
ive found parking usually depends on time of day. midday when people have commuted out ive never had too much issue finding parking almost anywhere. at night ive found business/mixed use areas to often have plenty of (free at night) curbside parking if you're choosing to drive to avoid poor late night mta service. my personal ranking on driving in nyc (excluding staten island :p) queens > manhattan > bronx > brooklyn queens once youre further than closer to manhattan becomes pretty comfortable to drive in being more LI-esque than any other part of town manhattan, if youre not trapped in congestion, is actually laid out very logically from a car perspective. the FDR & HRD are gorgeous drives, and if you catch the green light wave going north or south you can blast through most of the island pretty quickly. it's pretty nuts. this doesnt include harlem (intentionally extra congested bc of robert moses' racism) and parts of downtown that are older. the bronx has probably the worst road quality of all the boroughs, say goodbye to your suspension. the streets arent too confusingly laid out, but bruckner expressway deserves an award for being one of the worst designed roads ever created, both for cars and pedestrians. an absolute nightmare where if youre not in specifically one of four lanes all of a sudden youre blocked off from where you need to go by a divider & easily missable signs. even with a gps its extremely easy to get stuck on the wrong road for the next mile or so if youre not familiar with how the lanes change. also the cross bronx expressway of course. robert moses ensured the bronx would be his personal torture chamber for commuters and truckers alike. brooklyn is easily the worst. terrible road quality & nonsensical layout for cars. it feels chaotic & random, you can almost never be sure how the road after the next intersection will drive. this isnt even including how absurdly bad the double parking problem is here, navigating some neighborhoods becomes a real test of skill and frustration.
I'm from Rochester, and I've been in the South since 1973... 3 years Richmond, then ATL until 11/79, then Houston until 8/89, then back to ATL until now. I bought some antique items in 2014 at various auction houses between ATL and Brooklyn. I got stuck on the BQE going back to I-95 at around 4PM on a Friday. Whoops. That was about as bad as the 405 in LA. The scariest driving experience I've had (besides HI 30 on Maui, because narrow/heights) was the Periferico in Mexico City. Not only was the 1998 traffic insane (the metro population was around 18 million), the signage is all in Spanish (NOT my native language), the elevation is around 7,800 ft. >gasp< and there were areas where the air was yellow >GASP!< Difficult drive. I'm moving back to western NY.
I've always wondered why NY can't get a bridge between Connecticut and Long Island (Oyster Bay Bridge). That would alleviate so much truck traffic. Forget the NIMBYs, someone can definitely make it happen.
Long Island always wants to conserve history 😂. Like nobody gives a fuck about oyster bay if you don't like your house value than just move out of state
@@savagekingtexas_3990 Nah, when the interstates were built, the people in power usually went out of their way to remove the homes and communities of people of color
The exception is 287. And i95 "Nobody"Calls it the Cross Westchester expressway. I'm sure 1 uncultured clown does but it's just 287. I95 is referred to the cross Bronx but that's really it. It's not called the New England Thruway or whatever governor thruway. It's i95 or just 95! Whether you're going to Conn or freaking Miami.. It's just 95! Not even i95. Just 95
As for the random stopping I live in Europe and the worst I’ve witnessed was Brussels. But I imagine the standard road width there is even tighter than NYC roads, so most times it’s not 2 wheels across the solid line, but rather a couple inches left each side when passing the stopped car. And people just stop, put on their blinkers and go order their food, I couldn’t believe it people drove like it was a little town where they can use the road as they please, no you’re sharing with 2 million of us😂
As others have mentioned, it's important to be aware of the heavier non-motorized traffic in addition to pedestrians. But if you do find street parking, remember to check your driver's side mirror for approaching bicycles before opening your door. There are a lot of responsible bike commuters in addition to the seemingly lawless bike delivery riders who are all jockeying for the scraps of available roadway. Oftentimes with the tight margins remaining, swerving around a car door popping open is not an option. It seems like many drivers forget that if a (non ebike) bike stops it also looses its balance and all its momentum whereas in a car you're still just sitting there.
The parking issue is pretty bad, but it’s not as bad as you describe. I occasionally drive into downtown from Long Island at night (after 11pm) and can find plenty of parking on Broadway and Church Street by the WTC.
I drive everyday in the city as a chauffeur and i think you did an excellent job laying out tips. Always look at the crosswalk sign blinking as it will indicate when its going to turn red. Don't follow too close to taxis as they will stop without signaling and cut across traffic. Uber drivers are oblivious to what they are doing as well.
We have a plethora of public transportation here in NYC and they are trying to make it walk friendly. I have a car, but I only drive it when I'm going out of the city. Other than that it stays garaged.
I remember giving myself a mental pep talk as I approached NYC for the first time. I was on the GWB more than 200 ft before someone cut me off. It immediately lived up to the hype.
Worked as an OTR (over the road) driver for 47 yrs, spend the first 18 yrs going in and out of NYC at least twice a week. One learns to accept the way things are there you get along, you manage. Or maybe I was just lucky. I would try to get into the city right around six in the morning (the city that never sleeps? Not true!) Zip all around the place, Brooklyn,the Bronx, Manhatten, Long Island, etc. The place is really NOT all that big. There is just an awful lot of people concentrated there. If you get stuck in there, let's say on a friday four or five in the afternoon. It WILL take you hours to get out and then another 2-3 hrs to get thru New Jersey into Pennsylvania if you're going that way (like I mostly did) Do I miss it any? Yes, somewhat. I got to like NYC. Lots of good people there. Unlike Los Angelos. An area I got to hate, but that's another story.
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Speed limits on highways in NYC is 50 mph, not 55 mph.
I do 60mph on a 50mph pass cops they don't pull me over
the state speed limit is 55, some areas are 65 though.
@@cuttyf74 they usually don’t do anything until it’s 15 above
@@Vehicles-And-Stuffthat is state, not city. All highways in NYC are 50 mph - even the LIE. As soon as you hit the Queens border there is a 50 mph sign.
I was thinking on that one, some the limit is 40mph.
pro tip for people from out of town: unless you absolutely need to, don’t drive in NYC. take literally any other mode of transportation.
Duly noted
-Brevard County, FL resident
That was always the plan.
~Upstate NYer with 0 desire to visit the city and barely likes driving on country roads let alone in cities.
I had to drive in Boston (technically Cambridge but the distinction is like pretending Yonkers isn't basically NYC) for work before and of course my timing aligned perfectly with leaving in rush hour traffic, i have never been more amazed at the power of "traffic snakes" to halt traffic fully outside the city leaving the city before.
Or just don't even go to NYC.
So if you are bringing a vehicle along on a trip through many parts of the US where in NYC can it be stored and be safe?
@@P7777-u7r parking garage
Rule #11 don't bother driving. Take a train into town and then do a lot of walking.
This is the only right answer. Why would anyone drive in New York?
Plus 5 points here. The only time it makes sense to drive into NYC is if you have a car full of people and you are just going to park in one place for the whole time. A round trip on the subway/Path is $5.50 - the toll inbound alone is $16. Driving will save you no time, and finding (legal) spots to park your car will take longer still and will force you to walk at least a few blocks anyway. If you really have money to burn and you’re trying to get crosstown you can uber once you’re in the city.
If you live in Eastern Queens you essentially have to drive. When I lived in Bayside I would use LIRR if I needed to get into the city. I’d take the bus if I was going somewhere not too far. Other than that, I essentially had to drive. My commute to work was 15 minutes by car. With public transit it would take over an hour riding on either two busses or on LIRR and then the bus. Mind you I only lived 10 miles away from my job.
@@DarrienGlasser I try to take the train into the city whenever I go, but unfortunately living on Long Island, to go literally anywhere else I have to go through the city. Even avoiding Manhattan by taking the Throgs Neck or Verazanno bridges are still a nightmare.
Indeed. For NYC, there is the phrase "Do you think we have enough time to take a cab?"
I think an essential driving skill you learn from driving in NY is to not have road rage from inconsiderate drivers. There are way too many inconsiderate and dangerous drivers to be angry, and you just have to accept it and drive defensively
Yeah, its so funny how flustered people from out of state get over the smallest things. NYC actually makes for sharper better drivers. And they won't flip out over some trivial person cutting them off.
Good point. A lot of that could be said for any major city, I think. I've been to 42 states and 4 provinces and "crazies" are everywhere. You just have to learn to keep with whatever the flow is and not to let anything get to you; Keep Calm - Carry On kinda applies out there.
I am from NJ and frequently in the city. What you believe to be inconsiderate drivers are really not to those of us who understand what is happening. Actually in a strange sort of way I find in many areas they are actually more courteous, for instance you will rarely see an issue at a merge point and there are many of them, a virtually all of us simply alternate merge (i.e. every other car) my most memorable of that is a situation where a 5 lane highway had to merge into a single lane because of an accident, because we all merged we never stopped moving, slow yes but never stoppen.
also the freeway speed limit is 50 mph not 55.
Another local Civil highway engineer.
@@dmac6004 my idea of inconsiderate drivers are the BMW/Civic drivers who swerve in and out of lanes in between cars at the tightest spots, typically going 35+mph more than the current flow of traffic. It's frankly ridiculous that people drive like this, risking countless lives and innocent families. But you could either be pissed all day every day you drive down a NY highway/parkway, or you can accept it, be aware of your surroundings, drive defensively, and get out of their way
Very valid point and a friendly reminder. Being on the road is a mix of different drivers and levels of driving. I've been patiently told by a friend that road rage isn't worth it and it's true. Just avoid those drivers
Props for driving in NYC and getting footage of the entire city!
Your rules are for the most part, spot on. The no left turn rule usually applies in the daytime; there's too many people walking on the street. Most highways are 50mph, or in the case of FDR Drive, 40mph.
Double parking is illegal (except for street cleaning), but rarely enforced.
One big rule for driving in NYC: *You can't drive scared.* You'll cause a lot more problems if you're driving like you're afraid of an accident.
I was born and raised in NYC, and I learned to drive in Manhattan of all places. Talk about trial by fire.
#facts #respect ✊🏽🚙👍🏽
Double Parking is illegal even with Street Cleaning it is up to the traffic agent or sanitation department whether they enforce it or not.
@@JakeSDN Many times people will get ticketed for double parking, but it's neccesary for people to make deliveries and pickups. I do work for a trucking company which services the NYC area, and it's amazing how many times there's just no place to park a box truck. The only way to do the job would be to double park and many time we've gotten ticketed.
The no-right-on-red protects pedestrians, and gives them a fighting chance of getting across the street. The left-turn restrictions greatly help traffic flow, and also protect pedestrians.
There’s a whole art and science to driving, walking, or biking in Manhattan.
Correction: Double Parking is ALWAYS illegal, even during street cleaning. The traffic agents just let it fly since they know theres no parking elsewhere and you've moved from the spot that needs to be cleaned.. BUT you can still risk a ticket for it, plus this only happens in certain areas.
My added tips-
-Be assertive. Locals know if they hesitate they won't get anywhere, so it's basically a free for all.
-Enter Manhattan before 9am on Sunday and you can park on the street in many areas that don't allow parking during the week, plus locals with cars are most likely away for the weekend and won't be coming home for a few more hours. You can park a few blocks away from Times Square and other major tourist spots for free. Check the signs, most commercial and no parking zones will say "Except Sunday", and you can stay in that spot all day. Spots start filling quick by 10-11am. Extra bonus is that traffic in Manhattan is light Sunday mornings.
-Small cars can fit in to the limited spots. I always drive my VW GTI and leave the truck at home.
One you missed is short yellows. In fact, you blow through a red light at 6:20. Traffic lights in NYC are set up to go from green to red with the yellow lasting only about 1 second. When I lived in Queens, but worked in Long Island, I had to keep aware of the difference between the 5-10 second yellow lights out there and the short yellows in NYC. Useful tip: Use the ubiquitous, lighted Walk/Don't Walk signs as a heads-up for when the traffic light will change. They'll flash red for about 10 seconds or so before a light change.
Learn about The Better Car Rule: Whoever has the better car is the one who has to be careful. This does not apply to taxis/car services, who don't give a crap either way.
As a lifelong New Yorker, the best advice I can give is this: In any given situation, try to imagine the most stupid, most obnoxious, most oblivious, most selfish, most idiotic thing someone can do and mentally prepare yourself for it. A lot of times you will not be disappointed.
Yup. Plus these red lights s have cameras
Florida is getting like NYC.
@@Modeltnick the fk they not
I've only been ticketed for speeding on woodhaven, never for going through a red light. New york city is designed for driving through red lights (just as they are turning red). You'll often see multiple cars go through an intersection after it turns red. As long as they are not interrupting the flow of the adjacent intersection, its fair game, and you'll see traffic cops don't give a damn if you go through the light just as it turns red. Imagine coming from florida where a camera ticket is like minimum $171 or $250, and here its just a measly $50
@@RyanLeague It's not that simple. The reason the fine is so low is because with the cameras, they don't know who's driving the car. So the owner of the car gets the $50 fine, not the driver, so no points. I know because I was caught by a speed camera I didn't know about on Queens Boulevard, right where you come out of the tunnel under the LIE (I was wondering why everyone was driving so slow. Now I know).
However, if someone gets pulled over by the cops for running a red light in NYC, the fine to the driver could be somewhere in the neighborhood of $500. If you get a second one within 18 months, then on top of the fine, you have to pay a "driver responsibility assessment" of at least $300 over the course of 3 years. Instead of "Excelsior" the state motto should be "Hand over your wallet".
Bravo! You nailed it. You can understand that as a trucker, I declined trips into or out of Manhattan. Here's how to circumnavigate the parking problem as a visitor. Stay at the La Quinta in Secaucus, NJ. It's a nice hotel with free parking. Across the street is a bus stop that will take you to Penn Station in 15 minutes.
I have visited Manhattan four times as tourist but have only slept there once. Motels in New Jersey are a fraction of the price and, as you wrote, the bus or train ride into Manhattan is less than twenty minutes.
Quality inn in Union City NJ is another one. The park and ride is also right there. Buses every 7 minutes straight into Penn station.
After a few trips to NYC, I developed the rule of: avoid NYC at all costs…
@@shturmovik3033 what did you do there? Just curious. I never found any reason to visit NYC.
@@fmartin59It's the center of the known universe!
EVERY SINGLE THING you mentioned is completely and totally accurate. The coming outside to breathe - toll is hilarious😂😂😂.
As a native NYer I wholeheartedly endorse this content!!!!!!!!!!!
Mileage Mike, I totally agree with what you are saying here. I presently live in Las Vegas, NV but I am from Cold Spring, NY (10 miles up NY 9D from Bear Mountain Bridge were you once traveled) and visit often. I have driven through all of the boroughs of New York City as recently as 2019. Every one of your 10 rules are SPOT ON! Thank you for this video!
I love that your comments reflect a holistic understanding of transportation and not just "New York has so many SILLY rules and BAD drivers." I also your "when in Rome" attitude in regards to regional driving behaviors
As a former New Yorker I can say you did an excellent job of explaining driving in NYC, what one can and cannot do. But like any New Yorker, you do what you gotta do (and can get away with) driving the mean streets of NY. Really good job with this video.
As people have said, avoid the Cross Bronx Expressway. But I had to drive in the city one day in the middle of Covid, and my phone recommended taking it. It was like one of those zombie movies. It was near empty. One of the most surreal experiences of ever had driving.
The no turn on red law is actually pretty well followed in my experience. It's a pedestrian safety thing cuz they're in the crosswalk but driver is looking other way for oncoming traffic if they're trying to make a right on red.
Spot on. Only times I’ve seen anyone turn right on red are:
1) ones who run red lights all the time and don’t care.
2) Careless tourists with a rental car or has a plate that’s not NY, CT, PA or NJ
He did mention it needing better signage for outsiders like myself who are used to the norm being right on red.
The irritating thing with right on red is its not inherently unsafe because you are SUPPOSED to come to a complete stop as if its a stopsign before proceeding to enter the intersection. And normally it is only forbidden in locations where it is particularly unsafe like a complicated intersection or an intersection with terrible visibility.
But based on these clips, NYC definitely needs the blanket ban on right on red turning. (Just make it obvious for people used to obeying the traffic rules where right on red is normally fine.)
@@jasonreed7522 agreed. I mean NYC does put those signs telling the no turn on red rule and citywide speed limit at the city’s entry points and airport exits. But those signs really are not big and obvious enough for many visitors. The city definitely needs to do better with these signs. And when it comes to safety, What’s safe for drivers aren’t necessarily safe for other road users like cyclists and pedestrians.
The problem he mentioned was that there is often no indicator. Leave NYC and any intersection where right turning on red is illegal, there's a sign for that.
I live in a suburban area and I hate turning right on red at massive stroad intersections, because I have trouble telling what lane people are driving in...I usually only make the turn once all lanes are clear (if it happens before the light turns green) 😅
My goodness, as a born and bred New Yorker, now residing in Florida, I'd say you handled that quite well! I cut my driving teeth in NYC, and one of my last jobs in NY was as a courier. My route was from Manhattan to Montauk on any given day, traveling the world's longest parking lot and other congested roads, suchas the Northern and Southern State Parkways, as well as Jericho Tpke and 25A, Sunrise Highway, or The Conduit as it is called west of Valley Stream. Yes, we call all the roadways by name, and I do think it is because of the reason you referenced. Here in FL, many of the roadways have dual indicators as well, although there are only four major interstates. Bravo to you for being able to navigate NY roadways, and come away with your sanity intact!
A friend of mine in NYC owns a large condo unit that came with two parking spots. He has since bought two more parking spots in the building. He has 1 car and rents the other 3 spots out at what I consider outrageous monthly fees. I live in LA and even by LA standards his prices are high. He said he has no problems finding customers.
fun fact - theres no road test locations in Manhattan. I learned to drive here, I feel like it gives me the confidence to drive anywhere
As a NYC native who started out driving in Manhattan and The Bronx, I really feel like I'm at an advantage when it comes to defensive driving and being aware of my surroundings than people in every other state. Also on basically every parkway with winding roads in Westchester and LI everybody is speeding 20+ over the limit. I routinely find myself going 75 on the Saw Mill Parkway and there's still people weaving around me. Driving here I think makes everyone a better driver not necessarily smarter but better.
The farther from the city and later it gets the faster it gets in my experience.
@@JakeSDN the Sprain is probably one of the fastest Westchester highways at night it never has cops so people go 90+. The Bronx river Parkway is also fun to speed down at night, especially if you go down it enough to know every turn
75 on the Saw Mill.... I'd wet my pants! Out here in North Dakota the posted is 75 (65 in construction zones)
on every long island parkway the unwritten speed limit is 80
@@factsfacts17 Ocean Parkway in Suffolk is nuts. People actually speed up when it gets all bouncy (east of the roundabout). 90+ is the norm.
You left out the most important rule - don't drive in NYC if you don't have to. Take the subway. Another rule, you must yield to pedestrians when making a right or left turn on a green light. They have the right of way. You also have to keep a close eye out for bikers. They are everywhere and don't obey the traffic laws. This is especially true for carry-out bike drivers.
I don't find the BQE to be too bad. I usually hit it when the heavy traffic is opposing me. I always take the lower deck when crossing the Verrazano Bridge. The lanes are wider and you don't have to put up with trucks. If you are taking the Verrazano from NY to NJ and hitting the Jersey Turnpike, be sure to use the right most lane at the toll plaza. The entrance to NJT is immediately after the toll plaza and it is hell to get over if you are anywhere but the furthest right hand lane. If you do park on the street, be sure to check out the signs for street cleaning. The ticket witches will write you up if you are parked on the street when it is scheduled for cleaning.
Lived in or near Philly most of my life but moved to North jersey 10-12 years ago and have to drive through NYC often for my job. He is not exaggerating. This is 100% accurate!
Nailed it. Local here. Totally right about following distance and aggressive driving. Great primer.
I grew up in the Midwest and have lived in the Orlando metro for 25 years now, which at times can have truly awful traffic. I’ve also driven right through downtown areas of huge cities like Chicago and L.A. myself. But NYC is one place I’ve really had NO desire to drive through. I’m sure I’d survive, and I’m very used to driving in many many big cities. But while I’m a very experienced and defensive driver, I’m also a big stickler for the rules. Every day I get frustrated by people not using turn signals, speeding, not leaving safe distances, not maintaining their cars, tailgating, passing in no passing zones, not knowing how to use roundabouts, etc. So although I’ve been to NYC a handful of times, driving there would absolutely make my head explode. I’ve gotten stressed out and it’s felt like a roller coaster just taking cabs there. Wow. Thankfully NYC has some pretty good public transit.
It's true about the drivers in NYC don't follow rules. The lane lines are really suggestion and any open spot of pavement is fair game. However I will say one redeeming thing is NYC drivers are "predictably" aggresive, which paradoxically may be safer cuz you know how other drivers are going to act ...
Orlando -
I’m in Jacksonville.
Seems to me they drive about the same, [ just as aggressive], but with no regard as to speed. Florida drivers seem to have no concept of “speed-limit “.
Interstate 4 has been, for many years, THE most dangerous stretch of highway in the US, but seems they’ve done a fantastic job on it - at least through the Orlando area.
🚗🙂
@@jeffking4176 I agree with that about I-4. The stretch through Orlando (thankfully about 98% complete except for the extreme north side by Sanford) is absolutely worlds better and pretty nice now. But that stretch from just south of Disney all the way to Tampa? Holy crap is it horrendous. No matter the time of year or day. Not just traffic, but the road itself, constantly being worked on, lanes shifting and mismarked, stretches like coarse grit sandpaper, etc. I’m up in Jacksonville just once a year, and have run into traffic there too on the freeways. But I get more confused by some of the non-freeway roads downtown. We may not have snow and freezing weather here, but the heat can do a number on our roads. And even more so, the explosive growth and number of people. I’ve heard that stat on I-4 though, and mile per mile, I believe it.
@@jeffking4176 It still needs work... traffic at all times every day heading south to Tampa.
@@jeffyang4936 That is mostly true. There is a method to our madness when it comes to driving.
Your 11th tip should definitely have addressed the subject of the bicycle lanes… Which carry not only bicycles, but scooters motorized skateboards, E bikes, etc. Both pedestrians and drivers are woefully unaware of just how much bicycle lane traffic there actually is in the city and how potentially dangerous being oblivious to them could be.
Car youtubers usually are unaware of anything else except cars. They live in a bubble.
Agreed. Need to really watch approaches to intersections, turns etc. A lot more scotters/e-bikes now, some pay no attention to traffic lights. Also, some bikeways are in between parallel parking and sidewalks, watch before turning and crossing! Also summer time in the Express/Parkways with motorcycles skirting in between lanes, specially if changing lanes. Also changing lanes, you really need to keep track of what is around you. Good video, thanks you.
Agreed! The main Bike Rule I'd have is to always expect for there to be a bike or pedestrian in your blind spot, and then move over or turn once you've confirmed there isn't.
Yeah because american drivers aren ttaught to look in their right mirror before turning right lmao. When that's an automatic fail in the UK (not looking at mirrors before making a turn)
One note I would add after working there for ten years is that you should have your tires checked. Anytime you pull over into a parking spot you are vulnerable to picking up a nail, a spike or other sharp object as the areas near curbs tend to gather lots of debris.
… and keep your gas tank full by filling up before you arrive into the city. The outer boroughs are a little better but you definitely don’t want to be in Manhattan and have your tank on E and be subject to the far and few between gas stations on the island as well practically double the price of the national average.
@@Batmarc6 Without a doubt! A bunch of Manhattan gas stations closed in the last 10 years to make way for condos and luxury rental apartments.
To hell with debris, there’s severe wear on plentiful stretches of pavement to where a flat or blowout may happen out of nowhere. Even moreso if one has a car with low profile tires…
Scratching the surface, that city would rather better maintain their 25 mph streets than their 40-50 mph highways. The ramp between NB I-95 east of Henry Hudson/GWB to southbound Harlem River Drive (just about FDR) and the Battery Park Underpass northbound right as it turns into West Street we’re some extraordinarily ROUGH stretches even to Southern Michigan & worst case scenario Oklahoma standards… and typically said states are as rough as things possibly get.
Some places like Staten Island in winter you can get your tires punctured because someone thinks you took 'their spot' when it really is public parking.
@@geardo3635 Well, they cleared the spot, so it IS their spot. I use a LEOPARD to watch my spots.
As a new york native... I can agree. All of these are very well thought of. You will develop a new york attitude driving through. You will learn very quickly, when driving in NYC, it's easier to drive at night its the literal best time. When in traffic... you give an inch they'll take a mile, learn the free crossings.. You'll lose 30 to an hour depending on traffic and time of day but it'll keep you from racking up toll costs. Finally. Read those parking signs, get apps etc.. or else you'll get hit upside your head with a ticket or three.. maybe even booted or towed.
Real New Yorkers use the subways and commuter rail system.
@@punchkicker3837 fr
I paid the city 2000.00 over 10 years for curb cleaning, boots, tow’s, and impounds.
@@punchkicker3837 facts
Great video! Brings me back to my recent trip to NYC in January when I drove my car and parked it in Midtown. As others have said these could be some other "rules":
1. Alternate Side Parking Rules in Manhattan. Almost all streets will have twice weekly street cleaning schedule in which you need to move your car. Most people simply sit in their car and double park the other side when the sweeper comes through.
2. Fire Hydrants. Any parking space you must be 15 feet from the hydrant. Not 14 foot 12. 15. YOU WILL GET A TICKET. These are not physically signed or marked as "no parking" zones you just have to know this.
3. Checking curbs for nails. I had a taxi driver tell me while I was there you should always check the curb before you stop or park for nails which can puncture your tire. Sometimes people just leave them there to purposely puncture your tire - or worse will do it while you're parked. So much for the twice weekly "street sweeping."
Overall, being aggressive and not afraid to assert yourself is key in New York. If you don't like cutting into traffic and weaving lanes constantly with inches to spare catch the train. For the rest of us it's an experience.
"Not 14 foot 12"
...that's 15' lol
@@Taima lol that’s funny. I’m not American so I still don’t fully understand the imperial system.
Yeah that nail advice is truely disturbing - and necessary, I heard also is true in some European cities 😳
i live in nyc and drive all the time, and he’s spot on in this video, especially rule #5. i had some friends visit out of state and said that my driving habits would get me road raged where they lived. They were also shocked that it took 40 minutes to go 2 miles 😂 To drive in NYC you need to be an aggressive AND a DEFENSIVE driver. like my foot is honestly hovering my brake most of the time and i also developed supernatural instincts on when a car is about to do some stupid shit
YUP. Driving in the city is ALL defensive driving ALL the time. The starting and stopping constantly i'm sure would drive folks from rural areas a little insane. Before I drove here I did bike messenger work in the city so the defensive driving came natural because my mind was already conditioned for it
Most driving rules in other parts of the US don't apply to NYC. Hell, most of the other drivers will go crazy because there's no right turn on red (unless a sign says it's ok). I've seen thousands of dashcam videos and the comments are crazy; they hate left lane drivers with a passion. They won't survive in NYC because every square inch counts.
We're pretty aggressive, but there's a method to the madness. Also, it's not personal, we've got places to be. 🙂Respect. ✊
To drive in the city you need to know how to avoid those two miles forty minute situations. You need to know when to go, and how to go. And if you can't avoid those ugly situations - take the subway, walk or don't go. NYC is a walkers city.
I basically always assume someone is gonna do some dick head shit and hover over my breaks as well lol
I learned to drive in Boston but I've lived in NC too long now to ever even think about driving in NYC. Props to you!
It was such a relief to get back to NC after that. 😂
I have a Dutch driving license for 40 years, as I live in the Netherlands. But in September 2011 i drove in NYC, also Manhattan. Without any problems. And I enjoyed it. If you think NYC is bad, look at the traffic in the Peruvian capital Lima. I drove there as well and that was really funny. And a great experience!
Absolutely nailed it. If I may humbly add "Don't Block The Box" especially downtown.
Good job Mike. You’ve learned a great deal in a short period. Driving in midtown requires continuous awareness, and a high level of aggression, just to keep up.
Thanks 👍
As a native New Yorker, most of these are pretty accurate. Before I totally left the area I owned a store in Manhattan and would drive in every day from Long Island, using the Belt Parkway/Van Wyck/BQE to the Manhattan or Williamsburg bridge. Some days it really would take me about 2 hours one way to drive those 14 miles, but like anything else, with experience you do learn the little tricks that help you find parking and avoid traffic (mostly). But, I do have a saved screenshot of Waze showing me being stuck in a 50 minute delay to get off an off-ramp from the Belt Parkway. 50 minutes to go 1.4 miles. No particular reason. No accident or anything. Just traffic.
Also, those double parked cars are definitely illegal, but since there really is no other place to stop for short periods, cops will usually overlook it unless you're *really* blocking traffic. If nobody can get by, you'll get a ticket. Otherwise, they'll usually ignore it because what else are you gonna do if you need to make a delivery or pick somebody up? Give up and go home?
Did you ever use Long Island Rail? Seems like that would have made sense if it took you 2 hours to drive just 14 miles.
This is why you don’t drive in to NYC. Get the train instead we have a lot of them (this biggest subway system in the USA) and they go most places in the city for only $2.75 and it works Most of the time and is Easy to navigate ther is also the Long Island Rail Road and metro north for Long Island and west Chester and upstate. And Amtrak and NJ transit
Yup. Especially for CT/Hudson River Valley most of the Metro North stations has 'park n ride' spots with train service to/from Manhattan usually from about 5am-1am 7 days a week.
Lifelong NYC resident. Your video is mostly spot on (except for the speed limit error others have pointed out).
You can't relax when you drive in New York City. Every example of bad driving you have ever experienced in your life you will encounter every day in New York City.
I will add a couple more warnings to your list. Beware of buses. Whether they are pulling out of bus stops or changing lanes, they will do it regardless of traffic. If you are next to them in traffic you will have to change lanes. The bus drivers don't care that they are about to drive over your car.
Second, look out for license plate numbers that begin with a capital "T." They are taxis and they are atrocious drivers. Same applies to yellow cabs. If you see them, prepare for the worst. It's inevitable.
Yeah...if you relax while driving in NYC..you WILL get into an accident.
True. Bus drivers know they are in a huge vehicle that doesn’t even belong to them. If they crash, oh well. You in the little car is the one who will get hurt and your car is the one that will be damaged.
Those T plate Uber drivers are some of the worst drivers I have ever seen. Most are incredibly impatient because they drive all day and are paid by how many trips they take. And they will make crazy turns and stop in the middle of the road to wait for passengers, giving no fucks to the cars they are blocking.
You also have to be aware of delivery drivers on e-bikes. Those fuckers give no fucks about their lives and will run every red light without looking, speeding through pedestrians, merging right in front of you with no warning, etc.
People on Citibikes aren’t much better. Again, they give no fucks to traffic signals and will run in front of your moving car when you have green light just because they know you are the one in trouble if you hit them. They don’t even bother to look at your direction because fuck you what are you gonna do? Hit them?
The same applies to the area of New Jersey directly across the river from the city. The only difference is that we'd call parkways that pre-date the Interstate system as "Routes" so it's Route 4 and Route 17.
Yep to all observations! I have some fine funny memories of learning the not-so-gentle art of aggressively defensive NYC driving. The only change I would suggest would be to escalate your brief mention of watching out for pedestrians to a whole rule on its own - NYC folks are some of the boldest jaywalkers I've ever experienced, outdone only by Bostonians. Which prompts me to recommend you do a similar video on driving around Boston. I went to college there and I swear all the stories about crazy Boston drivers are true - and don't even get me started about Boston's insanely laid out streets and highways!
In fairness to NYC residents, the cars are staying still most of the time anyways
Instead of topping up your EZ-Pass beforehand, you can also configure it to automatically to top up when it gets below a specific amount. Mine was actually configured that way from the start, and the threshold amount is automatically re-calculated every month based on your usage. Also, since I live in New Jersey, when I drive into the City, I take the Lincoln Tunnel, park at Port Authority Bus Terminal, and use the Subway and busses to get around.
My parents took my sister and I to NYC in 2015, and we stayed at an Airbnb on the Upper East Side. We came in through the GW bridge from New Jersey and strangely enough I think it was my mom at the wheel the whole time (she absolutely despises driving in big cities, even Toronto is too much for her), and even more strangely (in my mind after watching this video), there actually were open parking spaces on the streets
It’s a trap. If you see a bunch of open parking spaces, it’s a sign you can’t park there. If it’s too good to be true, it’s probably not.
I went back to NY recently and brought this up to my mom, turns out she got fined like >$100 for where she thought was okay to park lol
Rule #1 - Don't. Rules 2 through 10 are a breeze after that.
I always told people to have a fast foot on the accelerator and fast foot on the break. For the most part, 'streets' in Manhatten alternate on oneway direction. I laughed that you cited the BQE. I did that once and couldn't believe all the merging that was there. Never thought to do it again. I enjoy your videos.
Might be in trouble, I drive a standard *LOL*
I know i am late but i will be driving a rental from there to out of this city towards DC. Are there any unconventional traffic laws that i should know about?
As someone that was there for the Knicks game earlier last week, I can confirm almost everything mentioned here. However, traveling New England has an advantage of never really encountering a toll road when you plan to avoid it (Google maps “avoid tolls” filter).
I was able to go to MSG and back to Boston with no tolls.
As for aggressive drivers, I never had an issue. You just gotta always be moving, sitting too long on a green will make them assume you don’t know what you’re doing and they’ll pass you.
The to turn left is to turn right is also nicknamed the “Michigan left”
I always got lucky with the parking on my end, it’s great.
My tip to add to the list is to try and drive a tiny vehicle in the city. A Corolla or Yaris will do wonders in the city. No wonder they’re popular in Europe.
Bravo, for an out-of-towner, you nailed it. It's dog eat dog here. I was driving a delivery truck, sometimes an 18 wheeler, from age 15- without a license. I learned to just hit them- they get the message. Driving in NYC was good prep for driving in Marrakesh, Naples, India, and other lawless places, tho things are much calmer now than when I was young when, truly, back then: anything goes. We used to drive on the sidewalk, against a one-way street, and back up the entire block. You had to work to get a ticket in NY. The 25mph speed limit is a money making hoax. The speed limit was 30mph for decades until they checked the city budget. There are speed cameras everywhere in Manhattan, plus cameras for red lights. Luckily, these tickets are not the normal kind, have no points, and only cost $50 after they send you your ticket by mail. Camera tickets are illegal in NJ, so have at it, and the speed limit is only a suggestion. It can still take 30 minutes to go one block in Manhattan, so never follow Google. At $14.75 just to enter the island, at my age I avoid the place.
revenue generation made easy by wrapping it in the 'vision zero' b.s. sweeping across North America.
Mileage Mike.. I am a native, " New Yorker " & you taught me things about my, " City " that I didn't know... Thanks for the info!
👌
As a native New Yorker, #5 is spot on. You HAVE to be aggressive in NYC. Every square inch on the road is free real estate.
if you give someone a free pass, then you just gave everyone behind them a free pass lol
That's a fact! The "he who hesitates is lost" rule is most applicable when driving in NYC.
When I got my license at age 27 in NJ my Dad had me drive all through the city to the airports, the Queens Midtown Tunnel and through Manhattan. He covered most if not all your rules that day. One thing I learned in recent years: If your planned routebecomes a traffic jam do not take your Google Maps or Waze offerings of an alternate route. I
They offer the same alternates to other drivers who take them, which just turns them into a traffic jam. Stay on your original route and the jam may lessen or clear up in less time than predicted.
I love this video, i live in Brooklyn and work in the city (i drive to work every day)
Its interesting hearing my daily struggles on a video, and yes I pay tolls every morning to avoid the BQE, but take it on the way home
Everything you mentioned in this video is so true
Being from Long Island I’d say working in Brooklyn is working in the city lol
Great video, my introduction to NYC traffic was driving a 24' Box truck in to a Saturday farmers market on the upper East Side when I was 18...and then getting out, after a while I got the hang of it, but those first few trips where a trial by fire. In the through Lincoln tunnel, across town through times square, turn left on 1st in front of the UN. The timed one way street red lights are thing of beauty though, often drove from East 67th to the Willis Avenue Bridge on 1st on one green. :)
Loved "The timed one way street red lights are a Thing of beauty"
Rule 12: do not use the belt parkway or the Van Wyck Expressway in Brooklyn/Queens after 11am on the weekends, either direction. It will be backed up for miles. I knew of this and still went to the Aquarium in Coney Island last year. Took me 40 minutes to get there and twice that to get back to my home in Westchester County. The only good thing about that is that my EV got so much energy back from the stop and go traffic that I only used 17 miles of energy for the 31 mile trip.
I want to add, you're right that there are no signs for outsiders on turning red. The only I've seen, is on Dyer Ave and 34 St exit of the Lincoln Tunnel. Also, people only abide to the 25mph because of the speed cameras. Really great video! You really explained NYC driving perfectly! Especially the frequent stopping.
You drove it all in NYC. You did the impossible and escaped NYC with little to no problems. Congrats! BTW Mike, the Citywide Speed Limit on the highways is 50. Not 55.
And if you think NYC is bad? Try checking out L.A.! L.A. has the worst traffic in the U.S. (especially on the freeways) at any given day, and L.A. is like half of NYC in terms of population.
Yeah I realized the error on the speed limit after recording the audio. Didn’t feel like going back to fix it 😂
@@MileageMike485 good thing it doesn’t matter since it’s impossible to do either speed at almost all times of the day 😂
It was back in the 60s. I was in the Navy, and I took the train from San Diego to Los Angeles. I got off the train and asked the cab driver "Where's the City?" At least when you get off a train in New York, you KNOW where the city is.
For a non-New Yorker and first time driver, your analysis was excellent! Someone else commented about the short yellow lights, so that might be number 11 on your list. Always remember when driving in NYC, the best defense is a good offense!
This is very accurate. As an NJ resident, I've driven into NYC a few times in my life for specific purposes, but because it's such a hassle I almost always take the train into NYC and use the subways or walk to get around. It's just easier. Another option you can explore, especially if you're from out of the area and looking to 'see the sights', is driving to Staten Island and taking the Ferry to Manhattan. It's FREE, it's convenient, and of all of the boroughs, Staten Island probably has the easiest parking. Plus, many visitors don't even realize Staten Island IS New York City, so you get to see a bit of the 'forgotten borough' that has a surprising number of parks and nature preserves.
Never drove across Staten Island but is the city wide speed limit enforced there strictly
As an expat New Yorker, excellent video. a must for anyone. If visiting NYC find a hotel with free parking (they do exist) and take public transit.
I think that NYC really suffers by allowing massive trucks in the densest parts of the city. I’ve seen so many trucks get stuck or crash that I feel like it would really help reduce the cost of road maintenance and accidents by simply having distribution centers outside the city in NJ or in Westchester county and having the final miles driven by smaller vans or lorries.
The goods have to be delivered.
The problem with smaller vehicles is that they don’t hold enough freight to fill most stores orders….they would be constantly running out of stuff.
The problem with taking the trucks off the highways is how do you get the freight into the city? While New Jersey has a well developed freight rail network, if you want to send your goods into New York City or Long Island by rail you have two choices: either send the rail car on a multi-day journey up to Selkirk, NY, near Albany, or use the NYNJ car float operation that makes one or two tips per day by barge between Greenville Yard in New Jersey and Bay Ridge Yard in Brooklyn taking 12 to 15 rail cars at a time. The freight traffic heading to Long Island takes back seat to LIRR commuter operation. That's why trucks are, despite the traffic congestion, the fastest way to move freight.
Except then you have to have twice as many vans delivering the same amount of goods.
Trucks are a part of commerce in the city. Without the ability to accept deliveries some commercial property becomes worthless.😊
My father was a bus driver for like 25 years, driving commuters from NJ to NYC and back again in the evening. I can't imagine putting up with all the traffic for that long.
nj transit?
@zerocooler7
Trucks don't drive on parkways because they are usually 12.5 (13') feet high and overpasses are generally only 11 (11.5') feet clearance. Most being built back in the days of the WPA (c. 1933). 30 years ago I was traveling to New Jersey, through the Bronx, When I entered the Bronx it looked like post war Berlin, Germany with all the 'damaged/destroyed' buildings. Coming back I spent a Hour on the Washington Bridge with Traffic delays. Man, that bridge sways!
I’m really glad u also drove in places besides manhattan. Most people take a look at manhattan and think the other boroughs are the same but they are slightly better
Two things:
If you have to drive in the city, the quickest way is the way that involves the least number of turns. If you need to drive from A Ave and B St to X Ave and Y st, drive all the way across B St to X Ave, turn and drive to Y St.
When I first got to NYC, I had to move a ton of boxes in my car from my sister's in NJ to my apartment in Queens, which meant going through the Holland Tunnel and driving across Manhattan to the Williamsburg Bridge. Almost every road out of the tunnel forced me to Canal St., which took forever to cross. It was much faster to cross Manhattan on Houston St., although it took great effort to find a way to get to it -- the effort was worth it.
As a native NYer it’s always interesting to hear an outside perspective. I like most NYers learned to drive late, the train (we don’t call it the subway) is how most get around. The right no turn is a given for us so we never thought it could be made to begin with so maybe that’s why no signs. Oddly enough when I stated driving to other states I kept getting. Honked at red light right turns because it’s not expected to be able to turn. We also don’t use miles to describe distance we usually give directions in terms of time, like 10 mins to the bridge.
I live in DFW, but I have been to NY and NJ allot. I have two more rules for you:
1) You might as well wire your brake pedal to your horn or vice versa.
2) If you miss an exit, your next chance to turn around will be in Pennsylvania.
At least NYers don’t drag African Americans to death behind their cars.
😂😂😂 some truth to that!!!
Rule 7A: When traveling on the Avenues (as well as Broadway), stay towards the center lane until you're about 2 blocks from where you need to turn. This helps you avoid all the vehicles stopped on either side of the road.
Rule 11: Taxis, Limos, Bicycle messengers and delivery riders on scooters DO NOT CARE! The light is red? Don't care, I have to make my delivery. Need to discharge passengers on a busy street? Don't care, I'll stop wherever I feel like it.
One more thing about expressways versus parkways: if you're driving a truck, you WILL have to get off the parkway at some point regardless of whether the cops catch you or not. The bridges on most parkways are too low for a truck to pass under. 🙂
L 9
Great video! This gave me flashbacks when I had a car in NYC. Terrible idea. I would also add the street cleaning schedule. As per nyc law you are not allowed to have a vehicle parked on the streets for more than 7 days so the city conducts street cleaning on one side of the street at least once a week to clean the streets as well as to have people move their cars out of the way. Where I live (Washington heights) this is enforced but what most drivers do is that they would double park on the other side of the street and as soon as the cleaning time passes they would park the vehicles again on the cleaned side.
Agreed. Yes, as far as critiques of the video, I would definitely take some time to have visitors focus on the street signs up and down the entire block, or certainly the area where they’ve parked, to be absolutely certain that although the parking spot is vacant, that it’s also legal to park there at all (which often times is the reason the spot is vacant in the first place)
Not every neighborhood has street cleaning.
@@Batmarc6 And we need some information on how the new parking meters work. You need to have a credit card to use the meter, and one meter is for a dozen or so parking spaces. And you must buy your parking ticket from the correct meter, so check the signs carefully so you know which meter is yours.
@@eliasthienpont6330The ParkNYC app is also a great alternative if you don't want to go to a machine. The app auto pings your location (if your location services is on) and brings up the meter zone that closest to where you're located. And as you said, you still gotta check the signs because it's easy to put the zone across the street instead of the one you're parked at.
Some zip codes don't have street sweepers like Old Mill Basin.
Another great video Mike, thanks! They should make you Director of Transportation! You'd have my vote!
You were busy watching the SUV in front of you at 6:21 and ran a redlight. The best advice I received for driving in NYC is don't make eye contact with a driver wanting to enter from a side street. If they see you looking they will pull in front of you.
He was already in the intersection on yellow, but considering the timing he definitely should have stopped. (Yellow means stop if you are able)
The red light wasnt for the pedestrian crossing though, but for the intersection. Intersection he’d already entered. Stopping in the middle just clogs traffic and only 3 cars would be able to make a left turn behind him if he stopped.
The BQE is a blessing for people who drive for work (well I can speak for myself due to my line of work), You're on the clock and stuck in traffic which is out of your hands.
Honestly i'm an european taxi driver I live in paris and I must say that all the things ive seen in your video applies to literally all big cities in europe with a downtown area, its just funny to see the perspective of an american of what we call all the things you listed as "normal" here in europe. At least I know I'll be comfortable and relaxed should I ever drive in nyc :P
Coming from California and being used to Los Angeles traffic, I found NYC traffic to be a lot easier.
I live in New York and for work I drive-through Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and the city. I really enjoyed this video.
Rule #5 is one that I learned the hard way during my first (and so far only) drive through NYC. And I never even exited the expressways! _And_ I consider myself a relatively aggressive driver! 😅
Here is my best tip for driving in New York City: Park at a train station in NJ, CT, or Westchester County, take the train into New York (MTA and NJ Transit both run frequently, including nights and weekends), then subway around New York
He forgot the navigator - having a person watching Google maps for congestion can save lots of time. Also do not forget 880 and 1010 on the AM radio - their traffic reports are usually every 10 minutes. That and having an alternate route planned can be another time saver.
I'm 59 I live in North Jersey and drive alot in the city. This and the Jersey vid you did is spot on ! People should lusten to EVERYTHING you say. Great job.
As a NYer of over 30 years, thank you for doing God's work by filming your drives through the streets of NYC. Also, did you get to experience Snake Way aka the Jackie Robinson?
For someone like me who loves to drive, I love the Jackie Robinson Parkway and even more the Bronx River Parkway.
@@JakeSDNI’d love more freeway around Paris, but they just build star-shaped into the city center and straight line into the countryside. Only one freeway for cruising it’s the inside ring which is very cool when not overcrowded. (So at night basically)
There’s A86 which is the correctest urban freeway I guess but it’s partly tolled and obviously also overcrowded
Nice job! One thing I'd add is school of fish driving style. In Manhattan, when the avenues aren't too busy, you can go long stretches in a pack of cars thanks to nicely timed lights. In the school of fish, there are no lane markers, we all move around to dodge stopped cars, bikes, steam vents, etc...
I def agree that if u can’t be assertive/aggressive on the pedal, they’ll eat you alive. (Their horn-game is no joke). They use them to communicate (quite well actually). Once u get into it, you’re good, but the growing pains hurt (feels like road-bullying at first). Then u realize they’re just trying to communicate w/u the best/quickest way they know how. Before u know it, you’re cussing and honking and stealing any space you can to expedite your trip, so as to have to cuss less (hopefully). Tbh I’m from San Diego and got to practice driving in Tijuana BC (so I’m kinda cheating). Sh-t is fun tho
yes, as a nyc native with a car, we really do have our own language lol
I used to have to drive all those same areas with a 76 foot long tractor trailer. I did it coming up from the South for many years. Talk about having fun.
As a long time New Yorker, there is really only ONE rule to driving here: don’t do it! 😂
ride a bike
Train
All these rules are very good. I’d say the most stressful part of it is the continual random stopping vehicles, just wherever they want; and then that people basically just do whatever they want. People will find any little space available and insert their car/truck/bike into that space.
I drove a taxi in Manhattan as a part time job during undergrad at Fordham U. You had to be 19 to get a hack license. Back then, most of the yellow taxis were part of large fleets. I drove for Ike-Stan out of Long Island City. It was pretty miserable. Most cabs were not air conditioned back then. I still recall sitting in grid-locked traffic on Park Avenue, in July, without a fare.
It really didn’t phase me, though. My father drove a tractor-trailer in Manhattan delivering heavy oil to hospitals and other large buildings. Driving a little Dodge cab was a piece of cake compared to what he did.
Good old FU
I started driving in Manhattan in 1986 when I was 17. Great video.
In the 70s the signs would say “NO RIGHT ON RED” so people would turn left on red if the intersection was two one-ways with one street going left. Then when too many violations were being dismissed they taped “TURN” over “RIGHT” and the situation was corrected…
I have to say as someone that grew up in NYC, you are spot on! I moved to New Jersey 2 years ago because of the traffic congestion and lack of parking.
And yes the BQE is literal hell you can lose your mind driving.
Been a New Yorker for almost half a century and I am impressed by your terrific traffic video. Any one who drives through all five boroughs of NYC must have nerves of steel. Cheers~
gotta be built for NYC not everybody is😂
As a born and breed NYer. TRUCKERS. Stay OFF Parkways. It’s more than a Ticket. You’ll get your Trailer destroyed like a sardine can. All the parkways have low bridges. Every week I see a truck ripped open by a bridge on the Northbound Henry Hudson PKWY. Or the Cross island parkway.
Spot on!!! The Hudson River Bridge toll is a 1.75 now on bridges north of the Tappan Zee, going east bound, until Albany.
I used to drive down to Manhattan from Upstate and Connecticut every weekends in my early 20s, and now I am living in cities in Asia that are even more crowded than NYC. What I wanna say is, despite the chaos you described, NYC drivers are much more sensible and have many hidden rules that made driving a much more smoother experience.
Such as, as long as you turned on a blinker and have a room to change lane, the other drivers will almost take their foot off their gas pedal and let you through.
Also, when someone in the right lane is swirling to the left cuz someone double park there... Drivers in the middle lane will also swirl into the left lane together with you
Some of that is just defensive driving, if someone swerves into you the most logical action is to also try and evade.
And fun fact, its litterally NY law that if someone signals intent to enter your lane you must yield to them if you are the car in the position to do so, and the same law also requires yielding to someone taking maneuvers to avoid an obstacle in their lane. (Its truly amazing what such a simple law can do to improve your experience on the highway, even if its barely enforced its atleast taught to new drivers so a higher percentage of people actually yield when appropriate.)
@@jasonreed7522 My experience in Florida is that if you signal to change lanes then the driver in the lane you want to merge into is speeding up so you can't get in front of him. RUDE RUDE RUDE Florida drivers
@@jasonreed7522 Similar rule in Hong Kong (not sure it is written or informal - but everyone does it). The ramps in Hong Kong are usually no more than 1-3 car lengths and are very closely spaced so there would be complete logjam if HKers applied the "try to prevent them from getting in" rules applicable in most of the rest of the USA. After 20 years of driving there it never ceases to amaze me what a massive improvement this simple courtesy makes - even with the complex 3-dimensional road system of HK.
@@elaineraad3609 yeah because they're macho people that are insecure driving big lifted pickup trucks. How dare you try to get in front of them
That 25 MPH is no joke. I got a speeding ticket in the mail from one of the speed cameras a month after driving in NYC. I was traveling up 10th Ave to 59th Street and somehow the traffic cleared for a microsecond and after being frustrated for blocks I must have hit the gas. The worst part was that I did it in a School Zone, so the fine was doubled.
I left a friend's apartment in the Bronx one evening and was headed to the GWB and miracle of miracles the Cross Bronx was relatively clear. It was the smoothest ride I have ever had coming out of NYC.
I have a driving dare from anyone outside of NYC. Take the Henry Hudson Tollway North to Mosholu Parkway, then turn off Mosholu onto Gun Hill Road. Take Gun Hill Road to Bronxwood Ave and turn left. I call it the obstacle course because you have double-parked cars to the right and left turns (usually without a turn signal) in the left lane and then the middle lane is for Ubers and private taxis. You win if you don't honk your horn at all from the turn onto Gun Hill to the turn at Bronxwood. Good Luck.
All I can add to the already helpful comments from my fellow New Yorkers is this: this is one of the best cities to drive in because everyone else is expecting you to do the dumbest thing possible. So it’s actually quite rare to see a fender bender or serious accident that wasn’t caused by speeding, red light running or someone with Jersey plates. 😊
I'd say it's more the BMW drivers that you have to be careful around
I’ve been to NYC for the first time, drove a bit through the big city and you are NOT wrong about Manhattan’s incredible gridlike roadway system. I like your informative Road videos! Subbed!
ive found parking usually depends on time of day. midday when people have commuted out ive never had too much issue finding parking almost anywhere. at night ive found business/mixed use areas to often have plenty of (free at night) curbside parking if you're choosing to drive to avoid poor late night mta service.
my personal ranking on driving in nyc (excluding staten island :p)
queens > manhattan > bronx > brooklyn
queens once youre further than closer to manhattan becomes pretty comfortable to drive in being more LI-esque than any other part of town
manhattan, if youre not trapped in congestion, is actually laid out very logically from a car perspective. the FDR & HRD are gorgeous drives, and if you catch the green light wave going north or south you can blast through most of the island pretty quickly. it's pretty nuts. this doesnt include harlem (intentionally extra congested bc of robert moses' racism) and parts of downtown that are older.
the bronx has probably the worst road quality of all the boroughs, say goodbye to your suspension. the streets arent too confusingly laid out, but bruckner expressway deserves an award for being one of the worst designed roads ever created, both for cars and pedestrians. an absolute nightmare where if youre not in specifically one of four lanes all of a sudden youre blocked off from where you need to go by a divider & easily missable signs. even with a gps its extremely easy to get stuck on the wrong road for the next mile or so if youre not familiar with how the lanes change. also the cross bronx expressway of course. robert moses ensured the bronx would be his personal torture chamber for commuters and truckers alike.
brooklyn is easily the worst. terrible road quality & nonsensical layout for cars. it feels chaotic & random, you can almost never be sure how the road after the next intersection will drive. this isnt even including how absurdly bad the double parking problem is here, navigating some neighborhoods becomes a real test of skill and frustration.
I'm from Rochester, and I've been in the South since 1973... 3 years Richmond, then ATL until 11/79, then Houston until 8/89, then back to ATL until now. I bought some antique items in 2014 at various auction houses between ATL and Brooklyn. I got stuck on the BQE going back to I-95 at around 4PM on a Friday. Whoops. That was about as bad as the 405 in LA. The scariest driving experience I've had (besides HI 30 on Maui, because narrow/heights) was the Periferico in Mexico City. Not only was the 1998 traffic insane (the metro population was around 18 million), the signage is all in Spanish (NOT my native language), the elevation is around 7,800 ft. >gasp< and there were areas where the air was yellow >GASP!< Difficult drive. I'm moving back to western NY.
I've always wondered why NY can't get a bridge between Connecticut and Long Island (Oyster Bay Bridge). That would alleviate so much truck traffic.
Forget the NIMBYs, someone can definitely make it happen.
Those NIMBY’s on Long Island wield a lot of political power so all the politicians are afraid to build it.
Long Island always wants to conserve history 😂. Like nobody gives a fuck about oyster bay if you don't like your house value than just move out of state
Ecological destruction is the excuse… Which is probably very factual.
@Mileage Mike Remove the NIMBYS, remove the problem, I think this is what many cities did when the interstate system was built
@@savagekingtexas_3990 Nah, when the interstates were built, the people in power usually went out of their way to remove the homes and communities of people of color
Your video is accurate. We call the highways by name not number. It’s culture. The fdr, the belt parkway, west side highway, etc.
Same with bridges. And if you call the Triborough the RFK we are fully entitled to punch you in your face.
The exception is 287. And i95
"Nobody"Calls it the Cross Westchester expressway. I'm sure 1 uncultured clown does but it's just 287.
I95 is referred to the cross Bronx but that's really it. It's not called the New England Thruway or whatever governor thruway.
It's i95 or just 95!
Whether you're going to Conn or freaking Miami.. It's just 95! Not even i95. Just 95
That first screen grab of the CIP and Whitestone Bridge is a few blocks from where I grew up 🙌😆
As for the random stopping I live in Europe and the worst I’ve witnessed was Brussels. But I imagine the standard road width there is even tighter than NYC roads, so most times it’s not 2 wheels across the solid line, but rather a couple inches left each side when passing the stopped car. And people just stop, put on their blinkers and go order their food, I couldn’t believe it people drove like it was a little town where they can use the road as they please, no you’re sharing with 2 million of us😂
As others have mentioned, it's important to be aware of the heavier non-motorized traffic in addition to pedestrians. But if you do find street parking, remember to check your driver's side mirror for approaching bicycles before opening your door. There are a lot of responsible bike commuters in addition to the seemingly lawless bike delivery riders who are all jockeying for the scraps of available roadway. Oftentimes with the tight margins remaining, swerving around a car door popping open is not an option. It seems like many drivers forget that if a (non ebike) bike stops it also looses its balance and all its momentum whereas in a car you're still just sitting there.
Rule 0: Don't. Take public transit
The parking issue is pretty bad, but it’s not as bad as you describe. I occasionally drive into downtown from Long Island at night (after 11pm) and can find plenty of parking on Broadway and Church Street by the WTC.
The Van Wyck Expy is I-678, not I-695.
I drive everyday in the city as a chauffeur and i think you did an excellent job laying out tips. Always look at the crosswalk sign blinking as it will indicate when its going to turn red. Don't follow too close to taxis as they will stop without signaling and cut across traffic. Uber drivers are oblivious to what they are doing as well.
We have a plethora of public transportation here in NYC and they are trying to make it walk friendly. I have a car, but I only drive it when I'm going out of the city. Other than that it stays garaged.
I remember giving myself a mental pep talk as I approached NYC for the first time. I was on the GWB more than 200 ft before someone cut me off. It immediately lived up to the hype.
Worked as an OTR (over the road) driver for 47 yrs, spend the first 18 yrs going in and out of NYC at least twice a week. One learns to accept the way things are there you get along, you manage. Or maybe I was just lucky. I would try to get into the city right around six in the morning (the city that never sleeps? Not true!) Zip all around the place, Brooklyn,the Bronx, Manhatten, Long Island, etc. The place is really NOT all that big. There is just an awful lot of people concentrated there. If you get stuck in there, let's say on a friday four or five in the afternoon. It WILL take you hours to get out and then another 2-3 hrs to get thru New Jersey into Pennsylvania if you're going that way (like I mostly did) Do I miss it any? Yes, somewhat. I got to like NYC. Lots of good people there. Unlike Los Angelos. An area I got to hate, but that's another story.
I'm an otr driver but I refuse to go anywhere near the northeast. I mostly drive i40 coast to coast. Cali to North Carolina and back