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New York City.  The
“Big Apple”.  The town that never sleeps.  Many names for a town above all towns in the
United States.  I have been visiting NYC
on bus trips for about 4 years now. 
Finally I took the time to take a vacation and enjoyed myself very
much. 

I don't know if any other bus drivers or bus companies have been having any problems, but my fellow drivers and myself have been having problems lately in NYC that we have never had before.  But I wanted to post this and let other drivers know and maybe give them a heads-up.

I love visiting NYC. 
I hope to return many more times. 
With the traffic it can be real interesting at times.  LOL.  But I would return any chance I got.  I hope to vacation there again sometime next
year if my family wants. 

People have told me many times how rude they think the
people in NYC are.  I have come to find
out by my travels, people are not rude as a whole.  I have been in other areas where the people
were much ruder than any where I stopped in NYC.  NYC is a fast paced lifestyle.  There is a saying I have heard from people in
NYC.  When you walk the streets you “walk
with a purpose”.  You don’t just stroll
in NYC.  You move along and get to where
you are going.  And I can understand
that.  When there are that many people
around, you can’t just take your time at a counter at a McDonalds.  You have to order and then step aside for the
next person.

If you realize what New York is and accept that.  You will have a wonderful time every time you
visit. 

I have been traveling to NYC on business maybe half a
dozen times a year for about 4 years now.  
Until recently I have totally enjoyed every trip I have made.  

However for some reason there has been an attitude change
in New York for some reason.  Not by the
stores and clerks, they are just as friendly and helpful as they ever have
been. 

I wish I knew how to get this review to the Police Chief
of NYC and to some city council people. 
There is a serious problem going on in NYC that needs attention badly
before it effects the tourist trade to an already financially broken city.

When I first started visiting NYC you could walk up to a
police officer on any street corner and talk to them and ask directions and
even ask for a good place to eat.  Over
the last year or so, something has changed. 
I have seen a complete turnaround with the attitude of the police
department all over the Manhattan area. 
The reason I mention Manhattan is because that is where I spend about
99% of my time. 

I read a few months ago that NYC has a tourist trade
income of between 35 to 45 billion dollars a year.  But yet I see the police everywhere treat
“out of state” businesses like dirt. 
Lately almost on a daily basis I see police officers ticketing UPS and
FedEx drivers and out of area tour buses for some reason or another. 

I have read on some websites where bus drivers complain
about how they are treated by the police in NYC.  And it is not only the bus drivers.  I have also seen the same treatment to UPS
truck drivers and FedEx truck drivers. 

I see a taxi cab double parked and the police drive right
on by.  I see an MTA bus double park to
pickup passengers and nothing is done. 
And not to blame them, but they have to double park because New York or
New Jersey vehicle are illegally parked in the bus stop.  With no tickets on their windshields. 

About 2 years ago I started noticing odd things
happening.  Buses with tickets on their
windshields on out of state buses parked right next to local buses or vans that
didn’t have tickets.  I then started
looking at the licenses plates.  The ones
that I noticed tickets on were always out of the local area.  Not from New York or New Jersey area. 

I started noticing “airport” buses and shuttle buses
parking in “Charter bus” and “tour bus” parking areas and no tickets.  Then I started seeing UPS trucks and FedEx
trucks being ticketed for double parking while they deliver packages to local
businesses.  But a taxi stops to pick up
a fare or drop and the police drive right on by. 

I then started taking pictures of illegally parked
vehicles.  I have pictures of police cars
parked in Bus Parking zones and loading zones. 
And no, there was no emergency.  I
have been stopped behind police cars double parked while the officers talk to
each other.  Sometimes setting inside
their cars sometimes standing on the sidewalks. 

I have pictures of taxies and limos in bus parking
zones.  I have pictures of MTA and city
buses parked in tour/charter bus parking zones. 
With no tickets.  

Two things happened recently that really blew the lid off
this.  A few months ago I was in NYC driving a group around and I was looking for a certain restaurant on a street on the lower 40s.  I was up and down the streets at least 5
times and still did not find the place. 
I saw a traffic officer at a street corner.  I parked and got out to ask if he knew where
the place was.  He could not even speak
English.  I don’t know if he was just messing
with me or what but in a Mexican accent, he said he did not speak English.  In NYC, our biggest city in the UNITED STATES
a police officer can’t speak English. 
Come on, what’s next.

And the last issue. 
I was in NYC on vacation a while back. 
I was on 8^th Ave trying to turn onto 34^th street
to get to a parking garage.  We were
going to visit the Empire State Building and Macy’s.  There was a traffic officer at the
intersection.  He would not let me turn
right onto 34^th street.  I
totally understand about how bad traffic can get at times, but come on.  What if I have been a visitor to the area and
only going on verbal directions and had no idea where else to go since I could
not turn where I needed to turn.  What if
this was my first visit to NYC and didn’t know where to go?  As any other driver knows, GPS units do not work very well in NYC
with the tall buildings so if you don’t know the area, you are pretty much
stuck.

For all of those Bus drivers, FedEx drivers, and UPS drivers.  I hope you work for a great company that pays
your tickets for you.  I know if I have to pay too many tickets, I won't be going to NYC very often.

If the police in NYC would give and collect on all the
tickets they SHOULD give out, the city would be out of debt in less than a
year.  Every time I travel, I see at
least 2 dozen or more traffic violations hourly in NYC.  Not counting the illegally parked
vehicles.  I know that sounds
unreasonable, but it is true.  I have seen
a vehicle in the far left hand lane at an intersection make right hand
turns.  Taxis at intersections in a turn
only lane trying to get a jump on the light go straight when the light turns
green.

I love NYC and all the excitement and hustle and
bustle.  But I have noticed a dark side
that most people would not even think about. 
But I have driven in NYC and seen several bad things being done.  I have even been “cussed out” by the police
at intersections.  I don’t live in NYC
and wouldn’t even think of living there. 
Visit yes, but live NO.

When you visit NYC, remember to have fun.  See all the sites you can.  And totally enjoy yourself in everything you
do.

And most of all.  Watch out for where you can park.  Watch out for "blocking the box".  And don't take any chances.  Be safe.