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Post edited 7:07 am – August 17, 2011 by JWS
Post edited 7:08 am – August 17, 2011 by JWS

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 with bus trips for about 4 years now.  Finally I took the time to take a vacation and enjoyed myself very much. 

Something has been happening over the last several months to myself and fellow drivers in the company I work for and I wanted to post this to see if any one else is having issues or just to give a heads up to fellow drivers.

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. 

My company had 3 buses in NYC for 4 days a few weeks ago.  Two of the three got 2 tickets and the other one got one ticket.  Other drivers in my company that have never had any traffic violations have gotten tickets in NYC.

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.  Several months ago I was in NYC with a tour group 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 just a few weeks ago. 
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 bus 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 fellow 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 get any more tickets, I will think twice about returning to NYC.  When you get a ticket in New York, there goes a days pay if you have to pay it out of your own pocket.  

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 a 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 all the 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.

Watch where you park.  Watch "blocking the box".  And be careful and have fun.