To most people, thinking of New York City brings an image of Times Square and its bright commercials lighting up the area. It brings an image of crowded streets and people following their dreams with every step they take, getting closer every day. NYC has always maintained its global reputation as one of the top cities, even being declared the best city in the world because of its successful bounce-back even after the COVID-19 pandemic. But do the people match the energy of the city they live in? The Big Apple is globally known as one of the biggest cities in the world, specializing in staying busy and, most importantly, being fast-paced. It’s no secret either — whenever NYC is featured in any form of media, the nature of the bustling streets is portrayed somehow. Is it as aesthetically pleasing in person as it seems from afar?
The answer to the first question is yes, but the second one is a definite no. Being a New Yorker means you’re a part of the crowd, and everyone has their own destinations and schedules to follow. But being the tourist attraction NYC is, there’s nearly always a bunch of visitors who unfortunately cannot keep up with the pace. It’s understandable, of course. According to the New York Times, New Yorkers are the eighth fastest walkers in the world, and it isn’t too big of a surprise. The main forms of transportation in the city are walking and the MTA’s bus and train, so everyone is in a hurry to get where they need to be. People aren’t rushing everywhere without reason! Since tourists don’t have that reason, nor do they have any experience with needing to walk that fast, they seem very out of place. Seeing tourists in NYC is nothing new, but it’s incredibly frustrating every time they seem to claim a sidewalk for themselves, taking up all the space by walking smack in the middle, only to walk at a pace comparable to a snail’s. To intrude on people’s pace is one thing, but to then get annoyed at people who tell them to move is uncalled for.
When asked why New Yorkers hate slow walkers, Quora user Ross Cohen provided a detailed response, saying, “Because that’s how we get places. Most people on the sidewalks are not out for a stroll, they’re trying to get to work, or home, or a date, to meet friends…basically a specific destination at a specific time. We’re not sightseeing, we’re traveling.” For those here to sightsee, they should be aware of the environment that surrounds them, since they are the ones who have willingly come to visit. As a friend of mine once so eloquently put it: Google is free. New York City’s reputation isn’t necessarily kept secret by any means, and if someone wants to look at specifics, there are resources they can check prior to visiting. “I feel like if you’re a tourist anywhere, whether it be New York City or anywhere else, you need to respect the place you’re going to,” said Jasmine James, FCRH ’26. It’s simple, really. There’s no reason to complain when you are an outsider.
There’s nothing wrong with not knowing where to go; it’s easy to get lost and even New Yorkers need to use Google Maps to get around sometimes. But if you aren’t accustomed to walking as fast as the rest of the crowd, then please walk on the side. It’s like sharing a highway where slower driving cars stay in the right lane, and you pull over to the side if you need to check directions. Cohen compared the flow of foot traffic to a beating heart, saying that sidewalks are already compromised in many areas due to trash, bikes and outdoor seating areas: “Slow or stopped people blocking passage are like the clot that triggers a stroke or heart attack.” New Yorkers are just very independent and schedule-oriented people, but no one will go out of their way to be rude to anyone else.
“As a New Yorker, let me be real. Tourists are annoying as f**k,” Nushana Alam, FCRH ’27, shared. “In a city like New York, everyone has to fend for themselves, that’s why they walk so fast. Tourists don’t really know what it’s like to live in New York, whereas we’ve grown up walking fast. For us, growing up in New York, walking slowly would be considered rude because not only is not walking fast being rude to everyone else, but you become part of the traffic itself. No one wants to be the one to ruin someone’s day by just being in the middle of a sidewalk or something.” Alam went on to speak on how New Yorkers are simply people who are always on the go, so they need to be able to reach their destinations. Whether it be work, school or any kind of meeting, it’s frustrating if you would’ve been on time had there not been slow-moving foot traffic ahead of you. “If tourists think walking fast is rude, it’s the same where we think walking slowly is rude,” Alam stated.
To add to Alam’s point about growing up differently here, we learn to keep moving and to mind our business. Even in a movie as simple as “Home Alone: Lost in New York,” Kate McCallister, Kevin’s mother, was frantically asking around if anyone had seen him, yet no one paid any attention and just continued walking, simply because that’s the way it is. In Taylor Swift’s “Welcome To New York,” she said “It’s been waiting for you” — the only thing New Yorkers are waiting for is the MTA.
Haniyyah Usmani FCRH ’27 is undecided from The Bronx.
