Boris Chen, 22, moved to New York from California early in July for a job with a finance company in Midtown. He is still trying to stomach what feels to him like a whole new brand of rude.Mr. Chen also had to get over his lingering childhood fear of taxi drivers, which he believed came from movies. “I always thought any time I got into taxis they were going to kidnap me, and I was going to die,” he said.
Newcomers Adjust, Eventually, to New York
There also usually comes a time, early on, when newcomers must accept that the city is a power greater than they are.
“My friend said, ‘The city abuses you, and you just have to abuse it back,’ ” said Ms. Sirkin, who grew up in California and moved to New York reluctantly...
Ms. Sirkin’s friend Sarah Kasbeer also recalled being consumed by a common strain of existential New York City angst: the sense that no matter where one is, something better is happening — the real New York is in full swing — somewhere else.
This reminds me of a former co-worker of mine who had come from Phoenix and was always broke. I said to her, "You and I have the same title and make the same money, but you share your apartment with 2 roommates. I live alone and after paying my bills in full, still have money left at the end of the month...so how can you be broke?" She couldn't explain it. The more I spoke with her the clearer the picture became. She simply had to have the latest high-priced accessories and clothes so she could enter trendy clubs and restaurants in order to feel like "a real New Yorker." Once my friend discovered that living the "hip" NYC lifestyle wasn't all it was cracked up to be, she stopped being a wild child, found she wasn't missing out on much and was actually pretty happy.
Now the guy that thinks cab drivers are going to murder him sounds like he has some serious issues. Maybe KingofNYCabbies can analyze this dude.
12 comments:
What a dumb article.NYC is not anything intimidating, and scary, its just really annoying how many ultra rich dirt bags are here from the east coast and else where that think they are special.I came from Minneapolis and worked at a cab company in the office and can say its just as dangerous for drivers there but theres of course more of the nonsense here.Of course people are going to be assholes to each other and bump into each other with this many people crammed togethor in Manhattan.NYC has the distintion of trying to be special but it isnt really as unique as locals here spout off it to be.Dont have any desire to piss away money at expensive resturaunts and clubs.I go out once or twice a week.Sounds like crapper is fishing up sides to bitch about each other again.NYC attitude I could care less about.Family Guy has the local gruff down pat when it comes to NYC.
What is this a B movie from 1970's NYC.Cheesy article to say the least.Just avoid the idiots who run through redlights in there car everywhere, otherwise its just a bigger city with more retarded thugs and money driven real estate brokers.
"Sounds like crapper is fishing up sides to bitch about each other again."
Sides of what? People afraid cab drivers will kidnap them vs. those who don't need medication?
That caption made me laugh. When i need a smile I just look at the picture and caption. Worth the post!
Living in New York is like walking on railroad tracks.
If you step only on the ties, get a cadence, you can travel.
If you don't, it can be a bumpy jaunt.
It's the cabbie that's more likely to be the victim of a passenger...who might be a nut job, a robber or just out to murder him!
Mr. Chen has got a serious phobia needs some professional help.
Maybe NYC isn't the best location for him.
Transplanted Californians often find this city brutal compared to their former lives of relaxing in the sun with the soothing sound of the Pacific Ocean to calm their nerves.
California, of Charles Manson fame, frightens me a hell of a lot more
than NYC!
Way back when...I think it was actor Lee Marvin being interviewed by Esquire or Playboy...summed up Californians:
"In New York they'll just kill you. In California they'll kill you then eat you"!
People who come here that damn afraid are few, but some trust funders that fit in real well in Manhattan walk around with their heads in the clouds.Throw them in east New York for a while.
Los Angeles has plenty of bad areas.This paper is taking one dufus and trying to say to themselves how crazy NYC is.That gives me a laugh in so many ways.
"In New York they'll just kill you. In California they'll kill you then eat you"!
It even happens here in "bucolic" (right!) Wisconsin, too--witness such local luminaries as Ed Gein and Jeff Dahmer.
Yeah, the sickos are not just restricted to NY and CA. But of course, the more people you have in one place, the more craziness.
But then again, such small-time wannabes as Son of Sam are not even close to being in the same league as The Night Stalker, The Freeway Killer, The Hillside Strangler, Harvey Glatman, The Manson Family, etc. etc.
As for Mr. West Coast, he doesn't need professional help. All he needs, to be cured of his cab-phobia, is to experience the joys of owning or leasing a car in Manhattan for a couple of months--and to have the ecstatic pleasure of trying to drive it, park it, maintain it, and put gas in it. Welcome back--in a big hurry--to cabs and public transit.
"dave in milwaukee"
I must admit, I haven't read then entire article yet, but from what I've read here, it's pretty funny and a bit ironic. The irony is that there are more non NEw Yorkers living here than ever before. So most of the rude people and sadistic cabbies you encounter are socially inept transplants, just like you, frightened little Asian man.
The most respectful people I know are native NYer's because we know how to actually interface with strangers. Ever been in a crowded bar and the person behind you is trying everything to get through to the bartender except tap you on the shoulder and say "EXCUSE ME?" Chances are they are not born and raised in NYC.
I'll take it a step further. The ones who say "if you don't like change, move to Ohio" probably come from Ohio. And we natives generally don't make fun of people who come from elsewhere. That's more the M.O. of people who just came from someplace else themselves. You say you're from another town, most New Yorkers are interested to hear all about it, similar to how they are treated when visiting somewhere else and make the revelation that they are from NYC.
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