NYC For New Yorkers

Moving around New York City can be quite irritating sometimes. If you’re driving or taking a cab, there’s always traffic that is guaranteed to slow you down. Some people like myself prefer the subway, because it’s easy to get around the city via train and also because it’s the cheapest option. No matter how much we complain about the fare getting higher every once in a while, it’s always better than what you will be charged in a cab. With the thousands of New Yorkers riding the subway every day, the trains are often packed especially during rush hours. If you’re headed for a long ride, it’s always a good idea to have a book or a music to keep you company when you’re riding alone. But sometimes we’re not so lucky; no book to read and phone out of charge. The next best thing to do is keep your head down and check on your stop every once in a while. Because the worst thing you can do in New York beside walking slowly in a crowded area –– which is pretty much the entire city; is starring at people in the face. Some close their eyes until they reached their stop, others choose to look down. I, on the other hand have my own thing whenever I found mean in a crowded train with no phone or book. I play a game I like to call “Who’s getting off?”.

It’s a fairly easy and interesting game, the only tool you need to win is your creative and sharp mind. The rules are very simple, make an educated guess about one or multiple individuals getting off at the next train station based on their attire, stance and look. The tricky part of the game is assessing individuals in less than five seconds, remember New Yorkers don’t appreciate being starred at. Some guesses are often easy to make, for example: “You’re at 116th Street on the 2 Train heading uptown after 5pm, the next stop is 125th Street”. So, given that there’s only one more stop before the Bronx, you can’t wrong focusing your pick only on Caucasian people, if you’re trying to play it safe. Why? Statistically speaking, there are less Caucasian people residing in the Bronx, giving the time, it’s fair to assume most people on the train are heading home from work and given that most Caucasian people reside in Manhattan than the Bronx, the pick is only right. Always you may not win all the time, you will have far more chance by minimizing your pick radius.

The previous example was the most obvious one, to make things a little more interesting, let’s play out this scenario. “You’re heading downtown, the next stop is Time Square 42nd Street”, who will you be picking? Let’s start by eliminating the obvious one, people already packing their belongings in their bag, or putting their phone in their pocket and moving towards the exit. Since Times Square is one the most visited places by tourists, will be picking people with a camera strapped to their neck and constantly looking at the subway map. Anyone with a Madame Toussaud gear should be picked also because the only location in New York is in Time Square. Looking for clues along the way while being settle is always a good strategy. By the time you reach the next stop you’ll already have picks to pick from, thereby maximizing your chance of success.

It’s not fun being stuck in the subway by yourself with no book or phone, but when you do find yourself in this situation, you can always play this game to kill time. I can’t guarantee your odds of success, with a little deductive skill you can surprise yourself. But always remember not to stare at people too long, as I will not be held responsible for your back eye.