As a New York City resident for more than two years, but in general trying to not be an awful human being, I was skeptical about this when I saw the image of “YOU = TOURIST = JERK”. Having watched it, though, I think this video is actually full of good advice while maintaining a lighthearted playfulness. Check it out:
Having been a longtime tourist to New York City before moving here, I’ve been sympathetic to the shock and awe that overwhelms visitors to the Big Apple (particularly on their first visit). I used to love the crowds in Times Square, with the huge combinations of people from all over the world. I used to scoff at friends who grumped about tourists everywhere, despite having grown up in a beach town and grumped at tourists my whole childhood.
But something flipped a switch in me this holiday season, and I’m officially over the families walking in a big side-by-side line taking up the entire sidewalk, the tourists who stop in the middle of the walkway without warning to stare at something, and the people blocking the subway while they play with their smartphones. I’ve just plain had enough. I’ve becoming the grumpy New Yorker shaking his fist at the sky and cursing the tourists who are so vital to the local economy.
Let’s just have all planes and buses show this video before arriving in New York City, m’kay? M’kay.
