Do New Yorkers hate tourists?

This was kind of covered in the, "Are New Yorkers rude?" page, but I'll elaborate. Obviously, I can't speak for everyone, but the short answer is no. I'm sure there are some New Yorkers who wouldn't mind taking a few swings at you with a laundry bag filled with soda cans, but most of us understand that New York City and tourism go hand and hand. We've accepted it and adapted to it, but this is more about an individual's tolerance and demeanor than a zip code.

I'll give some examples of what irritates us and why some may give you reason to think that we hate you. For one, the streets are for walking. Nothing annoys a native more than a group or family standing in the middle of the sidewalk or on a corner with their heads in the clouds. It has nothing to do with the loud shirts, white sweatpants or Nascar hats, it's a simple matter of clogging up the pipes! We view this as disrespectful. We're usually in a hurry, not because we're late or poorly planned our time, but because this city moves in fast forward. If you don't keep up the pace, you get left behind, so please people... don't clog up the pipes and for chrissakes, don't walk across the direction of walking traffic. If everyone is walking north or south, don't walk in an east or west direction in the middle of a block when it's crowded. Most of us will go out of our way to avoid high tourist areas, mainly Times Square, but sometimes it's just unavoidable. BTW...when you are walking by or sitting across from us on the subway, it's rude to stare. New Yorkers keep to themselves and respect each others privacy. And, unless you want us to think you're flirting or are a certifiable nutbar, don't give us some silly half-cocked grin without reason.

Another thing that really pisses in our cornflakes is waiting in line because you don't know what to order or how to pay. This usually happens at newsstands, bodegas, coffee shops or food stands, but can really happen anywhere. It's pretty simple.. instead of diddle dallying around while waiting in line, look at the menu or selection or sign before you get to the front of the line or register so when it's your turn. you've got your money ready or credit card in hand. There's nothing worse than two hens jibber jabberin on line about the celebrities they hope to meet or some nitwit burying his nose in an iPhone who don't know what they want when it's their turn to order or pay for something. Then the dreaded fumbling through a laptop bag or pocketbook looking for their wallet. Grrr.

Speaking of ordering.. this mainly goes out to you cheeky folk from abroad, but it applies to anyone. In America, people working in the service industry rely on tips as part of their salary, so make sure you don't forget to tip your waiter or waitress, cab driver, bell hop, pizza delivery boy and anyone else that serves you exclusively. How much? Well that depends on the level of service you received but try to keep it between 15-20% unless the service was really terrible, as in, your server spit in your pudding. The easiest way to calculate an acceptable amount would be to simply double the tax. On a check, it's typically right under the subtotal. If it's a $20 meal and the tax is $1.80, then a tip of $3.50 - $4 is appropriate ($1.80 x 2 = $3.60) but for chrissakes, round up when there's change involved.

What else? Contrary to popular belief, New Yorkers are not opposed to giving you directions. In fact, most of us are willing and able. Don't be afraid to ask! We'd rather you ask us about a street or subway line than have you hunched over us pretending you understand the map in front of you.